Getting up at 4:50am to catch an early flight to Cuzco was the hardest part. It all went smoothly and we could see parts of the great Andean mountain ranges from above where the sky was not cloudy. With some of the mountains being almost 7000 metres high, one easily forgets how small we actually are.
Arriving in a beautiful hotel in Cuzco, it apparently became clear that of all the optional activities offered (like mountain biking in the sacred valley, white water rafting, paragliding, etc.), I could not do any except for the horseback riding, because those going on the Inca Trail and the Amazonas would not have a full day left to enjoy in Cuzco.
So I signed up for the horses the same day at 13:00 and so did five other guys from my group. Before it took place, we had time for a stroll around the remarkable city with it’s dozens of churches and cathedrales (all in replacement of Inca temples that had been knocked down by the Spaniards) and alleys still displaying the clever and careful construction of stone slab walls fitting perfectly without mortar.
The more you hear about the history of the Inca/Quechuan and their demise, the sadder you get. Mistakingly taking the Spaniards on their horses for divine creatures on their arrival, the Quechuans did not oppose them. Also the Inca (that’s apparently the name only for the “king” of the Quechuan people) was replaced by a puppet. Diseases like small pox or common colds eradicated large amounts of the formerly 25 million Quechuan people. The uprise began far too late and in the end, their religion and culture was almost wiped out.
We had breakfast at the infamous Jack’s restaurant (“I’m Jack’s complete lack of food in his stomach”). I ate a stack of fluffy pancakes with cream and slices of banana and mango. Mmmhhh! All the other dishes also made a great impression.
I’m afraid I have to continue telling about the horse riding, the sexy woman and the other nice things later on. Right now I’m sitting at the breakfast table, letting go of my laptop in a few minutes and will start the Inca Trail for the next four days.
It’s a beautiful day.
