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After all our searching for a day bus to Cusco, we were really glad we found one as the scenery on the journey was magnificent. The bus was less luxurious than most in Peru and when they played two of the same movies twice in a row (one literally back to back), we did start to lose patience a bit! We drove through stunning Andean countryside, through mountains and past lakes. On some lakes we even saw flamingos which we really weren't expecting! We also saw more vicuñas, alpacas and llamas. After 11 hours and a very short stop for some lunch snacks where we nearly got left behind, we made it to Cusco and our hostel which turned out to be really nice. We were greeted by the very friendly owner and given some coca tea for the altitude (which we haven't been affected by) then headed out for some proper food after all the snacking.
After a bit of skyping in the morning, we headed out to buy our tickets to Machu Picchu. For one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world, it is extremely difficult to buy tickets direct from the official tourism people. We didn't want to pay extra to an agent so we persevered and only on the third time passing the small side street did we find the office and that was only because the security guard spotted us looking lost! It was a tiny office with no sign out the front. I also looked at their website and it was pretty much impossible to use. We also booked our train tickets online, so were all set to go, at great expense, even by English standards. After sorting this out and doing some internetting (we're very behind with backing up photos), we headed towards the main square where we were to discover how touristy Cusco is. Along the way we were offered countless photos with lambs, sightseeing bus tours and massages. I've already lost count of the number of times we've said "No, gracias". We also walked past a very touristy walled square complete with souvenir shops, a man dressed up and several grazing alpacas wearing hats. All over Cusco (and also Arequipa) there are many, many shops selling baby alpaca products. It disturbs me to think how many baby alpacas are stood naked, out in the Andes, shivering, as western tourists are all wearing jumpers made from their fur. After a bit of research, I have actually discovered that the 'baby' part actually refers to the diameter of the fibre and not necessarily the age of the animal. Still, they must be cold.
We dived into a local restaurant for lunch to shelter from a short rain shower. We thought it might be good as it was full of locals but it was pretty mediocre. After lunch we wandered a bit more. As I was starting to develop a sore throat, we went to get a medicinal ice cream before making our way up to the San Blas area to sort out Spanish lessons for the following week. After some relaxing time in the hostel's communal terrace area, enjoying the view across the rooftops, we went out to dinner at a local restaurant recommended by our hostel. Simon indulged in a huge alpaca steak and I had a comforting soup as my cold was fully kicking in. We enjoyed the open fire and less enjoyed listening to a very loud American man on the next table.
I felt pretty awful the next day so we took it very easy in preparation for our trip to the Sacred Valley the next day. On the recommendation of some other people we met, we went for lunch at a vegan place. For 10 soles (£2.20), we had a really tasty lunch of salad, soup, main course, dessert and drink which even Simon the devout carnivore enjoyed. Amazing! We will be back! In the afternoon, Simon persuaded me to watch a small amount of football in an Irish pub where he also had a Guiness. We returned later in the evening for food and enjoyed some comfort food of Shepherd's pie and a full- English (or Irish!). Cusco is definitely the place for home comfort food.
We returned to the hostel to pack and prepare for our trip into the Sacred Valley, but are looking forward to returning to Cusco again to explore some more.
Katy
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