Today was just a day of purposeful wandering. Brody and I started the day with a glorious sleep in until 11 AM. After getting organized for the day, we headed towards the main square.
We stopped at the Qorikancha, which forms the base of the colonial church and convent of Santo Domingo. It was once the richest temple in the Inca Empire; all that remains is stonework and beautiful art. In Inca time, this was literally covered in gold. The temple walls were lined with some 700 solid gold sheets, each weighing about 2kg. There were solid gold replicas of corn, llamas, babies, and the sun for ceremonial and ritual purposes. But within months of the arrival of the conquistadors, this was all gone. Various other religious rites took place here - it is said that mummified bodies of previous incas were kept here, brought out into sunlight each day and offered food and drink., which was then ritually burnt. Once inside the temple, you enter a courtyard which is beautiful in its own right. Everything is architecturally impeccable. Brody and I didn't understand what the rooms each meant since we chose not to hire a guide.
We then ventured through the Inglesa de Santo Domingo, which was super unimpressive other than for the first paintings of Peruvian looking people. It's interesting that all of the Inca and Conquistador history is depicted in white people. Apparently this church is known for its paintings of archangels depicted as Andean children in jeans and tee shirts. Honestly, they look new and fake. Most of the time when I'm looking at these depictions of religious deities, I see great Irish dancing dress designs. Also in this church were two monuments with relics of different saints - really they looked like either a finger tip or a small bone. Either way, creepy.
Somehow we ended up in the Covenant de Santo Domingo as well. It was this small offshoot that had several paintings in it that had been obviously retouched poorly. It's a shame people thing old paintings need to be updated to their view of what they think it should look like. The only neat fact I have is that one of the paintings was from 1501.
Brody and I eventually made it to the main square where there were massive riots going on. I think it was the teachers union that caused the Peruvian government to put this area into a state of emergency on June 20' 2017. So being smart travellers we went and hung out in McDonalds and had lunch to wait the protest out. There were tons of tourist, security, riot, military, national, regional and special forces police out. Yes - they truly have that many kinds of police. Either way, the protest dissipated so we went and got Starbucks.
We then ventured to the worst museum I've ever been to - the Inka Museum. It's so not worth the 10 soles entry price. It's bare, dark and cold. It did have pottery, metal work, textiles and models but wasn't worth the hike uphill to see.
Brody and I then headed uphill (like really uphill) to see the White Jesus. Think the one in Brazil but smaller and less impressive. It was amazing to the scope of Cusco as a city since you are legit on top of the hill. This monument is located in Sacsaywaman. It's of both military and religious significance. This Fort was the site of one of the most bitter battles of Spanish conquest in 1536. It really only looks like rocks organized into protective walls. We did see the Inca's Throne which is a wall with carved in benches.
Since Brody and I had a couple of hours before it got dark and we had to be back in the hostel, we saw the Museum Arzobispal and Temple San Blas. Honestly, neither were great and the uphill on cobblestone was not worth it but it was free from our pass yesterday.
Our last stop was at the Coca Museum (not to be confused with the Cacao Museum). It had some neat facts and different types of coca leaves displayed.
We've also eaten twice at the Mamaji restaurant next door which is amazing. I had pesto pasta and Brody had lasagna tonight. Brody bravely tried the alpaca loin that came with my meal. Man I wish I had filmed his reaction. He nearly puked it onto the table. Alpaca meat is not good. It's chewy, salty, and is okay until it hits your throat. Either way - it's off the bucket list and will not be repeated.
AFN
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