George: From the capital, Lisa and I will fly south. We’re heading to Cuzco. Nowadays, it’s a city of 350,000, nestled in a deep Andes Valley. From on high, the city shows off a sea of tiled roofs. Our journey to Machu Picchu is officially underway. Cuzco was the capital of the Inca empire from the 13th to the 16th centuries and it’s the gateway to Machu Picchu. The ancient city was built in the shape of a puma and it took decades to complete.
Before people even get to Machu Picchu, they tend to spend a few days here in Cuzco just to get acclimated to the higher elevation. We’re at 11000 feet now, that’s 3550 meters. I don’t know about you but it’s hard just walking up these steps. Are we going to make it to the top?
Lisa: It’s pretty tough. We’ll see, we’re almost there.
George: Good. Once you’ve caught your breath, it’s a tremendous town to explore. In Quechua, the language of the Incas, Cuzco meant the navel of the world. It was the source and the center of Inca life. In the 15th century, the Inca chief, Pachacutec took a village of straw and clay huts and converted it to a majestic metropolis of imposing stone buildings. When the Spanish conquistadores led by Pizzaro arrived here years later, they were impressed with the order and the beauty of Cuzco. They wrote home that it was the most impressive city in the new world. Pizzaro conquered Cuzco in November of 1533. That effectively ended the Inca empire forever.
What startles most visitors are the intricately constructed mighty stone walls which show the wisdom and the strength of the Inca culture. Huge stones were set snuggly atop other stones. The walls have withstood earthquakes and political upheavals and remain firm today.
Lisa: This was the center of the Inca universe. Today it’s known as the Plaza de Armas.
George: The Plaza used to be twice as big. It was used for religious and military ceremonies. The Incas also used it as a place to mourn their dead and when the Spanish came here, they used this plaza as a place for public executions including Inca leaders. Now, look at this, two churches on the edge of the plaza in what used to be a place of public execution. Amazing. And this is the main cathedral. We’re not allowed to take the camera inside so we’re going to go look for you but they say it’s very beautiful in there.
But the best time to view the Plaza de Armas is after dark when the city lights enhance the stone structures and when wellworn sidewalks display a sheen. Residents of Cuzco get supplies here, the mercato near one of the city’s train stations. Fresh meats, cheeses, vegetables, they’re all here. So are nonfoods. There are competing vendors so customers can shop around for the best price. Seasoned travelers can go visit the merchants but it’s more likely the merchants will come to you. You’ll be inundated by people selling clothes, postcards, painting and much more and in Cuzco, you can buy thinker puppets from the children and so these are now my newest best friends. The octopus, el pulpo, the duck, el pato, the llama, la llama and the girl, la chica. And they can speak to you too. Here’s what they say. Bienvenido a Cuzco.
One excellent shopping district is San Blas, the artisan’s quarter. There’s high quality merchandise here, alpaca sweaters, fine gold and silver jewelry, high quality artworks as well as clothing and shoe stores. But be aware of this fact, many shops want your business but they don’t take credit cards, so you’ll need to carry cash but here’s the other distressing fact of life, merchants never seem to have change for a 50 or 100 soles note. So get your big bills changed at your hotel to allow you to shop without headaches. In Cuzco, you can always find rich, colorful people to take your picture with. All you have to do is give them a little tip. And then you get to look just like them.
Cuzco also knows how to celebrate. It’s a Sunday morning. Civilian and military dignitaries have gathered for the raising of the new city flag with all the pomp and ceremony that goes with it. Cuzco’s banner reflects a rainbow which was important in Inca times.
Beyond the city limits, takes visitors to the sacred valley of the Incas. Andes Peaks rise on both sides of the Urubamba River. The region was once immersed by the Pacific Ocean so the stone work is limestone. The town nearest Cuzco is Chinchero which means town of the rainbows. It’s an agricultural region known for its farming especially potatoes. Peruvians grow up to 800 varieties of potatoes. The Incas developed the concept of terrace farming and they did so in this region. The town was buried for centuries, excavated in the 1990s. These are the remains of the Inca place. Chinchero later became a colonial town so the Spaniards built a Catholic Church right on top of the Inca temple ruins. Today the petite plaza in the village is a place of commerce. Local residents selling their wares to visitors from other places.
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