Machu Piccu and Cusco Corners

Today is Monday and for the past week I have been living in or around the former Inca capital city of colonial-style Cusco. Since arriving on an strenuous overnight bus from the deserts Nazca, a great deal of changes to the trip itinerary have taken place.

The original game plan was to relax at the low key Pirwa Colonial Backpackers which is located along La Plaza De San Francisco, tucked within the heart of the cities' historical district, for a few days then hiking Machu Piccu. After booking a two day tour of the Inca ruins a friend from the hostel who was working as a receptionist got fired. Having already been interested in possibly searching for a hostel gig either in Cusco or Buenos Aires, an impulse decision prompted me to ask to take his place. Within minutes I was now a member of the Pirwa Backpackers and now I am going to be working alongside an entirely Peruvian hostel staff for the next few weeks.

After landing the job I took a collectivo bus the next morning en route to Agua Caliente, the base village that sits below Machu Piccu. After a foggy cliff-ridden six hour ride and a two hour hike a small group of other travelers and myself arrived in Agua Caliente, ate a nice dinner, then woke up the next morning at 4:30am to summit the mountain. The hike was intense with massive vertical gains and took almost two hours. Machu Piccu is as beautiful as its reputation and the trek was the most rewarding experience of this entire trip by far. The views felt very alien and I feel extraordinarily lucky to have been there. By the way, thank you everyone for the birthday wishes it really means a lot!

Since hiking the Piccu life in Cusco has revolved around working as a reception assistant in a primarily Spanish speaking hostel and exploring the cities cobbled streets, cafes, food, and never resting night life. Some really good friends have been in town and we have dabbled in the dancing scene a few times which has been a great experience. Cusco has showcased some great music and everyday there are opportunities to vibe to great sounding DJs or live bands. Also some very cool couchsurfing friends have been made since arriving and it has helped me gain a better understanding of the Cusco culture. I will be here for a few more weeks then heading straight to Argentina to try some meat...
I hope everyone is doing well and have a great day!