Arrived in Cusco

Sorry for the delay in the first post, but I´ve painfully learned that 21st century digital photography does not mix well with archaic 20th century computers / dial-up service. Therefore, this first post will have to be without pictures, but rest-assured that I have many good shots ready to post when I find a worthy computer.

I safely arrived in Cusco, Peru last Tuesday (6-14). A little background -- Cusco was once the stronghold of the Quechoan, or Inca, empire in the mid 15th century before the Spanish conquest, and is now the sight of many ancient Incan ruins. Though the Inca had no written language, and were probably not as intellectually advanced as the Maya in Central America, they are considered to be the most expansive pre-colombian civilization, stretching from what is now southern Chile to the Colombian border. They are highly regarded for their architectural prowess, and the sights that I have visited -- i.e. Chokequirao, Machu Picchu, Sacsayhuaman (pronounced ´Sexy Woman´!) cleary show why. With simple tools, they carefully and creatively shaped their cities out of granite and/or metamorphic rock. Using trapezoidial shaped walls and advanced mathematical understanding, the Quechoan built cities that have withstood the severe earthquakes of the SA climate. The future pictures will hopefully give it some justice.

With an elevation of over 11,300 ft and nestled in a valley of large mountains, Cusco is quite an impressive sight to fly into. I can only assume it´s similar to how a hamster might feel when parachuting into Mile High Stadium ;). After settling into the bustling nightlife of Cusco for a couple of days, I set out on a 5 day trek to Chokequirao last Thursday. Composed of 40 miles of hiking up and down very large mountains, the trek is widely considered one of the most difficult ´short´ treks in Peru. On the third day, we arrived at the ruins and they were simply inspiring. The planning of the entire city is impressive; they use the natural terrain of the mountains and accompanying rivers to grow their crops and house their elite. If Denver and / or LA would have put half the thought into their cities, they would be much better off today.

After returning from Chokequirao, I took a train up to see the famous ruins of Machu Picchu, and it is well worth the hype. It is bigger than I imagined. Though it has become quite touristy, it still maintains an overwhelming aura, and is well worth the visit if you ever have the chance.

Tonight, I return to Cusco and will stay until Sunday. Th and F are the Inti Raymi festival, Festival of the Sun, and it is considered second only to Carnaval in terms of South American fiestas -- should be interesting! On Sunday I head to Lima for two days, and then to the Caribbean coast of Colombia for two weeks. I have heard many great things about the coast from fellow travelers, so I´m thrilled to have the opportunity.

I will try to post some pictures when I have a chance, so you too can enjoy the impressive Quechoan / Peruvian landscape.