Introducing Cusco: From the seaside metropolis of Lima to the greener pastures of the high Andes.

        I have arrived in Cusco! What was once the capital of the vast Pre-Colombian Inca empire that stretched from present-day Chile to Ecuador now retains only vestiges of its former glory, but those vestiges are absolutely fascinating.

        So this is the city I find myself in. Perched at the lofty height of 3,300 meters above sea-level this city in the clouds buzzes with life and an intangible pride. The remains of a truly great empire can be found on backstreets and alleyways: a sort of living memory of the past.

And this is where I am. In the ancient city of Cusco hidden away in the mountains.

        I arrived here on Thursday, the second of February. I arrived unsure of where to stay in the city. Following a recommendation from my friendly Lima hotel owner I went straight to the "San Blas barrio" an area of the city stuck rather precariously to the mountains above Cusco.

Cosy, but I'm not going to hang around if there is an earthquake.

        Now I'm not really one to boast (well, maybe just a bit), but I am certain that the hotel I'm staying in has the best view in Cusco. The "Home Sweet Home Mirador" is a lung-collapsing ten minute walk uphill from the center of Cusco. If you survive the many steps and cobblestone streets and you manage to find this small family place you will be rewarded with a panoramic view over Cusco.

Any grievances against the hotel are canceled out by the view.

        It's a bare-bones place, but for 25 soles (7 euros) a night with breakfast and this million dollar view it's quite a bargain.

        At the end of each day I have a hard time deciding if I have been exceptionally busy or exceptionally lazy. It's tempting to measure the day by "things I did" instead of "moments I experienced". It's quite easy to ruin the magic of simply spending a day exploring a completely new city by thinking of all the things you could have done.

        Yesterday was a day of particular cultural beauty. As I mentioned before Cusco was once the capital of the Inca Empire. As with any empire where there is a capital there are the corresponding palaces and temples. In Cusco only the foundations and walls of the once great political center remain and they can be found at the archaeological site of "Sacsayhuaman".

        Pronounced, to my childish humor's delight, as "Sexy-Woman" it is truly a unique site. While the Incas did not use coin nor did they have a written language they were remarkable engineers. They designed stone walls and palaces which resisted earthquakes with the effectiveness of modern technology. The fact that they left no written record only adds to the mystery of their civilization.

The interlocking rocks at each corner served to stabilize the wall during earthquakes.

The site of an old temple. In the background you can see the trademark trapezoidal niches also, as you guessed, to resist earthquakes.

        I wandered these breathtaking ruins with the help of my friendly guide "Carlos". Carlos embodies the unspoken pride of the indigenous people of Peru. He makes jokes about the conquering Spaniards pointing at the walls saying: "Here. These are the walls that the Incas built, but over there, that's from the Spaniards. This wall is an Inca wall. That wall was built by the "Incapacitados" ("The Incapable Ones")."

        When I handed Carlos my water bottle he tooks it graciously pouring a bit on the ground before he drinks it. He says "First for Pacamama (Mother Earth), then a bit for me.". Clearly the indigenous Peruvian way of life and thought lives on. Not in any written record, but in the blood of its people.

Pro-Indigenous graffiti in downtown Cusco.

        Upon leaving Sacsayhuaman and parting with Carlos I happened upon something equally Peruvian, but clearly of a different nature. As I descended from Sacsayhuaman I landed in the middle of a Peruvian parade.

        Complete with a full brass section, a large wooden effigy of the Patron Saint of San Blas, and fireworks I quickly found myself surrounded by a joyous mass of Peruvians celebrating an annual religious festival. The contrast between the clear annoyance that Carlos felt towards the influence of the Spaniards and the religious, or at least jovial, fervor of the parading Peruvians effectively highlights the complexity of the relationship between the modern "Catholic state of Peru" and the culture and ideals of its indigenous population.

        However, both were enjoyable experiences and both were fascinating glimpses into the mentality and cultural backdrop of this beautiful and surreal city I find myself in. In the silence the city seems to whisper "Welcome to Cusco Ben, you have much to learn."