A visit to Cuzco reminds of the evil done in the name of religion. The pious Spaniards who conquered the capital of the great Inca Empire proceeded to methodologically destroy Cuzco because it was a pagan city. The Spaniards tore down the Inca city and used its great stones as building blocks for a new Spanish Cuzco. Signs of Cuzco’s glorious past abound, but mostly in bits and pieces.
The first thing to do in visiting Cuzco is to get out of town and go see Sacsayhuaman (pronounced: socks-eh-woe-man), the vast Inca temple just outside Cuzco, for a lesson in Inca costruction using stones so finely quarried that no cement was needed to hold them together. Now you can return to Cuzco and easi
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A visit to Cuzco reminds of the evil done in the name of religion. The pious Spaniards who conquered the capital of the great Inca Empire proceeded to methodologically destroy Cuzco because it was a pagan city. The Spaniards tore down the Inca city and used its great stones as building blocks for a new Spanish Cuzco. Signs of Cuzco’s glorious past abound, but mostly in bits and pieces.
The first thing to do in visiting Cuzco is to get out of town and go see Sacsayhuaman (pronounced: socks-eh-woe-man), the vast Inca temple just outside Cuzco, for a lesson in Inca costruction using stones so finely quarried that no cement was needed to hold them together. Now you can return to Cuzco and easily tell the difference between the work of the master Inca stonemasons and the crude Spanish work in brick and stone. Now you will find Inca parts of walls and buildings all over Cuzco.
At 3,315 m or 11,500 ft. above sea level, Cuzco is not an easy visit. Even if you don’t get altitude sickness, you will be perpetually out of breath. Climbing a flight of stairs or the smallest hill will leave you gasping, so take your time. Walk slowly and savor the sights. There are no great sights in Cuzco. People flock here because it is the jumping off point for Machu Picchu. Nevertheless, wandering Cuzco’s attractive streets is a worthwhile activity, as long as you take it
easy.
There are several fine colonial churches, especially in the Plaza des Armes, the center of Cuzco’s attractions. Running out of the square, Callejon Loreto has some of the best Inca walls in town.
Machu Pichu gets all the attention, but there are several other notable Inca ruins in the vicinity which should not be missed. A day tour by bus or van with a local guide is a good way to see the most important of them. The trip will include Sacsayhuaman and other Inca establishments and probably stop at an Indian village market.
I know we were in Cuzco for most of 2 days and 3 nights, but I have no recollection of where or what we ate for our three squares a day. Must be the Coca tea.
Quick Tips:
Coca tea, made from brewing the leaves of the coca plant, the source of cocaine, is the local remedy for altitude, and unless you live in Leadville, Colo., you will benefit from drinking coca tea. It will not turn you into a drug addict, but I think it fogs the brain a bit, at least that’s the only reason I can think of that explains why my memories of Cuzco are more fuzzy than those of the other places we visited on this trip, all of which were at significantly lower altitudes.
Thanks to the Spanish influence, restaurants in Peru make great flan, the must-have dessert.
Less than 20% of the Earth’s atmosphere is between Cuzco and the Heavens. Get outside at night, find a dark spot, and look up. The display of stars is staggering. And don’t forget sun block. Solar radiation is intense.
Is the water safe to drink? It sure is in coca tea.
Watch how much you order for meals. Altitude sickness, and at this altitude, figure you will get it, tends to kill the appetite.
Sign up for a 1-day tour of Sacsayhuaman and the valley around Cuzco. Be sure your trip includes shopping time at one of the local markets. The largest and best known market is Pisac, but markets are not held every day in each town. A good tour will take you to where the action is. These local market days are great places for pictures and shopping.Best Way To Get Around:
You can get to Cuzco by a long bus ride or by car, but it is a dangerous route. Fly in from Lima.
I suppose you can find your way around the local sights on your own, but remember, neither your body nor your brain is working anywhere near normal because of the high altitude. Hire a local guide or take a packaged tour. It is well worth the extra cost for the wear and tear it will save you, and they know where they are going.
Machu Pichu is reached by a train ride down the Urubamba Valley, on the east (rain forest) side of the Andes.
The streets of Cuzco lend themselves to walking, but remember the altitude. Read Less