Cusco, One Last Time

I only plan to briefly touch on Cusco, since this will be the second time I mention it in a post. I was there before and after Machu Picchu (mid-June), at the height of tourist season and some mega-festivities

The Plaza de Armas (tourist trap central) was constantly full of people during this stint in the former Inca capitol. Peruvians were parading around with massive floats depicting all kinds of crazy stuff, from Pachamama (the goddess of the universe), to a giant hand with demonic faces on its fingertips. There were also fireworks at all hours, bottles of Cusqueña galore, and people playing loud music on a big stage. Many folks wore traditional garb and danced in the processions in the streets. It was an exciting time to be there!

As I understand, it was all in anticipation of a pilgrimage people make to a glacier in the nearby Andes. The tradition is to spend a night on the glacier, with the understanding that your survival guarantees that any wish of your choosing will come true. There are also ties to Catholicism in the tradition, but that part is a little more murky. It was just a big celebration in a cool, historical city.

Other happenings were my many trips to the San Pedro Market, where lunch (~$2), freshly butchered animals, woven handcrafts, and knickknacks can be purchased. It was a strange mix of stuff that made each visit fascinating. Some days I bought my treasured cactus fruit, called "tuna," from outdoor venders. Other days I brought in clothing for repairs. The "jugo" stands were always a must-visit due to their tasty smoothie combos, like passion fruit + orange + mango, all fresh!

Near the end of my stay I went to the "Black Market" with my friend Kelsey and her latest volunteer crew. I wanted to get a gander at the tourist-free booths that pop up on Saturdays. The place was nuts! Books, tools, clothing, food, and everything else under the Sun. Actually it was all under these really low umbrellas and tents that I practically had to crawl under. At the end of the line of venders it got especially interesting. People were selling stuff right off the side of a big highway through town. The items for sale were animals. There were boxes of puppies, rabbits, kittens, and of course, delicious guinea pigs. It was heart-wrenching to see so many little furballs peeking up at me from the boxes. There were also chickens and ducks roaming around. I bought nothing.

One of my favorite things about Cusco is the abundance of peaceful little plazas and "plazoletas" one can relax in. They all have nice benches, fountains, and trees that create an ideal atmosphere for reading a book or eating a cronut. And that brings me to my final paragraph about Cusco...

Being the primary tourist hub, Cusco offers a wide variety of food options not seen elsewhere in Peru. First, understand that I love Peruvian food more than most. The Peruvian-Chinese "chifa," lomo saltado (beef and fries), and trucha frita (fried trout), are all really nice. But sometimes you just need something different. In Cusco I found some exciting new food options among the many restaurants. I had a MASSIVE and delicious burger (twice), Indian food, decent coffee, and cronuts (5 times, in 4 days). Cronuts are the best thing in the entire world, and do not let anyone tell you otherwise! Imagine a donut made of fluffy, buttery croissantness. There is a rich layer of cream filling inside, and on top you have your choice of two different sweet fruit spreads, or heavy chocolate. I tried all three kinds! The chocolate one nearly killed me. I hear they have them in New York, but there is no way they are as delicious as the cronuts I encountered in Cusco. Go to Cusco. Eat cronuts. That is all.