Today we decided to side step the city tour - we couldn't face another Inca site or church - preferring instead a day to ourselves. It also meant others who had lost their multi entry tickets could have ours rather than fork out for replacements.
After a leisurely breakfast we sorted out the washing and took it to the laundry - 7.5kilos for 30 sols ( less than £7) We then wandered around the shops had a coffee and returned to the hotel. I decided I would go and find a massage then meet John for lunch at 1230 on the square. As I was walking around the square a young girl asked if a I wanted a massage - I said could she do it now - with which I was taken down a side street, through a market and up to the second floor and two a room with several curtained off massage tables squashed in it. Oh well here we go - but for 80 sold ( less than £20) I had an inka massage using a range of techniques including hot stones - not bad I was pleased and The entrepreneurial Yolande was very pleased with her first customer of the day. Half way down the street I had to return to collect my glasses - John was in the square having seen six of the group who had ducked out of the cathedral visit as they were at saturation point and going for a drink - we joined them at the Marriott before finding a nice restaurant overlooking the square for lunch. We chose it as it did good Peruvian fare,including vegetarian, - I had quinoa with a cheese and white wine sauce - the menu said better than risotto and it was right - John had nice chicken with mushroom sauce. On the way back we collected our fresh clean washing - all smelt 100x better. However my trousers will need another wash as some of the Moonstone trek is still ingrained in them and John's red shirt failed to return - we were not unduly worried as it was a tad tight and destined to stay in Peru!
(Today's photo is of one of the alpacas kept in Macchu Pichu as I didn't take any in Cusco!)
In the evening we went for a walk looking at silver bracelets and finally returned to a family run shop where they made the bracelets and bought an unusual one with some of the symbols special to the Peruvians eg Mother Earth and duality, it was an unusual shape, quite striking and had a range of semi precious stones embedded in it.
Guess where we also went - Starbucks for another Caramel Macchiato as we weren't hungry as such after our substantial lunch.