MIRIAM'S LIVING BRIDGES
  • About
  • Press
    • In The News
  • Past Stories
  • Blog

First Days in Cusco

1/9/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture Miriam with Maren Elwood at one of our favorite restaurants in Cusco, Cicculina.
This is Day 3 in Cusco, Peru and, like so many trips I take, I am here thanks to an invitation by a friend. In this case, Maren Elwood from Carmel, CA,  invited me to blog about her project, On-Site Expeditions. She is a Visual Anthropologist studying the descendants of  Saqsaywaman and ancient stone architecture.

Picture Morning view from our apartment at the top of Calle Resbalosa, a name that means slippery street.
​We have rented a two bedroom apartment in San Cristobal community overlooking the historic Plaza de Armas. The view is stupendous. At night the street and residential lights on the surrounding mountains appear like magical twinkling stars. 

The Altitude & Shopping

Picture
Typical Cusco street heading uphill to the craft center of San Blas. Only one car can drive and no real sidewalk.

The altitude here is 12,000 feet. To put that in perspective, Denver is 5280 feet high. It is recommended to acclimate to the altitude before any strenuous activity. I take high altitude pills to avoid altitude sickness. They are working. A headache the first two days along with tiredness is all I’ve experienced. Drinking lots of bottled water, chewing coco leaves and resting helps a lot.

I admit we walked uphill to the craft market in San Blas, the artistic community here. I found myself out of breath  and relieved to report that younger visitors to Cusco are experiencing the same difficulty.

So since I’ve been here I have eaten (of course) and shopped (of course), two of my life’s pleasures. Most walking is uphill and much as I have been exercising on treadmill and bike, I am still feeling it in my legs. Lungs? Now that’s another breathless story.

Maximo Nivel - The Language School

PictureMaximo Nivel is a language school on the Avenida del Sol.
Tomorrow I begin learning Spanish two hours a day at Maximo Nivel, a language school. They also offer cooking and salsa classes. I’m in.  If I had my druthers I’d have visited the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu prior to Cusco so I am passing that valuable information on to you. They are at lower altitudes. I will  visit both these prior to leaving this fascinating city.

Jewelry & Textiles

Slideshow of various stores that I shopped at and some of my purchases. 


Jewelry is lovely and I have bought some unusual pieces to sell upon my return. For myself I visited Magica Arte at Triunfo #18 . Then to A La Lau on Cuesta San Blas #522 for unusual sterling earrings. Alpaca is beautiful, varied, creative and everywhere.
Picture
One must beware of alpaca vs synthetic. Hold the garment up to the light. If the color is uniform, it’s likely alpaca. If you see red, blue or green sparkles, this indicates synthetic material. Wool feels soft and cool. 
 
I visited the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco on Avenue El Sol #603. It’s a non-profit organization promoting the empowerment of weavers in ten villages through the sustainable practice of Peruvian ancestral weaving in the Cusco region. Through workshops, educational opportunities and the promotion of their textile art, weavers are enabled to maintain their identities and textile traditions while improving their families’ quality of life. www.andeantextilearts.org.  Donations are appreciated.

Locals & The Epicurean Life

Picture
There are ladies dressed in Inca traditional clothing holding baby llamas or alpacas, selling their handiwork on street corners and asking for Soles (Peru money) in exchange for allowing a photograph to be taken.
Picture Jack's Cafe in Cusco has great banana pancakes.








The epicurean life here is exemplary. Service is polite and even sweet. Fabulous trout ceviche is my fave so far. Cicciolino is a terrific restaurant located at Ruinas #465. Corn and (4000 types) potatoes are served in every type of dish. Pizza, pasta restaurants abound. Jack’s at the corner of Choquechaka & Cuesta San Blas for breakfast: don’t miss the banana pancakes.


The Belmond Hotel - Formerly the Hotel Ministerio Built On
The 14th Century Monastery Built By The Spanish

Picture
View of the steps and art at the Chapel de Abad adjacent to the Hotel Ministerio.
PictureThe Belmond "Hotel Ministerio" is full of 15th Century art like this painting.
Right now I am sitting in the bar of Belmond Hotel Monasterio, mesmerized by the beauty, eating trout ceviche (third time in 3 days), drinking Malbec and talking to you. This hotel was a monastery built in 1595 on the site of the Palace of Inca Amaru Qhala. Catholic priests were trained here. The chapel was added after the earthquake of 1650 and is decorated in Baroque style with original paintings framed in gold plate. Breathtakingly beautiful. Visiting here is a must: Plazoleta Nazarenas #337.
 
More about the history of Cusco in another blog. I won’t bore you with too many details, I promise. If you are inclined, “Exploring Cusco” by Peter Frost will provide you with plenty of historical facts.  Hasta la vista!


0 Comments

    Author

    Miriam Seiden is a cultural explorer who loves to write about her living bridges around the world.

    SUBSCRIBE TO MY BLOG BY HITTING THE RSS FEED BELOW

    Archives

    October 2020
    August 2020
    March 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    July 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • About
  • Press
    • In The News
  • Past Stories
  • Blog