Peru Day 7: Cusco. No gracias

Breakfast was slightly disappointing with a more Germanic based buffet (too much sausage meat). I ended up with sugar puffs in strawberry smoothie and toast. Coffee still tastes like crap. The food was accompanied by a solo pan-piper with backing tracks of Beatles, Frank Sinatra etc., all a bit full on for 8am.

Our morning's excursion was visiting the local museums and notable ruins. The first was the main temple which the Spanish built on top with their own church. The Inca's stonework was perfectly built using no mortar, just stacked and cut to perfection. I would have liked more time at this museum but the tour rep was keen to get drive us to the city's hills (more altitude!) to see the Inca military fortress of Saqsayhuaman. It had some fantastic views of Cusco and you could see the flightpath and planes landing at the airport. On a nearby hill, the locals had been given a smaller version of Rio's Jesus statue that overlooked the city.

The Temple of the Mother Earth was next where sacrifices were made then another, unnecessary, stop to see a view before a long (by this altitude's standard) hike to the Water temple - all a bit video adventure game like for me. The water was alpine fresh and chilled and apparently has 'magical' powers. The guide when asked explained that the sellers of Peruvian souvenirs were really local farmers buying in cheaper Bolivian stuff to sell. All we wanted at the time was chocolate and a drink! A couple more stops with constant Peruvian stall selling their colourful ware, plus more trying to sell ornamental pumas or themselves for photos - 'no gracias' was automatic by now.

Last stop of the tour was a baby alpaca factory outlet. The local dogs are really ignorant of traffic with one refusing to budge for us as we tried to park. Everything was a bit expensive, and buying woolly clothing whilst its summer at home was just weird. A treat for your granny perhaps but nothing for us.

The altitude was getting easier by now and managed to walk about a bit more looking for for a decent lunch. Jack's Cafe was too busy so we settled for Manne Cafe - food was good but the appetite still below par. The 'traveller's sickness' is affecting me and nearly had a toilet paper emergency after forgetting to take off the 'Do not disturb' sign from the hotel room.

The tour ticket given to us on the morning also allowed us free entry to other museums. We visited the Modern Art and a local history museum. A couple of really nice pieces that had to photographed whereas the history museum had a lot of Inca bowls, jewelry etc., but personally I like the OTT Catholic art showing the mother and baby Jesus - it was Renaissance but more gaudy.

Cusco square was full of demonstrators which we'd been told by our tour rep were students and other tour reps angry at non-qualified people getting their potential jobs. Nothing violent, just a few banners and songs of protest.

We received our Machu Picchu briefing from Socrates, our trail rep, who gave me some good advice for my traveller's sickness. I'm now on a diet of water and biscuits. Our trip to the local supermarket found us in the more commercial side of Cusco away from the tourist centre. A lot less massage sellers hassling us and but more of shoppers. It was amusing for me to see street vendors every do often selling the oddest of things. One guy sold nothing but hangers and wall hooks, another selling just chopping boards. When we returned to the hotel room I had the biggest panic ever that I'd lost Kerry's surprise birthday present of a diamond engagement ring. With Kerry in the same room watching me getting more and more wound up, I was very close to telling her what had happened. It turned up in the strangest place inside the bed's pillow case. Phew!