This is a bit more detail for the day. It started at 1:00am in the Lima Airport with one of the best Ceviche dishes we have ever had. Those are seasoned and roasted kernels of corn in the lower left, FANTASTIC!
After a five hour layover, literally trying unsuccessfully to rest/snooze sitting on an airport terminal chair (were unable to get to the Priority Pass Lounge - don’t ask!), we boarded the short flight to Cusco with our packs nearly on our laps. LATAM Airlines has very restrictive luggage and carry-on policies.
Once arriving in Cusco’s Airport we caught a taxi for a very adventurous and hair-raising ride to the Novotel Hotel, arriving around 7:00am. Upon arrival we mentioned to the check-in desk attendant that we had been traveling for 25 hours straight and asked if it would be possible to check-in early.
The response was no, normal check-in was at 3:00pm but a room might be ready around 11:00am or noon. We asked if we could just hang out in the atrium area and he said certainly. We went ahead and did all the paperwork and after paying for the room an offer was presented - an upgraded room was available immediately and the additional cost would be waived if we paid a $45 “early check-in fee” (read bribe). The bribe was paid and we got to the room around 7:30am, where we immediately crashed.
Then came rush hour and as our room was facing the street we experienced a cacophony of honks, bleeps, shouts, engines and screeching brakes, just five feet and one story below our room’s floor to ceiling windowed balcony for about 90 minutes. Carol and I actually only listened for about 10 minutes then slept, proving that even the dead are hard to wake up!
As mentioned the rest of the day was recovering, a couple excursions around the neighborhood and meeting most of the group joining us on the hike. On one of our excursions we toured a famous square with a statue representing the paw of a panther.
That evening we dined at a little tapas bar specializing in making and teaching how to make Pisco called Museo del Pisco. Pisco is the national liquor of Peru and a Pisco Sour is the national drink. Every bar will tell you theirs is the best, similar to Bloody Marys in the US.
Of special interest at Museo del Pisco was a wall mural describing the ingredients, origins and process for making Pisco. It is in Peruvian Spanish but the diagrams help to make out most of it.
Now for a real night’s sleep so we can begin our actual tour tomorrow.
Goodnight!
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