Cusco (or is it Cuzco??)

The spelling is up for debate, sources seem confused. In any case, we´re here in the main city in Southern Peru and one of the hottest tourist destinations in South America. Though it´s not actually hot, it´s really very high up and we´re entering the rainy season so for most of the day it´s not unlike the temperature at home. And then the sun comes out for a bit and you remember how much closer you are to it here. I still intend on coming home as a dark white girl, though I may fade a bit in the next month.

So this is sort of our home base for the next month. We´ve found a hostel that we like and is relatively affordable (Cusco is expensive) and intend on leaving a lot of our things in storage while we visit out last few destinations. Cusco is fun... very european with all the luxuries of a european city... though they all still insist on honking their horns constantly for absolutely no reason whatsoever and I may resort to throwing rocks soon... there´s also only so many dozens of times you can yell ´Use your signal!!!!´ before you´re just right pissed off. Haha the drivers may be my number one reason for wanting to come home! But the hostel we´re in is on a walkway as opposed to a street so it´s relatively quiet, and in the main square it´s forbidden for drivers to use their horns (I´m not joking, it´s a real issue!). Today we´re leaving the main city to go to some surrounding ruins which should be fun. Things are more organized here so you´re more likely to do a tour in a group of 15 or 20 as opposed to you and the guy next door as it was in Ecuador. Still it should be good times and it´s only for a few hours so we can get back to our favorite Cusco activity of eating. Mmm helado (ice cream) like you wouldn´t believe... and every different kind of food you could ever want... it´s just great, I love eating here. I think I´m putting back on my food poisoning weight but it´s so very worth it. Yummy, everyone should go out right now and eat the best icecream you can afford and just sit and appreciate it.

We´ve just been exploring the city, going to old churches (Incan converted to Catholic often, with influences from both) and seeing the ruins that some of the current builings are on top of. Incan architecture is amazing simply in that the stones are made with totally straight edges and you can barely see the gaps between them. They used very minimal mortar and we´re wondering if that´s why Incan walls survive earthquakes so well... because they have some give to them, they aren´t brittle. Earthquakes are a real danger here and the shrine to the Lord of the Earthquakes (Jesus with a fun new title) is surrounded by candles.

The current plan is to do a hike to Macchu Picchu in a few days. We can´t do the Inca trail, as we knew well in advance, because it´s booked up. However, there´s an althernative called the Salkantay which is a 5 day trek to a top altitude of 4800m. I´m a little scared of going that high after my last experience but we´ll have mules so that should help. After touring the ruins on the 5th day we´ll take the train down. Then we´ll have a few rest days before taking off to a city called Arequipa (I think that´s how you spell it... more or less) which is a small town where you take off for the Colca Canyon. I´ve recently been informed that this is actually the second deepest canyon in the world by about 140m. The deepest is nearby but I think it´s harder to get to. Anyways, the Colca canyon is good for viewing condors. Then we´re off to Lake Titicaca where we´ll spend about a week in the different islands. This is a very important religious place for indigenous people and I´m really looking forward to it.

Then we come home! I´m really looking forward to Christmas with everyone and can´t wait to see you all (Woods, Hiles, and wonderful friends). Lots of love!

-Dawn

ps - for those who like shoes- I just bought a pair of really nice suede GIRL boots for like $22 and I´m really very happy about it. This is just a note to tell all of you trendy girls out there that you are NOT allowed to tell me they´re out of style when I get back! Dawn finally bought nice shoes!