Machu Picchu/Rafting

Machu Picchu is the most famous ruins in Peru, although there are ruins all over the country. I visited this place about 2 weeks ago now. It was definitely an unforgettable experience. Machu Picchu was “founded” in 1911 by a professor from Yale. But as my tour guide for day countered, Machu Picchu was never found because it was never lost. The villagers who lived around this area had now about Machu Picchu for years before the arrival of the western professor. They are more unanswered questions rather than answered ones about Machu Picchu and its form and function during its historical prime. Some people say that it was something like a university where people from all over the Incan empire came to learn about religion and other important affairs. Other anthropologists think that it was a summer home for the actual Inca (the name for the Incan king). Both ways it was a very exciting experience and I hope to be able to find my way back there before they close it to the public.
The same weekend I went rafting for the first time ever. SUPER FUN! I decided that I need to be outside and have scenery when I work out. I get really bored at the gym when I am just on the treadmill or elliptical counting down the minutes. I need to be visually stimulated when I am exercising lol. And when I say rafting was a workout…it was a workout lol. My whole body was sore the next day. I feel like there are many outdoor activities in Michigan that aren’t competitive sports. I could take up snowboarding or something but I hate snow so that sounds like a fail lol. Oh well I will figure it out once I get back to the states. It’s my last week in Cusco, I only have 6 weeks left in total in Peru. CRAZY!
Hasta Luego

Corpus Christi and Cuy

Last week was a really big festival in Cusco. The entire month of June is called the month of parties in Cusco, Peru. There most important festival is Corpus Christi. The celebration was originally a festival in the Incan empire when they would march through the streets of Cusco the mummies of important figures in the community. When the Spanish invaded Peru in the early 1500's they found this ritual to be primitive and replaced mummies with Catholic saints. An inspiring fact about Cusco/Peru is that the indigenous people here have be able to retain a lot of their culture despite European imperialism. Even though the cusqueñas march saints through streets instead of mummies the people carrying the saints are all drunk. Also everyone here is so knowledgeable about Incan and preincan civilizations and its inspiring because I feel like as an American I am very ignorant of my history but that is not the case hear.

Another intriguing cultural fact about Cusco is the food that is eaten during Corpus Christi. The Peruanos eat cuy (guinea pig) and a special plate of food called chiruchu. This concept is so strange to me because in the U.S we have guinea pigs as pets but here it is only viewed as food similar to chickens in the U.S. The traditional chiruchu dish includes seaweed, fish eggs, chicken, cow, guinea pig, and a special type of bread. I actually tried some cuy...it tasted like chicken lol. Going to MachuPicchu this weekend and looking forward to my third week in Peru.

Hasta Luego!