Day Two - Colors of Cusco

A breathtaking view. The plane dived into the clouds, just to reveal the mountains that surrounded us and the city of Cusco below us. 

I was a bit concerned since there was no Wifi at the airport, but luckily my Airbnb-host Alfons recognized me as soon as I stepped out of the building. At the accommodation his wife greeted me with a breakfast, freshly pressed pineapple juice and coca tea, accompanied by the sound of Peruvian pan flutes. 

I definitely needed to catch up on some sleep, but afterwards I went to explore the city. My host explained the way to the market for me - and of course I got lost. I always do. A wet piece of toast has a better sense of direction than me. But luckily I downloaded the map for Cusco before and found my way back. To the Centro Histórico, la Plaza de Armas with the beautiful Cathedral and it's gothic-renaissance architecture that reminded me of the Notre Dame. 

And finally also to the Iglesia de San Pedro and the market right next to it. 

While roaming the city, I learned a few things today:

1. Cover up

Starting around noon the sun is literally burning. I wondered why still everyone was walking around in jackets and scarfs, and took off my jacket anyways. Wearing a shirt with no sleeves, suddenly all eyes were on me, the honking and cat calling increased massively - in combination with getting lost all the time not the best idea. Despite that I felt mostly safe, but uncomfortable. 

Also, with the wind it might not feel like you're getting burned, but if your skin is sensitive, you'll most likely get an instant sunburn. I'm lucky enough to barely ever get one, but still, we're talking about an elevation of 3600 m (11800 feet). I'd recommend a hat too. I tend to rather get sunstrokes than sunburns. 

2. The local food is tempting, but beware

If you're staying in Cusco, you'll be tempted by the local food. Chicken here, fruit there. But since I heard way too many stories about food poisoning, I decided to play safe and just bought some pasta and sauce. You don't want to be sick when there are days of hiking ahead of you. Which leads to number three:

3. Don't underestimate the altitude

Pretty much right after the breakfast I felt the first symptoms of altitude sickness. Headache, nausea, dizziness, and even the few steps up to my apartment increased my pulse way too much. It's like having a hangover. I'm not sure if that's a good thing, but thanks to Disney I'm used to ignoring these, so I fell asleep pretty quick.

It got better throughout the day, but still I was unusually short of breath when walking fast or up some hills and steps. So, go easy the first days. I planned with roughly 3 nights / 4 days to really get used to the altitude before hiking to Machu Picchu. 

4. Drink plenty of water

Since you're most likely not used to an altitude like here in Cusco, you'll be exhausted faster and need to drink more. And definitely NOT tab water. Bottled water is cheap. If you go to a touristy shop or one that sells tours, you'll pay around 3 Sol, which equals about 0,90 $, if you go to a supermarket (Orion, close to the San Pedro Church) you'll pay half the price. 

5. Temperature

Seriously, right now I'm in bed, with my new alpaca clothing (SO. FLUFFY.), under two blankets, and I'm still freezing. As I mentioned before it gets pretty hot during the day, but as soon as the sun sets - get that scarf and the sweater out of your backpack! Or from the market. One last thing about that: 

6. Haggle

Most of the tables at the markets (on the market place, in giant halls, but also sometimes kind of hidden in driveways) have the same items. There's no need to pay 35 Sol for a sweater if someone else sells the same one for 30 Sol (or rather "Es 30 Sol! Realmente hecho a mano! Ah, para tí, un precio especial, 25 Sol!") But don't be unreasonable, try to remember to keep the conversion rate in mind. Pretty much everything is made out of alpaca wool. It's comfy, and warm, and adorable. Still think 20 for a scarf sounds too much? It's not even $6! I don't know where to put all the items that I'm so tempted to buy...

That's it for day two - tomorrow I'll head out to visit all the museums!