In Cusco los ninos ballan

A few pictures from a group we found on the edge of town. 

Kinda reminds me of pust in slovenia?!

*the cusco flag is a rainbow*

Cusco! and some guinea pigs

Because Ken was in charge of the Peru leg of our trip I had no idea what to expect in Cusco other than cold weather. I was happily surprised to meet kind people (mostly smiling at me as I attempted to speak Spanish) and enjoy beautiful hills and history. 

We couchsurfed the first few nights with a wonderful man and his adorable two boys and then enjoyed a few nights in a small guest house overlooking the city. It was nice to have running water after our couch adventures, even if the water was freezing. There is something special about being welcomed into the home of strangers, living as they live. It is the quickest way to truly know someone; become apart of their lives and for a moment share their struggles, laughter and space.  I think Ken wanted to take these cute boys home with us, but I think their father needed their strength. 

And sometimes while couchsurfing you meet a man from Slovenia and get to speak Slovene with him in Peru! 

We stayed in the city enjoying the churches, festivals - they sure have a lot of festivals!- and people watching.

I love seeing Kenneth speaking Spanish. He lights up like a kid on Christmas morning every time he gets a chance to make a new friend. I have learned that latino Ken (yes the same red hair and freckled face boy) is extremely outgoing and can become instant friends with anyone. This is not to say he is not kind and friendly all the time, but there is something a little extra, a sparkle in his eye. As people speak with him they instantly welcome him into their lives. Although I didn't see him as a missionary, I am pretty sure he was a loving and strong elder.

We were supposed to use this time in Cusco to acclimatize in preparation for the hike but instead I felt like we ate lots of ice cream and watermelon juice (ken's fav) instead. We also ate some interesting stuff, just some guinea pig and hard salty cheese, accompanied by really oily bread. It was a part of a festival. I don't know which one but it included lots of guinea pigs posed together in a very lively manner with tomatoes in their mouths like the cherry on top of a sundae. And yes, we did get pretty sick after that one for a few days. Lucky for us amodium ad exists and we were ready to go once the trek was to begin- well enough to fake it... 

And some other eats.

The meat and fruit were never far enough apart for my liking.