Up in Cuzco
Up in Cuzco
Up at 6, breakfast at 7, on the bus to the airport at 7:30. Long, slow lines at the ticket counter. And then there are the airport “departure taxes” which range for $6 to $30 per person depending upon city and maybe destination. The group was not happy about the departure taxes.
The flight took off on time and landed in Cuzco at 10:30. (It was a LanPeru flight and they provided actual food!) Cuzco is 11,000 feet above sea level. We were taken by bus to our hotel and given 45 minutes to rest before going to lunch at a local restaurant and then a tour of Cuzco. We saw the town square that was crowded with people on the Sunday afternoon. There were many families with small children each asking us to buy something. From there we went to two cathedrals, a monastery, and a silver jewelry store. I began to experience altitude sickness having a persistent and painful headache. We decided to begin taking Diamox after dinner to help ease the symptoms. (We had hoped we might adapt and wanted to avoid additional drugs is possible since we have another weeks worth of antimalarial drugs to take). We did drink coca tea but it had no obvious effects.
When we returned from out tour of the city, there was an elaborate sand drawing of a chalice and a candle on the street being completed in front of our hotel. It was for religious parade in honor of the Lord of Miracles. After dinner we watched a the parade coming up the street in front of the hotel. A group of men carried a platform containing a picture of Jesus and the parade stopped at the many temporary altars set up along the street including one at our hotel. A hymn was sung at each stop, the priest blessed the altar, and flowers from the altar were added to the flowers on the carrier. This action was repeated at each altar along the street. Many people lined the streets and followed the parade.
Helen’s Journal
Sunday, Oct 15, 2006