Touring Downtown Cusco Alone on Foot

After settling at Margarita Hostel on Avenida El Sol in Cusco, I went out to explore the city. Cusco is the most popular city in Peru as far as the number of tourists is involved, and notwithstanding the proximity to Machu Picchu, after a short period of time touring the city alone on foot, I was amazed by the fusion of the Andean and Spanish cultures in the middle of beautiful landscapes, with the abundance of historical buildings often built on bases and walls of ancient palaces and temples of the Inca Empire that seemed to be greeting me after every corner I took.

This is not surprising, as Cusco was the hegemonic center and the capital of the Inca Empire (locally known as Tahuantinsuyo), and the most important urban center of ancient Peru at the time.

Brief History of Cusco

The city, founded by the Inca Manco Cápac, was made up of large palaces, temples and courthouses, with streets and squares, surrounded by extensive areas for agriculture, crafts and pre-industrial production, reaching its greatest development during the reign of the Inca Pachacutec in the fifteenth century.

Photo: Statue of Inca Manco Capac on Top of Fountain at Plaza de Armas
Photo: Statue of Inca Manco Capac on Top of Fountain at Plaza de Armas

When the Spanish conquered the Inca Empire in 1534, they founded and built the Spanish city on Inca enclosures and buildings, which can still be seen.

Despite the passage of time, Cusco remains an attractive city for tourism and maintains a remarkable monumental ensemble and the coherence of its urban layout; its streets interspersed with the same magnetism, colonial constructions and Inca walls, churches and pagan temples, archaeological sites and rural haciendas.

Altitude of Cusco

Located in the Peruvian Andes at 3,400 meters above the sea level, which albeit being a few hundred meters below that of Puno, Cuzco is still at a high enough elevation to warrant caution and take the possibility of altitude sickness seriously. I felt partially acclimatized, having lived a week in Arequipa and three days in Puno.

Still, as I walked the sloped streets of Cusco, I was continuously reminded by the shortness of breath that the elevation I’m in is high and I need to be at minimum aware of it, if not taking active steps to alleviate its effects. Luckily, the occasional shortness of breath was the only effect of high altitude I have experienced, with other common symptoms, like the headache, overproduction of phlegm in the throat and nose, or even fever like symptoms completely avoiding me.

Touring Cusco’s Downtown Core

The Historical Center of Cusco has been continuously inhabited since before 1,400. A royal cedula of July 1540 refers to Cusco as “the very distinguished, very remarkable, loyal and very faithful City of Cusco, the main city and head of the kingdoms of Peru“.

Photo: Busy Traffic in Front of Convent of Santo Domingo in Cusco
Photo: Busy Traffic in Front of Convent of Santo Domingo in Cusco

From the records by some chroniclers, and from the latest satellite images, it is known that the first urban layout of the city had the shape of a puma.

The narrow cobbled streets, churches, old neighborhoods and colonial houses, as well as several archaeological monuments, are a sample of a mestizo culture that has survived time, invasions and natural disasters, and remains alive despite the passage of the centuries.

The Historic Center of Cusco, despite many historical events and natural disasters which occurred, is in an amazing state of preservation; and thanks to that, the City of Cusco was declared Cultural Patrimony of the Nation in 1983; the same year it would be declared a Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

Cusco Massage Services

With Cuzco being as popular as it is with tourists, and with Avenida El Sol connecting directly to Plaza de Armas, it is expectedly replete with various travel agencies looking to score tourists’ dollars for themselves. The good thing about that is that they are a bountiful source of maps of Cuzco for those who don’t have MAPS.ME open source maps app on their smartphones.

As a backup, I always have the off-line map of the country I’m in downloaded on my phone, but where there is an opportunity to pickup a printout of a map, I do so, so as not to drain the phone’s battery by constantly looking at its screen.

Seeing as Plaza de Armas is just a short walk up Avenida El Sol from where my hostel was, I took the walk to snap a few pictures of the downtown square. The moment I reached Plaza de Armas, I was jumped by a swarm of women offering me massage services.

I was quoted prices around 50 Soles per hour, which albeit touted as a great price, is indeed no so great for anyone who’s had a massage in Asia.

Photo: One of Better Looking Baits for Massage Parlors Approached Me While Taking Photo of Plaza de Armas in Cusco
Photo: One of Better Looking Baits for Massage Parlors Approached Me While Taking Photo of Plaza de Armas in Cusco

At the time of my visit, 50 Soles equaled a little more than $15 US. You can get a 1 hour full body Thai massage for $5 in Thailand, 1 hour of full body Khmer massage for $4 in Cambodia, or 1 hour of full body general massage for $3 in the Philippines, and if that’s also your thing (such as it is mine), Asian girls are fit and attractive, whereas Peruvian women are overweight and generally lack in the overall corporal attraction level quite a bit.

So for me, getting an hour long massage for $15 US from a woman who’s at best a 3 or 4 was a no go. I’ll save getting massages for where they cost $5 or less and are given by girls who are a solid 8 or 9. I flirted with some of the girls offering massages in Cusco, but never ended up getting one.

Convent of Santo Domingo

I started my tour of downtown Cusco by visiting El Convento de Santo Domingo, because it was located directly on the opposite side of Avenida El Sol from Hostal Margarita. The convent of Santo Domingo is built on the foundations of the Qoricancha (Temple of the Sun).

Photo: Peruvians Baiting Tourists to Spend Money in Front of Convent of Santo Domingo
Photo: Peruvians Baiting Tourists to Spend Money in Front of Convent of Santo Domingo

Plaza de Armas

Cusco’s main square Plaza de Armas occupies the same place as the Plaza Huacaypata (Quechua for voice, moan or lament) that was drawn by Manco Cápac when he founded the city of Cusco in the 12th century. It was the place where the Inti Raymi – a religious ceremony in honor of the Son god – was celebrated in the time of the Incas.

Photo: Arches on Plaza de Armas with La Compañía de Jesús in Background
Photo: Arches on Plaza de Armas with La Compañía de Jesús in Background

From the arrival of the Spaniards it was somewhat diminished in its dimensions by the perimetric constructions, which adorn the square to this day, like the Cathedral, the Church of the Company, the portals, arcades and large houses. Today, the houses surrounding Plaza de Armas are homes to jewelers, travel agencies, tourist restaurants, massage parlors and other establishments catering primarily to foreigners. Strangely, there is no McDonald’s, KFC, Starbacks or the such at Cusco’s Plaza de Armas.

Photo: The Cathedral of Cusco Overlooks Plaza de Armas from Steps
Photo: The Cathedral of Cusco Overlooks Plaza de Armas from Steps

Jose Gabriel Condorcanqui Noguera, better known as Tupac Amaru II, the leader of a large Andean uprising against the Spanish, was executed at Plaza de Armas on May 18, 1781.

Cathedral of Cusco

The Cathedral of Cusco is a catholic temple built on what was the royal palace of the Inca Viracocha (Huiracocha). It was built with blocks extracted from an Inca site very close to Sacsayhuaman. Construction began in 1559 and was completed almost a century later.

Photo: Wide Angle Shot of La Catedral del Cusco
Photo: Wide Angle Shot of La Catedral del Cusco

Church of the Company of Jesus

Iglesia de La Compañía de Jesús is a colonial Jesuit Temple, built on the Royal Amarucancha Palace of Huayna Cápac in 1,571. It is said to be surrounded by labyrinths and secret passages, in which Notable characters of the conquest and Spanish colony were buried.

Photo: Church La Compañía de Jesús in Cusco, Peru
Photo: Church La Compañía de Jesús in Cusco, Peru

The Convent of La Merced

The building of El Convento de la Merced looks very much like El Convento de Santo Domingo (see above). Its almost rustic walls contrast very well with its beautiful columns and its baroque bell tower.

In the basements of the church are said to rest the remains of the Spanish conquistadors Diego de Almagro, Almagro El Mozo, and Gonzalo Pizarro.

Photo: Snake Decoration in Front of El Convento de la Merced in Cusco
Photo: Snake Decoration in Front of El Convento de la Merced in Cusco

San Pedro Market

From Plaza de Armas I walked on to Plaza de San Francisco, and from there along Calle Santa Clara to San Pedro market. The vendors sell fruits, dried nuts, health care products, and other items commonly found at markets in South America, though being so centrally located in Cuzco, the great part of the market was dedicated to selling overpriced handicrafts to unaware tourists.

Photo: Main Entrance to San Pedro Market in Cusco
Photo: Main Entrance to San Pedro Market in Cusco

As a matter of fact, pretty much everything was heavily overpriced in the market. Fruit availability was decent, but the prices excessive. However one stall, which sold dried fruits and nuts was worth it for me due to the availability of Brazil Nuts, Almonds and dried Figs. The prices weren’t the greatest, but I was more happy with the ability to buy healthy, non-perishables than anything else, so I adequately resupplied.

Photo: Santa Clara Arch on Way to San Pedro Market
Photo: Santa Clara Arch on Way to San Pedro Market

Opposite San Pedro market is Orion supermarket, where local mineral water in 2 liter bottles was sold for only 2.40 Soles. That was a great price in the country where a 2 liter bottle of ozone treated tap water normally costs 5 Soles (yes, Peru is expensive). So in spite of being generally pricey, this quality mineral water, which was also highly alkaline (PH 8.5) was available in Cuzco at a better price than treated tap water without any nutritious value in the rest of the country.

Short Stay

Overall, my introduction to Cuzco was OK. I got the feel of the city, got to know its vibe, got myself oriented in it pretty well, got to know where to find reasonably priced accommodation and where to purchase essentials for survival. But my initial trip to Cusco was not meant to last.

Photo: Convento de Santo Domingo at Night
Photo: Convento de Santo Domingo at Night

Upon my early morning arrival in Cuzco, I took advantage of a temporary promotion for return trips to Lima by the bus company Civa, who sold the return tickets for 90 Soles. Having chatted on the internet since arriving in Peru with a girl from Lima, and having arranged an opportunity to rent a room in an apartment owned by a Spanish woman living in Peru for 50 Soles a night, I combined all three to spend a weekend in Lima and return to Cuzco afterward to begin my trips to the sites of interest during weekdays, and not during overcrowded weekends.

There was more to explore in downtown Cusco, but I chose to return to the room in Margarita Hostel to spend the night, after which I was scheduled to take the 22 hours long bus ride back to Lima.

Lost in Lima with Brazilian Girl

After returning from a walk up and down Miraflores, I went to my dorm, took a shower, washed my clothes in cold water, put earplugs in and hit the bed.

I woke up around 3am, but stayed in bed until 8am to catch the complimentary breakfast Pool Paradise provides their guests. It consisted of what could have been one, maybe two eggs scrambled, two bread buns, a banana and a glass of orange juice. Tea and coffee were also available.

The checkout was at noon, and whereas I knew I was leaving Lima, I decide to check out after breakfast, put on my backpack and head downtown to visit some of its old quarters before I leave the city for good. I did not want to do it knowing I’d have to return to Miraflores in the city’s awful traffic in order not to miss the checkout, which is why I had to do it all with my backpack on.

In August it’s winter in Peru, so ever since I arrived, the sky was overcast and it was rather cool – around 14 degrees centigrade during the day. The hazy conditions also brought rain, but it was the type of rain that sogs everything, but you can hardly see any drops fall to the ground. The humidity is super high the whole time, but I found the weather suitable for walking with a load on my back because it’s not overly hot, so you don’t sweat the whole time, but it’s neither cold, so you’re not freezing your buns off either.

When I was checking out of Pool Paradise, I met a Brazilian girl named Isadora. A resident of Sao Paolo, she was also getting ready to do the tour of downtown Lima, but she didn’t take all her belongings with her, as she planned to return to the hostel to continue her stay. We hit it off really good right from the start, and went downtown together.

We left Miraflores in a Metropolitano bus. It costs 2.50 Soles per ride and is paid upon entering the area from within which a bus can be boarded. The bus identified with a letter C connects Lima’s downtown with Miraflores. That’s what we took.

Selfie at Plaza San Martin in Lima, Peru
Selfie at Plaza San Martin in Lima, Peru

We first visited Plaza Jose Marti, who’s considered the liberator of Peru. We took a few pictures there and headed toward Plaza del Armas, where the presidential building is located. Behind its gates a brass band in full military attire was playing. The whole area had a strong military presence, with a number of soldiers armed with rifles, several policemen with spooky looking canines scanning the area, and armored vehicles parked on corners.

Cathedral of Lima Located on Side of Plaza de Armas
Cathedral of Lima Located on Side of Plaza de Armas

There was a group of school kids that walked past us while at Plaza de Armas, who were so excited to see a white man, they got in chat with me and really wanted to take a picture.

Group Pic with Lima School Kids, Isadora Snapped It
Group Pic with Lima School Kids, Isadora Snapped It

From there we headed toward Plaza Simon Bolivar, with a building of the Peruvian Congress behind the statue of the other Peru’s liberator. But first we made a brief stop in the Choco Museum, where Isidora bought a few chocolates to take home as presents for friends.

With Isadora in Choco Museo
With Isadora in Choco Museo

We then made a stop at Basilica and Convent of San Francisco – a church within which there are catacombs filled with skulls and bones. The access to the catacombs is paid and picture taking is prohibited, so we decided against paying for that access.

Church of San Francisco Which Contains Entrances to Catacombs
Church of San Francisco Which Contains Entrances to Catacombs

Afterward we walked a little bit more toward an overcrowded market with fruits, meats and fish (the type I lacked in Miraflores), where I bought half a kilo of mandarin oranges. They were all incredibly bland and tasteless. It made me really miss Ecuador where fruits were delicious and juicy.

Gutted Animal for Sale at Market in Lime
Gutted Animal for Sale at Market in Lime

From the market it was just a bit more walk to an adjacent China town, where I bought Palo Santo from a very nice woman with Shamanic training. I will write a post about Palo Santo later.

Floor of China Town in Lima Is Adroend with Tiles Bearing Names Like Hollywood Handprints
Floor of China Town in Lima Is Adroend with Tiles Bearing Names Like Hollywood Handprints

Having concluded we’ve covered enough of Lima’s downtown, we decided to wrap it up and pace our way back toward a Metropolitano bus stop. I was gonna take it a few stops to Avenida Mexico, near which I found out there’s a bus terminal with buses going to Ica, and Isadora would carry on over several more stops back to Miraflores.

We however got lost along the way, and found ourselves in a shanty town area with a lot of shady characters and no police in sight. We have not encountered any problems, but had no idea where we were nor where to find a Metropolitano bus stop. A few people we asked provided conflicting information as to which way to go to find one.

Eventually, after crossing a bridge, we saw a traffic police and got some reliable pointers. As we walked toward the station along a busy street, we passed multiple sellers of Palo Santo and other incenses and tools for shamanic rituals, so I bought a baggie of myrrh, frankincense and copal resins to use with my earlier bought Palo Santo for deactivation of negative energies and evil spirits that may have latched on me.

Bridge We Crossed in Hopes It Would Lead Us to Metropolitano Station, But Took Us Way Off Instead
Bridge We Crossed in Hopes It Would Lead Us to Metropolitano Station, But Took Us Way Off Instead

After a busy day together, having also got lost in Lima, I parted ways with Isadora, with a promise that we’ll stay in touch, and a hope we’ll meet and hang out again.

At Avenida Mexico I asked which way the terminal for buses to Ica was, and bought a ticket for a 3:30 bus, which I boarded and left Lima. The trip lasted 5 hours, and I was unlucky to have a guy sitting behind me who spent the whole 5 hours yapping his head off on the phone. I never wished more for a meteorite to blow up half of the bus before.

Exploring Miraflores

Whereas I knew I would not stay in Lima longer than one night, after booking the bed in the dorm in Pool Paradise, I decided to go exploring Miraflores a little on foot without the backpack. I was too tired and too stinky after the journey, but knew that if I took shower, I would not feel like going anywhere anymore. I needed to buy water to rehydrate anyway, so stink bomb as I was, I grabbed the camera and stepped out.

Iglesia Virgen Milagrosa Church at Park Kennedy in Miraflores
Iglesia Virgen Milagrosa Church at Park Kennedy in Miraflores

After snapping a few pictures at Kennedy Park, I headed down Avenida Larco to Larcomar – a stripmall of sorts on the cliffs of Miraflores overlooking the ocean. From there I turned right and walked alongside the cliffs, passing a few parks until I got to Parque del Amor (Park of Love).

View of Miraflores Coast from Larcomar Mall
View of Miraflores Coast from Larcomar Mall

The park is dominated by a statue of a man and a woman in an embrace and kissing. The structures around are adorned with love quotes, and the mini amphitheater like cascading steps surrounding it are used by couples to hang out, talk or more.

Statue of Lovers in Parque de Amor in Miraflores
Statue of Lovers in Parque de Amor in Miraflores

I also took a walk to a place called Huaca Pucllana, which is an archieological site of an ancient pyramid structure that looks like a giant monolyth, but consists of man made clay bricks.

Huaca Pucllana Clay Pyramid in Miraflores
Huaca Pucllana Clay Pyramid in Miraflores

On the way back I made a quick stop in Parque Reducto No2, within which there are statues of war commanders and a display of old military gear, like cannons.

Statue in Reducto 2 Park in Miraflores
Statue in Reducto 2 Park in Miraflores

I looked for a fruit market, which would surely have been around had this city been in Ecuador, but there was none. A few street sellers selling fruit from carts was all I could come across. Most shops I’ve seen were either selling souvenirs, alpaca products, or they were overpriced restaurants. Overall, I saw absolutely no reason to stay in Miraflores, or Lima in general, for any more than a day.

Is Cambodia Barrier Free?

Well here is a question – Is Cambodia Barrier Free? Cambodia, the country of world’s worst drivers and some of the world’s most severe personal safety issues – is it barrier free? This is without doubt a legitimate question as many travellers who like to visit foreign countries either suffer from disabilities themselves, or have someone with them who is disabled. So is Cambodia barrier free enough for them to safely move around? The short answer is simple – “No”. But let me elaborate with the long answer a little.

Photo: Cambodia - Not Barrier Free
Photo: Cambodia - Not Barrier Free

When talking about barrier free countries, one could divide them into several groups:

  • Barrier Free Countries – many western countries, such as my homeland of Canada strive excessively to be completely barrier free and most people with disabilities truly can make their way around without major issues
  • Tricky Countries – moving around if you are a person with disabilities can be tricky, but can be done with some planning or little assistance
  • Not Barrier Free Countries – some countries, such as Cuba have narrow, cobblestone streets that are tricky to navigate through, however locals are more than happy to help without being asked for it. When they see someone in need of assistance, they will be right there to assist
  • Barrier Full Countries – those would be the countries that are very difficult, or impossible to effortlessly enjoy by the people with disabilities
  • Forget It Countries – barriers exist in all walks of life making an enjoyable stay for people with disabilities an impossibility
  • Cambodia – you take the most advanced barriers that prevent people with disabilities to navigate through, combine them into an impenetrable maze, enhance the level of difficulty by infinity and then add some extra barriers on top of it and you get Cambodia. If you find yourself in need of assistance, instead of being helped, you will be laughed at and mocked straight in your face. Cambodians don’t help others, only themselves. If there is something in it for them, then you will suddenly have more than enough of them willing to assist. Unconditional help doesn’t exist

Cambodia is not, by any stretch of imagination a barrier free country. People with disabilities will find it impossible to exist in Cambodia however Cambodia is also full of barriers and danger even for fully able bodied people. You do not have to be disabled to find it impossible to move around or otherwise exist in Cambodia. To add insult to injury, though – if you come to Cambodia as a fully able bodied, healthy and fit person, Cambodia will put you through some unfathomable dangers so if you leave the country in the same condition you have entered in, you can congratulate yourself for achieving the unimaginable.

In other words, Cambodia is not barrier free for people with disabilities, yet it’s not barrier free for people without either. And if you come to the country without any disabilities, you got to be extremely alert and careful at all times or else you could soon earn yourself some.

Road traffic is so dangerous in Cambodia, that no matter what means of transportation you choose to use during your stay, you will be constantly in danger of getting involved in a deadly accident. However the smaller the vehicle, the bigger a danger. Riding a motorcycle or a bicycle are particularly dangerous activities and one has to be more than careful and have their eyes affixed on the road with peripheral vision checking out the situation in all angles at all times. Yet the biggest danger faces you each time set out for a walk.

Photo: Motorcycles Blocking the Sidewalk in Siem Reap
Photo: Motorcycles Blocking the Sidewalk in Siem Reap

Cambodians are extremely rude and self important people who need to repeatedly boost their egos (some say it’s the genitals they need to compensate for, but you will find both males and females behaving that way). You will be shown no respect from other traffic participants and if you’re a foreigner, the respect will be that much lower. Because sidewalks are unavailable for use by pedestrians because they serve as parking spots for cars, motorcycles and tuk-tuks, each time you go for a walk, you will be forced to walk on the road directly in the way of disrespectful drivers. Even though Cambodians should drive on the right, you will have traffic coming at you from both sides. It will be topped up by people pushing food carts around forcing you to go to the middle of the road to get by them and that’s where it starts getting super dangerous.

Yet the gravest danger lurks out from the side, where you would least expect it. Cars and bikes parked on the sidewalks – on those sidewalks you cannot use because they are parked there – will reverse into the traffic without any regard for pedestrians who are forced to walk on the road. They will back right into you unless you jump off their way and that’s where any form of being “barrier free” ends. You will have to be extremely vigilant and alert at all times to avoid getting disabled by a rude driver entering the road from a sidewalk and this will happen to you a hundred times a day.

The fact that you will be pressured, stared down and laughed at each time you get blocked off so you have nowhere to go makes safe decision making extremely challenging. Verbal abuse will be evident and you will know you are a subject to mockery but you will have no option but to take it right where they serve it to you. Many Cambodians carry guns and they are fully aware of the fact that law is not enforced in their country (none exists to begin with). There is nothing preventing them from blowing your brains off if you stand up for yourself. They are used to killing and raping so just take the humiliation and abuse and keep your eyes wide open because another out of control motorcycle is riding down the wrong side of the street and there’s no way he’s stirring away from a pedestrian.

Below is the video that briefly shows how “barrier free” Cambodia is. It’s one of those countless cases where I was walking down the street and because of piled up motorcycles, tuk tuks and cars I had to get on the road facing bikers swishing by me from both sides. Soon after I had a car that was parked on the sidewalk start reversing onto the road, completely disregarding the fact that a pedestrian was coming and had I not responded swiftly by slowing down when I noticed the reverse lights come on, I would have been struck by it. This is by no means an isolated incident. This happens all the time and then some. Motorcyclists don’t even seem to shoulder check at all. They are particularly happy to hit you with their two wheelers.

Taking Photos of Gnarly Bugs in Cambodia

It’s no secret that South East Asia is home to some pretty freaky creatures. For someone like me, who came to Cambodia from Canada, this instant exposure to leagues of tropical insects felt overwhelmingly exciting. Seeing cockroaches three times the size of those from back home made me realize that random encounters with oversized, gnarly bugs will be a daily reality from now on. And so it was.

This Beetle Was Walking Down The Sidewalk in Siem Reap in Cambodia
This Beetle Was Walking Down The Sidewalk in Siem Reap in Cambodia

Even though I was the only one around who got excited and pulled out the camera each time I spotted a gnarly bug, it bugged (no pun intended) me not. Because of extreme heat, I could not carry all of my photography gear with me all the time as it would require carrying heavy bag on my back. One sweats excessively even without extra weight. Nevermind the fact that excessive heat wears you out like you wouldn’t believe. Heavy bags would make this struggle far more challenging.

Looking Big Gnarly Bug in the Face with Wide Angle Lens
Looking Big Gnarly Bug in the Face with Wide Angle Lens

And as Murphy’s Law would have it, I have never had my fast telephoto lens on me when an interesting bug crossed my path. That’s always a bummer. It’s near impossible to take pictures of bugs with a wide angle lens. You can only do it if the bug end fly within your vicinity and doesn’t take off again when you show your camera right in its face, literally just inches from its antennae.

This Beetle Was About 2 Inches in Size - Huge
This Beetle Was About 2 Inches in Size - Huge

Some occasional opportunities do arise though. The beetle in these pictures was over 2 inches long and was pacing its way alongside the pathway lining the east bank of the Siem Reap River in Cambodian Siem Reap. Because it didn’t seem to heed my presence and because I really didn’t care about the locals standing nearby thinking I must be weird for taking pictures of what’s to them a pretty average beetle, I did shove my wide angle lens in its face and snapped a few. My initiation to taking photos of gnarly bugs in Cambodia has been successfully concluded. Ability to handle the heat was much tougher to handle.

Photo of Gnarly Bug Just Walking the Streets of Siem Reap
Photo of Gnarly Bug Just Walking the Streets of Siem Reap