One last one at Cusco.
Welcome to Lima!
Bones in the catacombs under the church (San Francisco??)
We left Cusco in the morning, took an hour-long flight to Lima, and toured the area for the next eight hours or so. We piled onto a bus, and our driver showed us the urban life of Peru. Not as upscale as Cusco, so it was interesting to see what the culture is really like in a less poor place without the tourist distractions.
Hallow bricks, buildings that are built literally next to each other, building bars sticking off the tops to indicate the hope to continue building. Lots of LOTS of cars. Traffic galore, but no accidents. Cops with AK-47s and pistols. Beautiful, decorated churches with catacombs underneath. The Presidential Palace in the center of the city. Excellent churros for cheap. Authentic Inca structures along the side of the road.
AND MORE TOURIST SHOPS.
An red-eye, delayed 7-hour flight lands us back in Houston. We rush through customs to catch our Seattle flight mid boarding process. And finally, four hours later, we are stepping on cold Seattle soil for the first time in what seems like forever.
It is Friday, and that was Tuesday. I'm still not fully here. I left part of myself with that amazing culture, people, food, architecture, and history. Or maybe I'm still recovering from jet lag or altitude sickness.
Whatever the matter, it's not the same anymore. I think that's a good thing.
