Cusco

Cusco is rather charming, if you can get the tourists and the business of tourism out of sight.  This isn't easy, but once you apply those filters, it is really lovely -- tiny narrow streets, beautiful churches, interesting people.  A glimpse:

Taxis can't traverse many of these streets.

Big enough for cars.

Not.

 

The main chapel.

Lots of balconies, often enclosed in this cooler climate.

One street here has only blue balconies.   

There's a giant white Jesus overlooking the city, donated by a wealthy family in 1945. The other one is a church steeple below.

Archway into the older part of the city.

And some oddities:

A walking ad (with handler) for eating cuy, guinea pig. 

Typical little, very heavy doorway

Plants growing out of the earthen walls. 

This was super weird -- a motorized horse and carriage.  The "horse's" head actually swayed with motorized movement as the carriage rolled through town.

We happened onto a religious procession, nothing unusual about that in this town of processions.  Here, Mary on her way to church. 

These angelitos led the procession.

Maria, beautifully dressed, out on the town, on her way.

Her honor guard, in cool red hats.

Maria had to duck to get past the gate, but then she went in with no problem.

 

We saw another procession the next day -- even more interesting, in a big-nosed way.  ??  Will post it soon.