Day108

-
DECEMBER 17, 2019

CUSCO, PERU

We are on our way to Machu Picchu, of course, but it is deemed wise to acclimatize for a day or two in Cusco (pop 600,000).  Cusco is at 11,000 feet while Machu Picchu is at only 8,000 feet. And yes, most of our 70 sightseers did get light-headed at Cusco. But, Karen had brought pills for that. Cusco:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXDGt97eNxA

 We stayed at the Palacio del Inka - room rates begin at USD $998 per night (surely Viking got a hefty discount). Easy to get lost in this palacio, it is that large.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZXIiAb9iyQ

First stop is the Temple of the Sun, just across the street.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5btdreEAtnA

Then it was around the corner to the Catholic Cathedral where we had to pay USD $9.00 to enter and promised not to take any photos or videos (some religions aren't free). The ultra impressive cathedral which took a total 104 years of labour to build and decorate. If you want to witness ostentation, come here - you have to see it to believe it - the gold, the silver, the opulence, 14 altars. It is much bigger than it appears from the front entrance. Learn more on the internet. The value of today's structure and contents must be worth over a billion dollars. I left angry knowing how much better off the Cusco populace would be today if they had put all that energy to their own personal uses. BTW you can purchase postcards of the cathedral's interior at the exit.













A city tour included a stop at Sacsayhuaman (pronounced sexy-woman.... honest!). You've likely seen this place on TV documentaries by National Geographic or the BBC.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xk9TCkIHaFo














The dreamcatcher that we find among native peoples in North America seems to be a universal item.  Hear CUSCO's "Dream Catcher":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5evSJlNhWA

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Day 182

-
FEBRUARY 28, 2020 DARWIN, AUSTRALIA We all recognize that life is an adventure - there will be surprises. Coronavirus is an unexpected development and this voyage has already made adjustments. Further adjustments are possible, even likely, during the two months remaining on Viking's World Cruise.  At a time when authorities must be " seen to be doing something " about the chances of a pandemic, fear can provoke overreaction and more surprises. Karen and I have taken a cautionary attitude about how matters could evolve. We believe this is prudent. Consequently, we have decided to defer the remainder of this voyage to a later date.    With that in mind, a fitting tune is Sophie Zelmani's  " Going Home ". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrIG3K40-8A
Read more

Day 11

-
Image
September 10, 2019 EDINBURGH - They say Scotland gets a lot of rain. Tell me about it! Arrived here in the fog and that became a steady drizzle. But at least it wasn't cold, around 16 degrees.  The rush hour (good planning) bus tour of The Queen City was mostly about crawling from stoplight to stoplight. Incredibly dense traffic made worse by many downtown streets being closed to accommodate the filming of Fast and Furious Nine - we saw the support trucks, an army of them, dozens. The main attraction, of course, is the Castle on the hill. Very impressive from below, but almost inaccessible due to the overwhelming crowds and the discouraging wait times - where did all these people come from? I'm told that tourism gridlock is becoming the new normal in cities like Paris and Rome. Meanwhile, on the Viking Sun there is so much space, even in the restaurants, one never feels pressed.  After returning to the ship from downtown, wouldn't you know it, the sun came out.
Read more

Day 72

-
Image
NOVEMBER 11, 2019 SALVADOR DA BAHIA, BRAZIL For a city that I've never heard of, Salvador da Bahia is a surprisingly large metropolis. Three million people live in this sprawling, modern city. It seems as though there is a catholic church at every street corner, a bit like Starbucks. The photos I took today all disappeared as I was downloading them, so I borrowed a few from the Internet. This is part of the old town where we walked - it was crowded.  Most of the city is on an escarpment above the water. In order to access the escarpment, there are three funiculars and this 73 meter Elevador Lacerda which was built in 1873 - it costs 4 cents to ride up or down.  Also in town is the cruise ship, World Odyssey. You might recall that this ship operated as a floating condominium at one time and sailed wherever the owners decided. I guess that concept passed its expiry date for the ship now sails under its new flag "Seminar a
Read more