A Weekend in Cusco

Some people come to Cusco to see the beautiful churches, the Plaza de Armas, the nearby Inca ruins ... I, on the other hand, was lured by the promise of a normal shower, a quiet room and wireless Internet access. And, with bus rides costing less than a dollar and hotel rooms starting at $20, why not?

Several other volunteers live here, and we spent the day exploring the bohemian San Blas neighborhood, which has innumerable shops and beautiful vistas of the city. Unfortunately, getting to the area involves lots of steep streets and staircases, which are especially difficult in the thin Cusco air (about 500 meters higher than my hometown of Pisac). But it was worth it for views like this: