Cusco - Day 110-112
Trip Start
Jan 31, 2008
1
254
Trip End
Ongoing
Cusco, Peru
Monday, April 27, 2009
Cusco
Felt like shit when I arrived in Cusco just after six this morning. Caught a cab to tatty and dirty hostel near the city centre city and didn't leave the room all day. Feeling very weak due to the suspected food poisoning. It's been three days that I've been feeling this way and I'm slightly worried I have some kind of bacterial infection, maybe Salmonella. I decided to start taking an antibiotic this afternoon which I self prescribed from past food poisoning experiences. If the illness is bacterial I should start feeling better in a couple days, fingers crossed! As soon as I'm fit and well I'll be able to visit Macchu Picchu, the primary reason why I've come to Cusco. I really hate wasting time being ill, but I suppose that's part and parcel of traveling, I'm sort of use to it by now, but it's still very frustrating!
Day 111 - 27/04/09
Cusco
Had a bit of an explore of Cusco today but still feeling really, really rough. Need to give the antibiotic's some time to work. I still have my appetite but the food is coming out the other end rather quickly. Cusco is certainly a stunning city, but the constant hassle of people trying to sell you things gets annoying rather quickly, it's totally relentless. At the moment I'm preferring the pretty and laid back Arequipa. It was defiantly more relaxed, equally as pretty and of the course those snow capped volcanoes as the backdrop makes Arequipa a very special place in my eyes. I think I might be in love with Arequipa!
Day 112 - 28/04/09
Cusco
Woke up this morning feeling like a new man! My hunch about my illness being caused by salmonella was probably correct due to my miraculous recovery after taking the antibiotic used to treat this potentially deadly bacterial infection. Doctor Christos was right, I hope!
After breakfast I walked up a tight steep alley to a church over looking the beautiful sacred valley which Cusco is nestled in. Such a beautiful view of the valley and the sparse but green mountains which surround the city. I then headed to Plaza San Francisco for an early morning stroll, through the ornate arch. The remnants of the ancient Inca city still remain in the form of large walled foundations which the colonial buildings now sit on. Massive perfectly carved stones make-up the impressive foundations which have survived numerous earthquake's over the century's. Those Inca's knew how to build that's for sure.
I headed to the near-by market which sold absolutely anything and everything. I aimlessly wandered around the tight streets until midday before going to the tourist information office to find out about options for visiting Macchu Picchu. I've decided against doing one of the expensive touristy treks so I'm going independent. A mixture of buses, trains and trails will take me to Macchu Picchu. I'll stay in a local town for a day or two which will allow me to spend from dusk till dawn at Inca's most impressive of constructions. Bought the train tickets and entrance ticket for Macchu Picchu this afternoon. Will leave Cusco by bus early in the morning to travel to the small town of Ollantaytambo.
Tonight it was pretty darn chilly in Cusco, feels considerably colder than Arequipa, not a surprise considering Cusco is 800 metres higher. The colder the better as far as I'm concerned.
