PERU 2025

Cusco to Puno

Day 7

Another long day was in store for us, a bus picks us up in front of the hotel at 6:30am for our 11 hour trip to Puno.

Our guide Edder, has the bus pull over and he comes back with a giant loaf of Chuta bread (translates to pull it). We start with sanitizer, then everyone gets to pull off a piece of this delicious bread, it's warm, fresh, and has chocolatey goodness inside. All along this stretch woman have little shacks selling bread and fruits.

Our first real stop is at the Templo San Pedro Apóstol de Andahuaylillas 1 of 3 special churches, there is also one in Italy and 1 in Mexico. I know, I know, don't pet the animals, but he climbed right up onto my leg and into my arms.

The Church of Saint Peter the Apostle in Andahuaylillas has been called "the Sistine Chapel of the Americas", it must have been built at the end of the 16th century, as one of its murals, signed by Luis de Riaño, is dated 1626. The simple exterior is in the popular Renaissance style, but the interior is an overwhelming example of the Baroque.

One of the interesting features of this temple is found in an archway that has the inscription "I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen" in Latin, Spanish, Quechua, Aymara, and Puquina, a testament to the fact that this temple was one of the two centers for the translation of indigenous languages in the Archdiocese of Cusco. Extra Cathedral pics were acquired via a link the church provided, as they also prefer you don't take pictures.

Our second stop was the archaeological site of Raqchi, it is famous for its temple dedicated to the god Wiracocha. Built on volcanic lava, this imposing site also includes colcas or royal storehouses. It is situated in an area of hills formed by an ancient eruption of the Quinsachata volcano, considered a principal huaca (sacred site).

It must be a sacred area, as burrowing owls watch over it, all around the site.

Edder is a wonderful guide, he explains enough to make it interesting, has a good sense of humour, and with the group split today between Spanish and English speakers, he let's each group explore while he explains to the other group significant information. Such a nice change after the previous days experience.

We didn't explore the entire town-site of Raqchi, but we saw enough to really understand what it was, and then moved on to our next stop... Lunch. A nice restaurant with a Peruvian buffet and some locals playing music while we ate.

After eating and checking out the area, we got back on our bus and continued climbing.

Not sure what is going on here, it looks like it was important once

Our next stop was supposed to be significant in that La Raya is the highest point of the Cusco to Puno route (4338 meters), this place is the summit between the regions of Cusco and Puno, from this point it is normally possible to see Chimboya's snowy peaks that are part of the Andes mountain range. We timed it perfectly so that the rain and fog covered it up.

OK, Our last stop was Pucara, so it's finally time to tell you about these clay cows that adorn the tops of so many houses.

Pucara is the home to a local history museum and while not particularly well maintained the exhibits are interesting and, it turns out, Pucara is the centre of production of the ceramic cow roof decorations. Known as Torito de Pucara, they are placed on the roof for good luck, fertility (of crops and livestock) and to bring prosperity. They are typically given as presents for extra luck and pretty much every building you see in southern Peru has one of the decorations on its roof.

Pucara had both a museum and a large shop with all kinds of interesting souvenirs and locally made coffee. A rare and expensive type of coffee made from beans that have been partially digested and excreted by coatis, a small, raccoon-like mammal. Known regionally as Uchuñari or Misha coffee, this process is similar to the well-known Kopi Luwak coffee of the Civet cats in Indonesia. The digestive process is believed to create a smoother, naturally sweeter, and less bitter flavour. We definitely brought some back.

Quinoa and statues seem to be the main industries of this region because of the altitude.

Those are real mummies, the Incas believed in rebirth after death, so prepared the remains in a fetal position. We are given lots of information about the offerings and gifts that were given, and none was more important than Coca leaves, yep those coca leaves.

They also provided bathrooms for us weary travellers, and Norine decides to make one last stop before we board the bus. As she is in the stall she hears a clunk. When she tries to leave, the lock on the outside has somehow come down. She is yanking on the door, kicking it, putting some good shoulder into it, and it won't open. Luckily, Raph from Ontario is nearby and can hear her calling out for help, and rescues her from forever being trapped in a bathroom in the middle of nowhere, Peru.

The large capital city we pass through on the way to Puno is Juliaca, it is really an ugly city, and also happens to be where the airport is.Everyone on the bus is very happy that we aren't making a stop here. We learn a lot about how unfinished construction of homes allows the people to avoid being taxed, we learn about the illegal/counterfeit goods trade that is a big industry here, and we learn about the illegal mining operations nearby that all add up to a very tough life in Juliaca.

Puno

11 hours after leaving Cusco we arrive in Puno.

Our first view of Lake Titicaca, said to be the birthplace of the Incas. Straddling the border between Peru and Bolivia in the Andes Mountains, it is one of South America's largest lakes and the world’s highest navigable body of water.

Puno is not a small city, but it has a lot of small and narrow streets. so we are dropped at a parking area and split up into smaller vans. Our new driver doesn't speak English, and there is a hilarious debate about where we are going. We are staying at the Casona Hotel Centro... He says Centro, the other driver says Casona Hotel, he says Centro, someone else says Casona Central. It took a few minutes but it all got sorted out, and we were dropped just around the corner from our hotel, as it's on a pedestrian street.

The hotel is actually quite nice, and very convenient to the shopping street and main square.

A group of us wandered down to check out the Mojsa restaurant which was recommended by Edder. Tonight I felt brave, and decided to try the Peruvian dish of Cuy Mojsa. First I felt I had to try it, and second, they didn't serve it in it's recognizable shape. It tasted ok, much like a Chinese restaurant's crispy duck, and since I have had it, I didn't need to eat it ever again.