4-19

Today we did a private city tour of Cusco, the 'Imperial City'. Started out at Qorikancha, a convent, then up the hills, into the country. Visited three archeological sites, including Saqsayhuaman (prounced like 'sexy woman'.) Our tour guide from Condor Tours was very passionate and took great care to help us understand the meanings behind everything we visited and what it represented to her culture. It was quite moving several times, especially when she talked about the connection to nature. We then went to the Basilica Catedral... No pictures were allowed inside, but it was amazing. 13 alters, huge, carved out of cedar, then encrusted in gold. So ornate and elaborate. Our guide also explained that the Quechua people living in Peru around 1700 were conquered by the Spanish, who brought in Catholicism. The Quechua went along and built churches and painted paintings, but always with their own spin, and subtle enough that the Spanish wouldn't notice. Jesus was always portrayed as sad and bloody, as the people were about being conquered. Mary wears fancy cloths more representative of Peru. The best was The Last Supper, which featured a traditional Peruvian dish of 'cuy'...guinea pig!

After the tour, we walked around and did a little shopping in the San Blas artsy district. In the evening, three guys from the motorcycle tour company we're going with tomorrow, came to the hotel with the bikes so we could see them, and they explained about the next two days. Then dinner and now time to crash! Lots of good stuff, but long days are sure wearing us out by the end.