Hello friends and family!
Our second Machu Picchu Lodge Trek team arrived in Cusco over the past few days and today we all gathered for a tour of the ‘Navel of the World,’ Cusco city. Cusco is a fascinating city, from its Inca heritage to it’s Spanish influence, the history of the city is visible in every stone wall, Cathedral, statue and street vender. Today we explored the local San Pedro market full of fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, breads, religious offerings and street food. No visit to a foreign city is complete without a wander through the local farmers market! 
We next visited the Coricancha, or Temple Of The Sun, the most important temple of the Inca. Our local guide Karla, explained how the Inca covered the brilliant stone walls in silver and the roof in gold as well as how they constructed these unbelievably beautiful walls and temples to pay homage to the nature they worshipped.
Following the Coricancha, we visited the Cathedral de Cusco and learned more about the Spanish influence in Peru, post conquest. We viewed amazing Baroque paintings that are unique to Peru and intricate carved altars.
We concluded our tour with a beautiful lunch at Pachapapa, which serves delicious Peruvian cuisine in the arts district of Cusco, San Blas. The rest of the day we were free to rest, hydrate and explore Cusco.
Tomorrow we begin our journey on the Salcantay Trek. I am extremely exited to have the opportunity to climb over Salkantay Pass again, enjoying these beautiful lodges along the way. We have 8 climbers with us, all bringing a lot of experience to the group. Stay tuned for our 1st days adventures!
-Anna Zajicek
