Charged by Alpacas

I’ve been in Cuzco for a full day. My plane was delayed and I arrived at at my hotel dizzy and breathless because of the altitude shift. I spent the evening sipping coca leaf tea by a crackling fire in the hotel and reading.

This morning I woke up refreshed and ventured out to the Plaza de Armas in Cuzco. There I found an incredible parade featuring little girls dressed as fairies, men in suits, and far too much gunfire for my comfort. I took a few pictures of the hustle and bustle and made my way over to the museum sector. I came across this Andean woman in traditional dress along the way and asked to take her picture. Of  course, it was for a price, but I gladly paid the 4 soles ($1.50) for a few snapshots.

After leaving the woman I climbed the stars to San Blas, a district of Cuzco and a place where tourists can find good, cheap food that is safe for our stomachs. As I was walking down the street and about to turn a corner, a small boy came rushing at me with two alpacas. While I’ve come to expect many surprises in the streets of South America, I have never been charged by alpacas.