Peru Day 4 - on to Cusco

Got up at 6am in order to eat and be at the airport in time for our flight to Cusco. Poor Michelle rode backwards in the van to the airport and got car sick, then air sick - poor thing. She's looking a little green here, and staying close to the bathroom.




Diana on the other hand enjoyed a head massage from Washi. He shared with all of us, then we reciprocated for him with a neck/shoulder massage. We became a very close knit group very early on.

I felt great when we arrived in Cusco. It was sunny and warm and I took off all my layers except one for the first time in Peru. I was actually hot! We had our private driver Gido pick us up and take us to Madre Tierra (mother earth) where we would be for 4 days.

Madre Tierra






Here are some photos inside the place and arriving. The streets in San Blas (the neighborhood in Cusco we are in) are so narrow the cars have to back out. Our luggage was on top of the van - Rocker (Washi's brother - who's real name is Rogerio, but none of us could pronounce it in Spanish so he's Rocker) and Washi brought it all down and took it in for us. The beginning of just how good they took care of us. Washi called us "Pacha Mamas children". Pacha Mama is also mother earth, in Quechua the native tongue.

Michelle and I were roommates again, she went straight to bed sick - while the rest of us had lunch and an hour of free time to get acclimatized. I was feeling great, which made me feel a bit guilty cause she was feeling so awful.

After our rest and freshen-up period, we had our welcome ceremony with Jenni and Diana. We set our intentions for the trip, and wrote down one thing we wanted to release and burned it in a bowl. Then we set what we wanted to embrace and I said my inner goddess, feminine essence and complete open love. We also picked names to see who we would be a secret angel for. It was our job as angel to send little messages or gifts anonymously to them throughout the trip, and to encourage them on achieving their intentions. I had selected Michelle, which she didn't find out until the end of the tour. We certainly did bond and she took care of me and was my angel later when I was sick.

We did a diad (two people) exercise to find out about each other on a deeper level than just "I'm a photographer from Edmonton, blah, blah, blah". It was right up my alley and most of us had cried at least once by the end. We had to tell the other person "tell me who you are" and I remember saying things like:

- I am growing and learning
- I am grateful to be here and at peace
- I seek connections with people
- I am on a physical and spiritual journey (I had NO idea!)
- I am living life fully and loving it
- I am a goddess to Rob's warrior
- I have been a warrior and now is time for the goddess
- I really felt connected to Jenni this day (she is fearless and powerful, but tender and caring also)

We also created an alter and placed our special objects on it. We would use it again often in the trip. I added my string of Chinese coins I hang in my purse to represent prosperity, and a single chocolate to remember Rob's mom who passed away 4 days before I left home.

Afterwards we had about 2 hours to explore or rest. Most people napped but I was itching to get out and start photographing Cusco. It is SO cute and quaint I couldn't sit still and besides I felt great. But I was wary not to overdo it (unlike later in the trip).

I ran into Susan, which was a good thing as she had her map which I had forgotten to bring with me. Here are some of the photos I took that day.













Susan and I found the main square and then started wandering back. We ended up going off the small map Jenni had provided and were not sure which way to go. It was getting dark and we were now late to meet the group back at the Hostal. We stopped under a street lap to try and read the map, turned and looked down the street to our right - couldn't find a labelled street sign that was on the map. Turned to our right and saw the rest of our group walking towards us. Seems we stumbled upon the street the restaurant was on, and Rocker was left to wait for us at the Hostal.

We passed this amazing view of the moon over these cacti and went on to eat the crepes you see below. I had the chicken with mushrooms, peas and artichokes and to drink had fresh squeezed papaya juice that was amazing and tried the Chicha morada that Washi was having (blue corn drink, very sweet). Michelle was feeling better and came with us, then started her mission to have as many desserts as possible. She ordered this one that had fruit and pisco (their liquor) and it was beyond amazing! We all had a taste and wanted more.







Washi gave us all Southern Crosses to wear around our necks. Is the Andean 12 sided cross with great meanings - more on that later. He also gave us each our Quechua names. Mine is Monay Tika which means "beautiful flower".

Got to do email here for free, they have a computer for guests to use. Surprisingly they have internet and email everywhere in Peru. Got to talk to Rob and Mom, they called me. What a great day, what an amazing place. And we were just beginning!