Day 2: Puna to Cusco We caught the 6:30 AM bus to Cusco today. Thankfully it was a tour bus, and we had 5 stops on the 10 hour trip! Starting in Puna, it was a very interesting sample of the different climates and cultures of Peru. The areas closer to Puna and Juliaca seemed relatively dry and the buildings consist mostly of rough brick and stone. Pukara was our first stop - a small town just past Juliaca. The church was beautiful and we had the chance to see some Incan relics. (#1) We continued on through the highlands to reach Raya Pass, a beautiful mountain pass at 4300 meters (#2). Definitely no running up there... even less oxygen than Puna! As we came down from the mountains, the vegetation became noticeably more lush. We stopped at Raqchi to see the unearthed ruin of the temple of Wiracocha, the main Incan god. (#3) Closer to Cusco, the smaller crops gave way to huge fields of corn along the Vilcanota river. The houses were more modern, more fine-cut brick, wood, and concrete. Once we reached Cuscos city center, the difference from Puna could not have been more pronounced. Whereas Puna felt like an older city that has slowly adapted to modern stylings (#4), Cusco has embraced them. Cuscos central square is a beautiful example (#5)
Posted on: Mon, 17 Nov 2014 07:51:06 +0000
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