Our time visiting Machu Picchu was over, and we began our journey from Aguas Calientes Train Station to Ollantaytambo.
The train was late, the station chaotic with people everywhere, but we met our Latin Routes representative, who led us to our driver.
Our two hour drive from Ollantaytambo train station to our hotel in Cusco took three hours! The roads are single-lane on either side, and you are often unable to pass because of large trucks, oncoming traffic or traffic congestion.
As we approached Cusco, the traffic was so slow that I was able to connect to someone’s unrestricted phone to get internet access for probably 20 minutes, enough time to check my email!
The outskirts of this amazing city showed the poverty and deprivation that exists outside this amazing, cobbled, quaint and famous city. The urban areas lack decent housing and basic rubbish collection from the streets. It’s quite sad to see and makes you appreciate our lives back home.
But as we near the centre of the city, home to some 600,000 inhabitants, the scene changes quite dramatically.
The streets are clean, building walls painted and finished, and there are cobbled side roads too narrow to navigate with anything other than a small vehicle, whilst pedestrians stand back in doorways to let you pass.
Cusco, also spelt Cuzco or Qosqo in Quechua, lies at an altitude of around 3,300 metres above sea level and is a fascinating city that was once the capital of the Inca Empire.
The city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with its well preserved colonial architecture and has evidence of a rich and complex history. By merely walking the streets, we admired the many layers of indigenous Quechua culture. Spanish colonial buildings could be seen erected atop Inca walls while the modern tourist nightlife flourishes in their midst. The city offers the perfect base to explore Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley of the Incas and other Inca sites in the region.
Our accommodation, located down a very narrow street, is just a 10-minute walk to the centre. It was one of the most welcoming, warm and best boutique hotels we have stayed in.
We finally arrived at our hotel, called the Antigua Casona San Blas.
Wow! The Spanish court yard, the decor, amazing pictures and character really were the most welcoming sight after such a long journey.
Our suitcases had, as promised, already been placed in our room, and our host made a point of telling us that it gets cold, so the internal double-glazed door should be kept closed to retain the heat.
The restaurant is a rustic mix of comfortable wooden chairs and tables over a terracotta tiled herringbone style floor. The walls display professional, thought-provoking images of the region and wooden artefacts from the past.
The restaurant here served fabulous quality dishes, full of flavour and great presentation. Breakfast or dinner were worthy mentions as they were fresh, inspiring and tasty. But this only adds to the excellent food, prepared, cooked and presented by a chef with a passion for food. Really impressed.
Our first day of adventure began with a half day tour of Cusco and the nearby ruins.
We visited the fortress of Sacsayhuaman, a colossal structure of enormous stones all fitted together with incredible precision. Qenqo, the religious centre and Puca-Pucara, the red fortress and Tambomachay with their water fountains.
Our guide called Jesus (pronounced hayzooss) was fabulous, warm and engaging and took us on a city stroll where we visited the Cathedral and Qoricancha (the golden temple) a temple dedicated to the worship the Inca Sun God, whose interior walls were said to have been covered in gold.
We loved Cusco and its cobbled streets and we often found ourselves having to step into doorways to allow vehicles to pass.
We slept well that night!
