We have a free day in Cusco today. This UNESCO World Heritage Site (since 1983) is considered to be the mecca of Peru. It is a beautiful colonial town which has ruins, cobblestoned streets, museums, churches, and a lively atmosphere. It is filled with Spanish arches and squares, and wooden balconies jut out over the narrow cobblestoned streets. The Incas lived in Cusco and the surrounding area for 2 centuries. It is said that Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo, the ...

Cusco has a long and interesting history dating back to 1200AD and linked to the first Inca ruler Manco Capac. However the city saw its expansion in the 15th century under the rule of the greatest Inca Pachacutec, who led a drive that spread the boundaries of the Inca empire as far south as Chile and Argentina, and north to include Ecuador and Columbia. This rapid expansion abruptly came to an end on the arrival of the Spanish Conquistadors, led by Francisco Piza...

Today was a travel day. We took the canoe out of the jungle to Puerto Maldonado for the flight over the Andes into the heart of Inca territory, Cusco. The canoe ride was lovely with the breeze and the temperatures cooler first thing in the morning. Then it was into a non-air conditioned, old bus for the bumpy, dusty ride to pick iup our stored luggage and repack it for the flight to Cusco. We were NOT impressed with the bus ride and made our feelings known. We we...