Day three, explore Cusco, May 23rd, 2022

We woke early and met for breakfast at the hotel around 7a.m. Our hotel has a beautiful sunny dining room on the 2nd floor that overlooks Sol Street and part of the Temple of the Sun. They served coffee, teas (including coca tea), juices, yogurt, charcuterie, fruit, eggs, potatoes, and bread service. I encouraged myself to eat well to set my day off well. Ayul presented at 9am as promised. He brought four green duffle bags and four sets of hiking poles for the coming days. We took the bags up to our rooms and then set out on foot with Ayul leading the way. First stop, the St. Pedro Market! We walked back through the Plaza de Armas, through the secondary Plaza del Regocijo or Plaza of Joy, through narrow, cobblestone streets with lovely patterns, then finally the market appeared. A large structure bustling with activity, I could see why this is a place of interest for tourist and locals. In the market we are greeted by dried llama fetuses, handicrafts, flowers, fruits, and vegetables in abundance. In the market all kinds of goods are for sale, items that you may see in a grocery store in the US, lots of fast food, like a food court in a mall, and more unusual items such as herbal remedies including ayahuasca tea and all parts of animals. Ayul pointed out that there is little waste in Quechua culture, they use every part of the animal and make good use of scarce resources. I bought a couple of boxes coca tea to bring home and some hard candy. The market is a must do stop for your Cusco tour! Next, we went hailed a taxi (with Ayul’s help) and headed toward the ancient Sacsayhuaman ruins on the edge of Cusco. We walked the grounds and witnessed the car sized granite stones that form the foundation of the Sacsayhuaman. From an aerial perspective the ruins appear as a giant puma head and the city of Cusco is the body. How amazing is that! Sacsayhuaman was thought to be created in Inca times. However, the rocks that form the Sacsayhuaman are now carbon dated to around 1100 C.E. about 300-400 years before Incan rule. It was a beautiful area and we enjoyed walking back into the heart of the city with Ayul as our guide. Ayul offered a good shopping opportunity on our walk back at the Alpaca wool factory. We all did want some quality souvenirs and said yes to this opportunity. The staff at the factory was informative, showing us what to look for in a quality Alpaca/baby Alpaca wool vs the imitation commonly seen in the tourist areas for lower cost. We all purchased a few special items for ourselves and for family at home. By now it is getting midafternoon, and we are hungry! Ayul took us to the Inka Grill on the plaza for a late lunch. Inka grill had great options for American and Peruvian food. Following our delicious lunch, we toured a couple of churches. Jesuit Church of La Compania, crafted in pink basalt and loaded with gilded Christian treasures that included a massive gilded alter. After that we toured the Cathedral, another awe inspired Catholic relic packed with original paintings and other liturgical vestments. Ayul proved to be an expert guide and we learned so much about this lovely, historical center of the Americas. After our tour, Ayul assisted Donnell, and Heidi with reporting a lost item. Lisa and I stayed in the plaza to try and find a diet coke (Lisa’s favorite drink). We quickly discovered that Peru does not carry diet coke, only coke zero. Lisa had to reset her expectations! Fortunately, we came upon a craft beer restaurant. The location was perfect, on the 2nd floor overlooking the Plaza de Armes. It was a beautiful late afternoon with lovely blue clear skies. Lisa tried a cocktail, while I had a locally brewed IPA. The restaurant staff served little salty corn kernels with the beverages for a snack. Both the drinks and crunchy corn were outstanding. We made our way back to the hotel San Agustin, met up with Donnell and Heidi. All of us reported the best day possible yet exhaustion from all the touring plus the Cusco altitude that we are still adjusting to. Another 8pm bedtime for us. Tomorrow we meet Ayul for a full day of touring the Sacred Valley before our Inca Trail Trek begins.