Wow, that was 24 well used hours!
We started at JFK on our LAN flight at 11:45pm to Lima.
Not so bad...right?
The plane was packed, not a seat open. We landed in Lima at 6:30am. (Remember Peru is an hour behind)
Immigration, baggage, checked in for our domestic Cusco flight and sat down to a Starbucks and free wifi by 7:30am.
Get some Soles - the Peruvian $. Look for machines in the airport. (1 Sol = $.30 USD) 
I put a currency app on my phone...because when I travel I lose perspective of cost!! Funny money = over spending... :)
Landed in Cusco by 11:15am, where we were whisked away for our debriefing and first tour...
Not to worse for the wear.... :)
Cusco - former capital of the Inca Empire. It was the richest and most important city in the Americas 500 years ago.
The Spanish arrived around 1533.
Cusco has an Incan foundation, Spanish influence layered on top. The city has a very European feel with its very narrow streets, many places to eat and kind hospitality.
Altitude: 11,150'
Language: Spanish, a little English and Quechua (language of the Inca Empire)
Places to stay: So many to chose from, we liked the San Blas area and our boutique hotel, Casa San Blas also Hotel Marqueses Luxury: Hotel Monasterio or Inkaterra. Boho Trendy: Ninos Hotel
Places to eat: Again so many, if you are feeling adventuresome: the street (tons of vendors selling everything from sticks of beef or cow hearts on a stick with a potato on the end to churos), San Pedro market has a plethora of offerings or try a popular traditional dish: Guinea pig (or Cuy in Spanish)! Thank goodness I am a vegetarian!! If you wanted to stick to more mainstream eating venues: Greenpoint, Pachapapa, Inka Grill, Macando, or Tacomania (don't ask... :)
For fancy: try Senzo or ChiCha
Or just explore and surprise yourself. We walked across the street from our hotel to our local panaderia, ordered up a couple of pollo empanadas and sat outside our hotel to enjoy the sunshine.
Our hotel, Casa San Blas, is right in the heart of the San Blas Artisan district, great walking distance to everything. Clean, very nice and accommodating staff. Even let us store our bags in between our great adventures! Ask for room #315.
We hit the ground running:
Tour 1: the typical "city tour" - Getting a feel for Cusco, the ancient cultural capital of Peru. It is a MUST do.
We visited: Santo Domingo Church built on the famous Inca site of Coricancha, Sacsayhuaman, and Plaza De Armas, and CuscoCathedral.
(Plaza de Armas - The city's beautiful main Plaza lined by Cusco Cathedral, and many local stores.)
(Cusco Cathedral - ornate, conflicted- (Andeans vs. Spanish Catholicism) and so much silver and gold your head will spin.
(Qorukancha - hmmm can't find my pix- The Santo Domingo Church houses one of the most impressive Inca ruins, Temple of the Sun)
(Sacsayhuaman fortress- ancient ruins considered one of the worlds greatest examples of stone masonry located over looking Cusco.
How is it we can't even get our stone pathway to last a season???
Cusco City tour is a MUST, to get a good feel for the Cusco history, but ask your guide to tour you through the Inka Museum.
June is a month of pageantry, parades, dancing in the streets, music, fairs and great parties.
Our first sitings were these frequent irresistible adorable "hustlers" and their ever so cute accomplices!!! Irresistible!
Lessened learned: if you take a picture of or with them...money is owed...and no amount is enough...think Elmo and Naked Cowboy in Time Square...)
Closed out Day 1 with "White Jesus" and Tacomania!
Next up...Sky Lodge
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