We were supposed to leave for the airport at 8:30am. I woke up and looked at my watch and it said 8:21am. Why separate knob...why separate knob? I panicked as I rushed to get my stuff together. Then on a hunch I checked my watch again. I'd actually set the time ahead instead of the alarm. I went back to bed and got up for real at 8:10am. Didn't need as much time since I was half-packed already.
Roger and Debbie from Scotland joined us and we left for the airport.
Roof of the bus that took us from the gate to the plane. It's good advice in general.
The flight left at 11:20am and took about an hour. Since we were flying into the Andes, I was rating my fellow passengers on succulence, just in case.
We arrived at the Prisma Hotel and received a welcome drink of coca tea, which is commonly used to ward off altitude sickness (since Cuzco is at 11,000 feet). Now I want to take a drug test when I get home, just so I can fail.
View out my window.
We met our tour leader Dimas, who took us on a walking tour of the town.
Qorikancha (Inca ruins).
View from Qorikancha.
Bahahahahaha!
La Catedral at Plaza de Armas.
Right around here Dimas left us to explore on our own, and also left us all wondering who that American hottie was who joined us for the walking tour and then didn't stay out with us, and who we were afraid to talk to out of confusion. (This was Roxanne, of the Other Nine, but we didn't know that yet.)
Plaza de Armas. We walked around here looking for food. I suggested the Inka Grill, which this girl Drea I met through OkCupid suggested. Couldn't find it though. Sometimes these meetings don't lead to a second date but still provide some benefit, like this restaurant suggestion or filling a spot on The Crispy Comedy Show. (Yes, some guys go into comedy to meet girls. I go on dating sites to find comedians for my show.) Sometimes they do lead to second dates though. :)
Menu from the place where we ate. Woww, they must have been watching Jersey Shore when they made this. I had a filet mignon (a real one, not like the "filets" in Argentina) and a caipirinha.
On the way back from lunch we stopped by Iglesia San Francisco. It's San Francisco de Asís. Oh, THAT San Francisco. I didn't realize that the US city is named after the Asisi guy.
Same church.
Arco de Santa Clara at the corner of Plaza San Francisco.
Back at the hotel we had our first meeting as a full group (all 16). A good-looking group. Many glamazons. And by that I mean just tall and glamorous. Not Beth Phoenix-sized. It's ironic because none of them are going with me to the Amazon.
I tried to get a group together for dinner but there was no interest (or hunger on account of the late lunch). I went into town by myself just to walk around, but that didn't last long. Went back to the hotel for Internet and a shower. Bed 10:45pm.