Cusco highs and lows.

One final day in Cusco before heading off to the sacred valley and machu Picchu. In theory. Slightly apprehensive that my independent online train /bus combo and day ticket to Machu Picchu may not work out...

Fresh fruit juice stalls competing for trade. Less than £1 for a litre jug, seriously.

Peruvian deserts

Only in Peru! The workman digging the drains ensured even I, who love street food, gave San Pedro market a miss for lunch

Meanwhile I continued to get lost in Cusco, dropping down into the manic market of San Pedro, sitting in shady cloisters admiring the architecture, then climbing high above the city to the Christo Blanco, the white cross.

Looking over towards saqsayhuama from Christo blanco

View of Cusco from the cross

Courtesy of my boleta touristica I visited the city's historic museum, which turned out to be an unexpected gem.  The halls are full of genuine art, paintings from the Cusco school. The style is over the top religious, as it originated from Spanish  evangelical art designed  to convert the Incas. Cleverly the artists incorporated Inca symbols, the sun, moon, sacred symbols, into the works to  ensure easier acceptance of Christianity.

Cusco's spendid churches

The articulate displays also traced the rebellion of the indigenous Peruvians, the 'martydom' of the leaders, and the eventual reclaination of Andean history  thanks to scholars such as Garcilaso de la Vega. Fascinating stuff.

Cusco has been illuminating. Down side: tourism. Ok so I'm a hypocrite. But it's heaving, trekking companies on every corner, hawkers at every step.

Cusco's cobbled, and very steep, streets

Peruvians, albeit liking our tourist dollar, are also concerned. The brand new president, corruption scandal having  finally toppled the previous chap whilst I was in Bolivia, today announced proposals to privatise the sacred valley and other ancient sites throughout the country. Yikes. Clearly this will bring in even more money 😏 but surely there have to be better ways.

Next stop for me, the aforementioned sacred valley. Before MacDonalds build an arch there....

I swear they pose!