Day 10 - The rise and fall of Pisac

The Pisac Citadel
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This morning, I decided to continue my own version of the Inca trail, involving significantly more bus rides though. The next Inca site to see was Pisac, a great Inca citadel on top of a high hill (how high would later become important). So I asked - en Español for favor - at my hotel where I was supposed to get the bus to get there. The lady at the reception nicely pointed it to me on a map.

The bus was a real local bus. It was noce to feel a bit more like an insider rather than an observer on the outside. In these situations however, Spanish becomes essential but fortunately for me, it's improved significantly over the last couple of days... I mean, enough to ask basic questions.

Pisac agricultural terraces
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I arrived in Pisac at around 10:40 am, as the market was taking place. By the way, Pisac is also well known for its excellent handcraft. I browsed the stalls, without being able to buy anything big anyway. I did get a few presents though... small ones :)

Afterwards, I headed to the Citadel using the Peruvian version of a minicab: "S./20, yeah, I drop you to the highest point and I wait for you at the lower point for 2 hours, no problem". What a big mistake, going to the top directly. Indeed, in order to reach the top of the citadel, I would first have to walk a 80cm wide path with a 100 cliff on the side. I did it but then it was even worse to continue up inside the citadel. I tried to advance then froze, panicked and, I know it sounds stupid, almost cried. If you are not suffering from vertigo it is difficult to understand but sometimes it's too much, it's like a very deep, intense feeling of panic that almost makes you freeze on the spot and tense all your muscles, then makes you lose your balance and worse, attracted to the void itself.

Some more terraces
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So that was it.

After this, I went back down to my minicab and returned to Cusco. This was a big disappointment, really the first time it happened to me during this trip. I really have to get rid of my fear of heights.

After such intense emotions, I thought it would be a good idea to celebrate Thursday night, although it's not easy when you're travelling alone :) So I walked, updated my FB status, then walked again and found the right bar. I drank 4 Pisco sours (why doesn't it exist in Europe???) in 2.5 hours and then had the occasion to chat with a group of local students. We ended up on the dancefloor until 1:30, after what I had to return to my hostel.

The road up
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So a good day in the end :)