The Puma City
Having nothing to do with the sports wear company, that is how Cuzco is known. That is because one of their Inca emperors, by the name of Pachacutec (had to check that one), was a big visionnaire that among other things decided that the city of Cuzco should have the form of a Puma. In the picture below the zigzag figures are from some ruins 15 minutes outside Cuzco, and they are the teeth of the Puma. The actual tooth stones in the corners weigh over 300 tons so that you understand their size... Of course now the city has some 350 000 people and has outgrown the Puma figure long ago. Anyway, one of the many landmarks of the city is the statue of the same visionnaire. I will not bore you with pictures of churches, as almost everywhere here you have the plaza, then you have the church (however magnificent it may be) and some governmental organs. Just like Helsinki, no imagination!
Tomorrow I am going to Macchu Picchu -I got the last "cheap" 68 USD backpackers ticket! Usually the only last tickets I get are just to fill up the economy class so that the next person in the queue gets a free upgrade to business class.. Anyway, it will be a whole day experience with train of 4 hours, bus 30 mins and walking in the citadel grounds for some time -the train leaves at 6 am to arrive back at 8.30 pm. The place really is in the middle of nowhere and I am not that surprised that its rediscovery celebrates just its 95th year this year.
I couldn't resist the urge to take a photo with locals and llamas (actually, alpacas). Of course the lady could not see through the image screen of the camera so below you have the best of three pic.. Plus the alpacas would not stay still -in revenge I had me a big alpaca steak for lunch (quite good actually). The surpsiring thing is that quite many people still wear the traditional Inca clothes (with all the colours). Of course this might be partially because they just dress up for tourists. As the cultural (and former) capital of Peru, Cuzco has put all the imaginable colours in their city flag and it bears notable resemblance to the international gay pride banner.. But I was told early on not to make any remarks to that direction.
posted by Kassu @ 12:49 PM
2 Comments:
Plaza de armasin vieressa on irkkupubi josta saa "No gracias"-t-paitoja - Cuzcossa aika valttamaton.
Ja illalla Mama Africaan joraamaan, juomana Pisco Sour tai Lago Titicaca!
Ja ykkoskahvila on Jack´s.
Que lo pases bien.
Joo huomasin noi paidat lahtopaivana ja jouduin sanomaan niillekin no gracias. Jack's oli tosiaan mesta paikka!
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