Siroche and the Grand Cathedral - Peru Day 2

Cuzco Plaza De Armas, originally uploaded by kardinalsin.

Lima was a great primer for the rest of our trip. What we didn't count on was that Cuzco would be an even greater challenge. At 10,000 ft elevation, it's quite possible the highest city we've ever been to and siroche (altitude sickness) is a real danger for all of us coastal dwellers.

We land and are picked up at the Cuzco airport. Our contact in Cuzco is a very nice Romanian expatriate and former UNESCO employee with a great knowledge of the country and the city of Cuzco which she claims to be the cultural heart of Peru. With great enthusiasm and a little scatterbrained-essness we are briefed on the remainder of our trip and reminded that we need to retain all vouchers for our trip at all costs. Luckily, my wife is an organizational genius and I have no fear that we will lose any of these precious strips of signed paper.

Our first sip of coca tea is a welcome cure-all for our shortness of breath and after a brief stint with an oxygen tank, we arrange for a short walk around the city center and dinner.

The Plaza de Armas blows us away.

Surrounded by three churches, the plaza is a testament to the Catholic culture of colonial Peru. A few days later, we would be treated to a tour of the Cathedral and some eye-opening dialogue, but for now we could appreciate the romantic architecture, the pointed steeples, and the people. One of which was a little girl offering up photographs of her and her baby "alpaca" for only one Peruvian sol. This was a harbinger of tourist treatment, but hardly unexpected.

For dinner, we enjoyed a light meal to combat the thin air and plenty more coca tea and returned to our hacienda-style hotel. While worrying about G's averse reaction to the altitude, I reflected upon the busy streets of Cuzco and read up on the town of Pisac.

So far, I love this country.