This morning I left Lima for Cusco. A short flight arriving in the early afternoon. Cusco is located at over 11,000 feet high in a beautiful canyon surrounded by very high peaks. The photo on the left is taken over the Cusco VOR which is the final approach fix at 14,000. Weird. The hotel is really old - but very nice - and was a monestary. I stayed in a nunnery in Cartegena, hmmm someone is trying to tell me something. T
he altitude made it very difficult to walk around until your body acclimated which took an hour nap and some coca tea.
After a short rest I took a guided tour of Cusco. There is more to see here then a quick 2 hour tour but it was better then trying to see it on my own.
The Inca's were super freaks and built buildings that would still be perfect today had the Spanish not destroyed or tried to destroy them.
They moved this 120,000 pound rock 25 miles. They didn't even have wheels yet.
This is a really scenic city of about 350,000. When the Spanish arrived there were 300,000 people living in Cusco and it was the Capital of an empire that covered most of South America.
Very interesting history - and then the Spanish came and that was a whole other thing!
John, this is just great.
ReplyDeletethanks for allowing us to get jealous that we're not there with you.
Rick