Day 3 Cusco

Yesterday I went to the San Pedro market. Caught a parade in the Plaza de Armas. I've been buying a lot of stuff. I need to stop spending so much money. Today is Sunday and I caught a huge parade in the Plaza de Armas. So many people, tourists, I'm overwhelmed by the beauty, and color of the humanity. This is definitely festival season. How could Iti Raymi be any bigger than this. I believe it is the Corpus Christi festival season with many saints and virgins being honored.

I really haven't been too cold. I think I am allergic to the wool blankets in my room. I have been using the heater at night mainly to drowned out the atmospheric noise of the hotel. Everything footsteps, voices, doors closing, water being drawn echoes off the courtyard which my room opens directly onto.

The locals here are very tourist savvy as they should be. I paid 20 soles to take a picture of some girls in traditional dress with lambs.

My skin and sinuses are drying out. I bought tootpaste, water purification tablets, at the farmacia.

The music they play constantly at the hotel is pretty horrid. Soft rock bullshit.

First Day in Cusco

What I have seen so far of Cusco is very beautiful. After dinner at the Ninos Hotel restaurant, I went for a walk down Meloc to San Pedro. I ran into a procession for one of the saints - La Virgen de ??? June is the biggest festival month for Peru. I need to find the names of the saints and festivals. I will be bolder about asking questions.

This is the "street" where my hotel is located. As you can see it is under construction. There are many stray dogs in the city. Today I saw a little girl around 4-5 just pull her pants down and pee in on the sidewalk. 

In Lima, Peru - I arrived last night at 22:00. Then I faced a very long line at immigration, then waited for my bags - not too long only 15 mins. or so. Then another long line at customs. When I got to the ground transportation area I was overwhelmed with the many - dozens - of drivers holding up signs with passenger names. I panicked a little after not immediately seeing my driver, so I was going to call the hotel but I realized I had no local currency. I changed $20 to nuevo soles but couldn't understand the directions on the pay phone. I walked along the wall of drivers one more time and finally saw my name. "Yo soy!" I had a woman driver who was very nice - I can't remember her name. Then I had trouble sleeping. It's very humid here. I took some ibuprofen p.m. and finally fell asleep for a few hours. I'm very sleepy this morning even with two cups of coffee.

What I have seen so far of Lima is very ugly - no trees, only advertisements and building fronts.

I watched Not Fade Away, No, and some of The Great and Powerful Oz. No was the best about an advertising campaign to overthrow Pinochet in Chile - very interesting - a democratic revolution with not war.

I am realizing how very little Spanish I know. I need to practice more.

I am starting this blog to document my travels abroad starting with Peru in the summer of 2013. This is mainly a way to remember my thoughts and impressions while travelling. This will also be a place to store photos and share with family and friends.