Cusco

Thursday, June 17

Our first full day in Cusco was complicated by a transportation strike. What did this mean? Instead of driving to Sacsayhuaman (more Inca ruins, what else. I’ve gotta tell ya, I’m ruined on ruins), we got to walk there and then climb up it. Fantastic. One part consisted of walking through a pitch black, tiny tunnel that the Incas used to meditate, and coming out the other side was supposed to represent rebirth. Well I started walking in, prepared to put my claustrophobic fears aside and be brave, but then I started feeling some serious anxiety – shortness of breath and I even felt some tears comin on, so I opted to walk around rather than through the tunnel. I’ll just have to experience rebirth some other time.

And then we all slid down this rock slide at the ruins. This place was a freakin playground. It was really funny because at first I was really scared because they said it’s easy to break your legs doing it so I went down super slow. My super slow speed did not even compare to Kathryn’s. She crawled down rather than slid.

We then looked at the massive rocks used to build the terraces and took pictures in front of them. And then we climbed some more (surprise surprise) and got some really fantastic views of Cusco.

After Sacsayhuaman, we went to Qorikancha, which was the main Inca temple in Cusco and where the Spanish built their first church. It was really interesting to see both Inca and Spanish remnants displayed.

And now I’m leaving for the Amazon like right this second and I’m definitely not caught up on the blogito. I am so nervous for the jungle – if bugs have not been my friend thus far on the trip, I can only imagine what the next few days have in store for me.