May 30, 2009

Day 14: Cuzco

Arrived yesterday in Cuzco. A beautiful city, but also by far the most touristical. Lots of pale faces, seems to be mostly Americans and Israelis. My hostel, comfortable and cheap, is 99% Israelis. I am thus also assumed to be Israeli -- unlike in Spanish, I cannot explain my lack of communication abilities in Hebrew. But no biggy. Went to dinner with a bunch of them last night, a fairly pleasant affair and it was nice to be around a big group of people my age again. Most of them went out partying afterwards, and I dragged my old-man self back to the hostel. Ended up playing pool for a while with one of the guys who works at the hostel. All I can say is that I am a born hustler. Too bad we weren't playing for nuevos soles.

The last few days have been very calm, very normal-feeling. Thinking a lot about the future, making plans like a blind man playing darts -- who cares where the dart lands as long as I can hear that satisfying thwack. I feel more settled down into this traveling lifestyle, although still unsure whether this is due to a gradual aclimatization or to the decision I have made to limit my pure tourist-traveling time to around two months. A little bit of both, most likely, but still worth thinking on (for me, at least).

I am trying to think very hard on these vital subjects, but my thinking is being rudely interrupted by more Extremely Loud Fireworks. There is some kind of religious festival going on in downtown Cuzco. Originally I was walking back to the hostel from a great lunch and saw several hundred people marching in the streets. Thinking it was some sort of political march (there were many people waving the Indigenous Rights flag, which happens to look almost exactly like the Gay Rights flag in the US), I joined up with the marchers. Look at me, the Yanqui with a conscience! Aren't I just great! My doubts on the purpose of the march were first aroused when I saw the National Police band marching with us. Then I saw the massive Virgin float (there are a lot of virgins down here, this was one of them) and the Catholic-type people. Lost interest pretty fast after that. My apologies to God and Jesus and whatnot.

Last bit of Puno was a good experience. Right after finishing my last post I walked down the street and stopped into a local cevicheria (ceviche = pile of seafood with lime juice and spices), where I met Jose Luis and his brother, local university students and friendly types. The ceviche was f'ing delicious! First meal I had in a while that did not give me gas. And you wouldn't think seafood would be stomach-calming.

I found out that basically everyone staying in my ghetto hostel were indigenous Bolivian women attending the Indigenous Rights conference at the local university. The National Police were stationed at our hostel, and every other one with conference attendants, supposedly for security. They had lists of all the people staying at the hotel, and were monitoring when they came and went. The woman I talked to did not seem to be so concerned about this. The policeman I spoke with was fairly close-lipped about the whole deal. The police did not seem to be harassing anyone, but it still seemed fairly odd that they would be monitoring these women so closely and so openly.

Went to Sillustani in the afternoon with a full tour, which included some interesting information about the site, a visit to a local family and sampling of some local food, and feeling very sorry for the tour guide who was trying his best to translate everything into English for the four Americans on the tour. You can see the pictures for a better idea, but it is a very beautiful site...and there are alpacas!

----Info Box #1----
Alpacas, llamas, and vicuñas are often confused for each other.
Alpacas have shorter noses and ears, while llamas have longer
ones. Vicuñas are wild and rarely seen.

Ok, side note. There is a giant tropical Jesus float going right by the internet cafe. Right now. It's Jesus, looking skywards, under a palm tree. Followed by a nice horns section. Ok, it's gone now.

I will try to write more about Cuzco tomorrow. Planning on doing some hiking in the Sacred Valley, which is basically between here and Machu Pichu. It's supposed to be incredibly beautiful....More Really Loud Fireworks...and now there's a bunch of smoke coming into the cafe and making old women cough...this shit is Real Time.

1 comment:

Jesús Gigante, Sabado said...

Because thou hast remarked upon my presence, and hath given me and the horn section props in real time, I bestoweth upon you a blessed journey through the Sacred Valley. Drinketh not the waters thereof, that thou be not spewy.