The Bellybutton of the World
We started this week leaving Colca Canyon and returning to Arequipa for a few days. Then we flew to Cusco. “Cusco” comes from the Quechua word meaning bellybutton.
Peru – Cusco – Plaza de Armas
As we have moved through Peru, we have seen more tourists in each location. Surprisingly, Lima had very few western tourists but lots of Peruvian tourists. Arequipa and Colca Canyon had a few more, but Cusco has tons! More tourists means more locals trying to sell their goods and get you into their restaurants. It’s the first location we have felt pressured to buy things.
In full transparency, this post only covers five days – Monday through Friday – because we start an eight day trek on Saturday. We will include the remaining days in next weeks post about our Machu Picchu trek.
1. Go
- Plane – 200 miles. Arequipa to Cusco.
- Bus – 207 km. Return trip from Cabanaconde to Arequipa.
- Taxi – 15 km. Airport transfer from and to hotel.
- Foot – 75,300 steps in 5 days (approx. 37 miles)
2. See
Our bus ride from Cabanaconde to Arequipa was in the daylight this time which provided for some amazing views. We also broke up the ride with a stop at some hot springs, a stop for lunch, and stops for various viewpoints.
16,109 foot Mountain Pass
For our two nights (one full day) back in Arequipa, we didn’t do much other than wander. Pat went on a run while Lindsey hung out with llamas in the park. Then we did laundry and admired the view from our hotel room.
When we arrived in Cusco, we were surprised at how green it was compared to the other locations we have visited. Cusco sits at 11,152 feet elevation and, like other Peruvian cities, has a history of devastating earthquakes. So much so, that in the Cusco Cathedral, many Cusqueñens pray to the patron saint of earthquakes. Surprisingly, much of the Inca stonework has survived these earthquakes while colonial stonework has not. It’s pretty clear how stable the Inca walls are upon inspection. They intentionally didn’t use right angles and didn’t even repeat angles consistently. The irregularity of the angles is what makes the walls so strong.
Peru – Cusco – Inca walls
Our visit happened to coincide with a celebration for the university students. For all three days, they were circling the Plaza de Armas in costumes celebrating their history. We found a lunch spot with a balcony overlooking the staging area.
Each group was dressed differently, although many were wearing ponchos – favorable since you can hind all kinds of goodies under them (McDonalds and beer were the most common).
3. Eat
We continue to try lots of Peruvian foods. We went to a creperie in Arequipa that serves crepes with Peruvian fillings. Yet more proof that Peruvian food is incredibly versatile.
All of our rooms so far have included breakfast. Without fail, it includes bread, jam, and coffee. Occasionally, fruit or juice are included and often extras are available for a fee – eggs, cheese, meat…
4. Drink
We don’t drink soda very often, but since we can’t drink tap water (without purifying) we will sometimes order soda or sparkling water at restaurants. We really like Inca Cola, sold everywhere in Peru. It’s bright yellow and sort of tastes like banana.
5. Sleep
We returned to the same hotel in Arequipa, but this time our room was on the top floor with amazing views.
Peru – Arequipa
Our room in Cusco was a little more lively, but that is probably due to the large high school and college groups staying here.
6. Move
Compared to previous weeks, this week was pretty laid back. Pat got in a few good runs, but our daily steps were lower. Check out Pat’s CADENCE Week 3 post for details about this week.
7. Etcetera
This woman and her friend were sitting in the courtyard of a museum making blankets to sell at their stands.
Nomadic Cadence – Peru – Cusco – making blankets
Check out our Flickr album to see all our photos from this week.
Nomadic Cadence 
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