Dine and find in Cusco...

Muchas gustas y gracias Cusco.

Chocolate museum Cusco

Normally, I just ignore all the tourist offers on plaza de armas in Cusco, but when I hear something to my like, I pay attention. This was one of those times, which became a great visit to the newly opened chocolate museum, my felicidad! A great excursion with my Spanish teacher. Clara - who runs the museum together with her partner from France - opened the museum for two weeks ago. Therefore not many cusquenans know about it yet. But it is well worth a visit. Very nicely decorated, chocolate tea and submarine/argentinan hot chocolate and lots of information on cacao production. For those who wants, they could also try making their own pralines.

The chocolate museum began as an hotel initative in Nicaragua and this is the second choco museum, now in Cusco.

Intensive Spanish lessons

Ohw, I am so delightful! My beautiful Spanish school have helped me to change my group lessons into private lessons! A great way to end my four weeks study here, closing up with an intensive week. I am thrilled with excitment, happiness and joy (might also be a bit because of the hot chocolate a drank.... ;) ).

I love this song....

Touring the city

Today my sisters here took me around town and showed me their University. I felt very hounored to take part of their life. They are studying history and anthropology there.

After the walk, we went for some typical roaster and chips. I took a bigger plate with a little bit of everything. Like cheese, chicken, rice, mushrooms, chips...very saturating...but nice. Found some cool murials and statues....

A walk in Cusco....

So yesterday I met up with a German girl I met on the airport in Lima when I arrived in Peru. She is working as a volounteer in a orphanage 4 hours away (by bus) from Cusco. She was here during the weekend with another German girl that is doing here internship as a dentist in the same village.

Had a great walk and day in Cusco. Did not enter Sassy Woman....(never remember the right quecha word for that archeological heritage). But we were outside the ruines, constructed as a puma. Ate a choclo with cheese (non sweet maize) and avokado (totally different from the ones in Europe) on our way back down. A lovely time. Thanks!

Chocolate and Spa

Today I was so happy! I found this little chocolate shop with Peruvian goodies, from Cusco, Arequipa and San Martin. Bought an organic chocolate bar from the Amazonas, very cool!

In the shop I also found the Inca flag to sew on my bag. Then there were a lot of coffee, piscu and products of coco leaves. In Peru tea on coca leaves are used to take away altitude problems as well as it is good for digestion (and prolly a lot of other things as well). Within these pics you can see a lot of different uses for the leaves. For a cup you take 7 or 8 leaves and let it stir for some minutes. Taste like nettle/green tea.

I also learnt today that the coca leaves are used as prayers for mother earth. Three leaves for wishes of good, letting it go by the wind…

Continuing to check out the Inca spa a bit further down on Av. El Sol (one of the main streets in Cusco), I found the beautiful puma murial and which on the other side was a fountain and waterfall under the sun symbol.

Calle Suecia

So I wake up and am ready to hit (/eager to get to) the school. Outside it has been raining and thundering the whole night (and not someone showering, as I once thought half-awake…). My shoes are still drying on the windowsill since the day before. Clouds are grey and in the horizon is fog and rain hovering over the mountains. I begin my day with slowly resting an hour before breakfast and yoga. Finally my body and mind seems to adapt to the time difference. It’s said to take as many days as hours of change (so in Sweden/Peru case it is 6 hours/days). 

My Spanish school in Cusco is situated on a very long, steep road (or so it feels when walking on this altitude). After finally getting there, even more steps are awaiting. But then, what a beautiful panoramic view to see!

The road is called “calle de suecia” and so named by either Swedish people once occupying this street, or by the (less likeable version for me) by the Spanish word “la suciedad”, which means dirt…apparently the road used to be very narrow, dark and people throwing waste all around there and so shouted "suicedad"... 

Anyways, if you think it is the first option, its pretty cool… Although I still wonder why the Swedes once came all this way… I mean North America I know, but Peru? Why and who came here? Was it because of gold? Archaeology? Would be interesting to know…

2011-02-21
So today I have heard a third version of the naming... Its said to have lived a Swedish queen on this street during the second world war. She was just 28 years old and to honour her, the people in Cusco named the street "calle suecia".

Cusco

Hey people,

I have now arrived in Cusco. People are very nice here and I have settled in with a great "peruvian mother" and her two daughters in my age. There is also an american girl that will stay in the house for a week and is also studying Spanish here. Yesterday the school offered a guided tour in the city and here are some photos that I took. Enjoy.