basketball, cow hearts, and white jesus

Cusco in the distance.

White Jesus!

I´ve had a long day. But one that I feel much more pleased with. Upon first arriving in Cusco I was overwhelmed and saddened by how touristy this place is. There are native handicraft stands everywhere hawling the same stuff. White tourists everywhere you look in their REI gear. Little kids following you around asking you to buy knit fingerpuppets or postcards. And though the cost of everything is about a third the American cost, it makes me sad and confused that I came to a place with the intention of having my money sapped from me at every turn. This is fun?

I did have a splendid time though with some free entertainment watching a baskeball game of a city league of forty-something women. They just looked like they were having so much fun and everyone´s family was there. Kids buying popsicles and rolling around, pink-cheeked, in the terraced hill behind the outdoor court. Among other things I also ate a very Peruvian meal of quinoa soup and cow heart kabobs, followed by a desert that was something like a cornstarch gravy of Robitussen. Yum! And we met up with one our friends who has been Andean jungle trekking. One more friend is meeting us soon and our group of 4 will be complete and ready to head of to Lake Titicaca and Central America. Warmth and beaches are on the horizon.

Oh, and we climbed up one of the mountains surounding Cusco to see de Christo Blanco, a huge statue of Jesus with his arms outstretched over the city. The dude at the entrance of the long stone path up originally wanted to charge us 40 soles. We reasoned that we weren´t headed for the Inca ruins, but for Jesus. Can we just see Jesus? Ok, 40 soles for you three. Finally he folded and let us go for free, but we had to swear we were only going up to see Jesus. Hey, we came to take the narrow path that only leads to our salvation. Buenos noches from Peru!