Cusco!

So, after our overnight bus ride back to Lima, we got a taxi (which I have zero recollection of whatsoever, but Brett says it was a pretty easy one because it had a thing on the roof to put all our luggage up in, and then we could fit relatively easily inside) so then we had basically all day to wait at the airport (well, until 2:00 I think). So, after getting through the security and everything, we just waited at the food court, and did homework, read, explored a tiny bit of the airport. There was a store that would give samples of chocolate if you went and asked about it, except they didn't give one to each child that went and tried. Ha.

Here's Navy doing coding, the bane of her (and my) existence.

For breakfast and dinner we got pizza from Papa Johns (and it was actually good, like American pizza) because we decided it was probably the best value for the money. Man, we can polish off a few pizzas fast.

First sight of Cusco.

The Cusco airport is great (super small) and I was still so grateful that our guide, Javier, was there with a sign to greet us and take us in a nice big van/bus to our airbnb. We met up with Leo, the owner of the airbnb, and he let us in and showed us around and how to turn on the hot water for the shower, etc.

Our first homemade dinner was noodles with cream cheese sauce and onions (usually we have mushrooms too).

This was our great kitchen. Very tiny. Four cupboards, a sink that we never did find a plug for, a stove and oven, and a teeny fridge. Oh, and it did have a microwave.

It was very good that there was that drain in the floor because we would fill up our water bottles from our water filterer/purifier but we would always forget and it would overflow. It happened SOOOOO much. Even after we got a much much bigger container it still happened a lot. ha

Some other things Leo told us was you don't throw toilet paper in the toilet, but into the trash (we already knew this by now, of course), and when your trash bags were full you just take them down to the street in the evening and leave them there, and they come pick them up.

Some more schoolwork and reading, etc.

I think Jethro and maybe some other kids had already found the San Pedro Market when I went with them. But we went and explored, and had lunch there because I had read that you can get the cheapest food there of anywhere and it was good--usually it had a soup plus the main dish, for around 2 dollars. Which is true, but it wasn't always the best food... we ended up liking going to eat at the San Blas Market more.  But anyway, there we were, eating our dinner with the locals and the dogs. :)

Then we went around checking out the goods.

Including the voodoo stalls that sold frog legs and dried out dead baby alpaca bodies.

There were all the different areas-- the place where you could order food- and even that was divided into breakfasts, sandwiches, drinks, etc.- the butcher/meat place, the dry goods like rice and grains and stuff, the flowers, the cheeses, the bread, the chocolate, the touristy stuff (which was a big portion).

Hazel painted this from a picture I took back in Huaraz. I love it so much.

I divided kids up and had them pick a dinner to make and then they were in charge of preparing it.

I should have made the kids journal more, but sometimes just getting Wyatt to do math was plenty hard enough. Here is one time he did journal though:

Playing

Jethro looked up a park and we grabbed our soccer ball and went to the park.  Our airbnb ended up being a PERFECT location. It was so close to grocery stores (one of which was literally about 20 steps from our door onto the street), the church was pretty close to walk to, the main touristy plaza was close as well, and this park was close which was a great boon to everyone's sanity and happiness. It cost about a sol to get in, or half a sol for the younger kids (I was never sure exactly what it cost, I just gave the guy whatever he asked for), so it was basically like 25 cents to get in for adults, or 10 cents for kids.

It didn't take long for Jethro to find some kids who, when asked if they wanted to play soccer, said yes and went and got a few more kids. They had a pretty good game going because most little boys there play soccer pretty well. It's just the way it is. :)

One of the nicest, cleanest spaces in all of Cusco! haha. The field itself, not so much the playground area of the park--that was littered and a bit shabby like normal.

All my people. So close.  So good, but also not ALWAYS so good. hahha

We went to church but I don't have any pictures from that first time. Then we walked around the Plaza del Armas and the touristy places of the city.

Had to pay to take some touristy pictures with the llama/alpaca/baby sheep ladies. In fact, I ALWAYS wanted to pay to take pictures with them, every time I passed them. haha

And yet, they're just earning money for their families, taking their little kids here and there, 

grabbing a snack, etc.

Some of the beautiful white alleys.

And down the streets where the Incas built their incredible walls that without mortar are so well-fit together that you can't slide in a piece of paper. Here we are by the 12-sided-stone.  Those Incans, they were good at puzzle-fitting. Well done, guys!

And Siete Borreguitos, the insta-famous street that is very lovely, and where we went several more times. It is very beautiful with all the flowers. (And again, does not look at all like most of Cusco.) 

Haha, I love Hazel.

I also love exploring.

Another journal entry from Wyatt. I wonder how the trip was from their eyes.

Ocho!

Looks like Ethne and Wyatt were partners for meal prep. I ended up gathering more kitchen tools for us, like a small grater, a paring knife, a cutting board, a big bowl, and a casserole dish to use in the oven. That first little while, it was pretty slim pickings for cooking equipment. But we still made some great stuff actually! Necessity is the mother of invention, and also it brings to mind one of the cartoons my mom has had inside her cupboard forever- which I wish I could post, but have no way of getting it. Anyway, it is basically about how back in the old days people had about 5 kitchen utensils, no big stove or fridge or freezer or appliances, etc etc, but then it shows Sunday dinner today - a frozen pizza - versus in the old days - a roast and potatoes and gravy and side vegetables etc.

See- Ethne's dinner of chicken noodle soup with dumplings was fantastic. Everyone raved.

Back to the San Pedro market again. This time some of the kids were intent on getting some souvenirs and ponchos to take on our trek.

Navy and I had a hard time finding a hat like this that wasn't either adult sized or for a baby, but we finally succeeded!

Ethne took a lot longer to decide on her poncho than the other older kids. But I was sympathetic. There are a lot of ponchos--it takes a lot of thought (near the end of our stay I was trying to just get a hat band for my dad and father-in-law and I almost couldn't handle the pressure. The pressure of MYSELF, I realize, because there were so many different colors and which was the best?!)

She also bought this purse which I loved.

I think Talmage's was my favorite out of all.