The interior is a mix of whitewashed plaster walls, brightly coloured art and knick knacks grounded by sumptuous dark wood floors that positively gleam. The foundation seems to be a mix of old and new stone in the Inca walls and while I was expecting the place to look this way, I am still surprised by how damn gorgeous the effect is.
The new man in my life, Senor Hotel Manager, invites me to sit and enquires as to whether or not I'd like some tea. As we're moving toward a cosy eating room I grab my bag and am "tsked" and told to leave it. Ha! A younger man comes happens by, notices my bag and whisks it off to parts unknown.
I feel like I've been thrust into some strange alternate Universe.
Who are these creatures treating me with such reverence while remaining so completely familiar in their masculine forms to me?
I'm seated and treated to coca leaf tea as I fill out the sign in forms. I'm wondering how long I'll be able to stay awake for. Check in time isn't officially until 10:am. I've got a few hours to go til then! My new friend comes back with a map and gives me a run down on the city, then says these magic words with a smile " Your room is ready if you'd like to retire to it? " Really?! I'm floored with gratitude and relief. He summons another young gent who takes my terracotta cup of tea (and me) through a courtyard and up a set of steep and narrow stairs to my room.
Can you believe this place? I couldn't either! Don't you love how the accent pillow matches the flowers on the wall?!
Left alone in this gorgeous room I am fully satisfied with my choice. What a unique place to call home for a few days. How lucky am I? Later on I would would realise how much of a death trap the place was, ha!
Not a smoke detector to be seen. No windows to easily escape from and only one exit...on to a wood porch, glossy with flammable polish and veneer. Oh, how pampered we are in North America. With our safety regulations and the like.
Of course the first thing I do is finish my tea-coca tea tastes not unlike green tea with more of a root like edge. It's good!- then peel off my gross clothes and slide into the cool fresh sheets on my squishy bed. I don't sleep, damn you coca tea!, but get enough of a rest so that I'm not so blurry eyed by noon.
After showering and dressing I was still feeling a bit dizzy from the altitude so I take it slow again, writing in my journal, sitting with myself in disbelief. I'm in freaking Peru!
I finally force myself OUT! I'm a little nervous. This place is so different from anything I've experienced and while I don't find it all that shocking, thanks to all my research, I am nervous about how I fit into the scene.
Like anyone else would, it turns out. And like everything else in my life, there was nothing to be afraid of! I had a good mental idea of where I was going so I went! Once I got out there it was like wandering around any new to me city. There were people everywhere celebrating the Jubilee month of Cusco and I moved through the people, a mix of residents and travellers with ease. I was approached multiple times by people asking me to buy things but a firm and friendly "No, gracias" while moving forward did the trick. I watched some of the celebrations in the main square, dancers and bands. I found some of the stores I wanted to shop in -was waiting til I was fully rested to enjoy that!-and then I found a tiny little store for provisions.
It was run by a young woman who's young child was playing with some fruit up front. A cute little girl with mussed up black hair, shining black eyes and the rosiest of rosy cheeks. I bought some water, some oranges, some coca candy, some walnuts and some salted corn. I paid with the crappiest looking dollar bills you ever did see-I was actually shocked when she accepted them-and the transaction went well, despite my lack of Spanish and the clerk's lack of English! This was a breaking point for me because I had been worried about how I'd take care of myself without speaking Spanish but the truth of it is, a little Spanish goes a long way! And people are very gracious about helping you if you don't understand. I felt like I'd passed some self appointed test and found myself relaxing into the experience.
It must have shown on my face because as I walking back to my hotel an older gentleman smiled at me and called me "Rosita" Tee hee.
I didn't do much after my first Cuzco adventure. Had some lunch, had a nap. Had some dinner-eating light from my provisions to combat any altitude sickness- watched TV, then tried to go to bed. I say tried because HOLY, was Cuzco having a party. Fireworks and cannons( fucking cannons!) til the wee hours of the morning. Live music poured into my ear space like it was in my room, getting farther away until the next parade would start up and make it's way down the alley, as loud as before.
It was awesome! For the first little while but after a time-three nights worth of this-it did start to get on my nerves. Whoever invented the ear plug became my new best friend, I tell ya!
You have to be impressed by the level of commitment it takes to party for an entire month, in such an enthusiastic manner!
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