Cuzco - the warmest of welcomes: the wetest of climates

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So i had heard rumour that there might be a requirement for a volounteer with some architectural skills. That sounded like a good use of my time since (if I was honest) the backpacker life was one that lacked any real substance. Alas it would seem that I am getting old and actually require depth. believe me this was more shocking to me than any of you.

So as you can see from my above stats I was in Cuzco for a quite a long time and alas there is much to talk about. I´ve brainstormed a few categories and the experience can be explained by but is not limited to the following.

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The Job

Easy peasy but interesting for a lad who´s done a bit of Nursery design before. it entailed helping out with brief formation and preparing a generic sketch scheme for a future site. As always at this stage its all about money and really its a diagram to get the bankers excited. Still better than making rich balding men in the UK richer with my efforts thats for sure.

The Spanish

Yup thats right. Everyone speaks it and I didn´t have any. Well not unless you count an abortive attempt at school that had more to do with allowing me to hang out with girls than actually learning anything. Regret my previous lack of effort? You bet I did. Still its amazing how fast it came along and while its certainly muy feo its enough to have a conversation on religion or knowing the Peruvians the inner workings of my personal life or lack thereoff.

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Dogs in heat

No this has nothing to do with me. Its the reason that I haven´t been able to sleep at nite. Bloody barking outside my window all month. We have a bitch in th house (of the furry variety) and she´s in season so all the mangey hopefuls come a knocking...or should I say howling. She´s a bit of a tart though and is hardly difficult to get. I hate to count the number of times I´ve looked out and witnessed orgiastic canine expoloits. poor Shaddy / poor Randu!

Street dogs

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Yup there´s a lot of them and they´re not to be trusted. Between chasing cars their fond of chasing joggers (ie me!) . A rock thrown at their heads does little to disuade them.

Taxi negotiation

Every bloody time. No mate I said three soles max okay? What do you think I am? Some sort of tourist?

Single mothers

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So the organisation I was working for has a sister arm teaching English. In a rather right on kind of a way they emply only single mothers. This is completely laudable to give people a break where otherwise a lack of welfare support in combination with the shitest men I´ve ever heard of leaves the poor chicas in dire straits. Socially it does make for quite a volatile mix when I´m not only the only gringo but most likely the only bloke on the dance floor. Truly terrifying let me tell you!

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the house

Despite the fact that the inroverted nature of my living accom made it feel a bit like the BB social experiment I really couldn´t have hoped to have met a lovelier bunch. the students they right on school attitude attracts are truly lovely and I felt comfortable socially for the first time in south america.

As  for my peruvian familly. My god they are awesome. How ever do they put up with us gringos. Lovely lovel lovely (even if Manchi´s cooking isn´t my fave.)

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The food

Lets not even get into house politics but lets just say I eat Japanese quite often for a boy in Peru

Tourist oriented Peru

Yup, Cuzco is a tourist mecca but step outside of the Plaza de Armas bubble and you hit San Pedro with enough authenticity to allow you to be hospitalised with the food or buy any vid you might want. (so long as you don't mind seeing the sight of shadowy figures returning to their seat or indeed any sort of guarantee.)

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Mountains

Yup there are lots of them and the Inka Trail is only a woosey 4300m max. Twas fun and having said that coming in from sea level to do it wasn´t the best of plans.

Still Cuzco is surrounded by these high buggers and in some sort of Freadian frenzy i´ve been climbing a few of them. light headed??? Stop being a woose!