Peru, Day 2: Exploring Cusco
Morning arrived with the sound of car honks with a hint of diesel. Our window opened to the street below and caught every car, truck and pedestrian sound that passed by. A good night’s rest helped with the altitude sickness, and we felt a bit more ready to hit the streets. As we made our way towards the main square, we passed through a small farmer’s market in San Blas near the fountain that we walked by yesterday during our walking tour. At the base of the fountain was a small courtyard where a group of traditionally-dressed dancers performed with a band. The dancing involved a lot of trotting and skipping as the flute and the mandolins blared through the worn-out speakers. Near the end, the dance became more comedic as the men began to pick up the women and carry them away while the women slapped the men’s butts in protest reminiscent of some old cartoons I watched as a kid where cavemen would bonk women over the head and drag them away. We then grabbed an early lunch at Jack’s which seemed very westernized with its menu of sandwiches and espresso machines.
