Our first stop in Cusco was the Hospedaje Ayahuasca, which has been a comfortable hospice home for at least four groups of SSTers. We climbed four flights of steps, pausing to remember along the way that our elevation was now 3,326 meters, or about 10,912 feet. Pouring hot water over dried leaves, we made cups of coca tea, which locals say is the best way to get acclimated to the higher elevation.

In the afternoon, we visited Qorikancha (Quechua for “Golden Courtyard”), once the richest temple in the Incan empire. The stone remains of the temple, having survived several earthquakes, including a monster that leveled buildings across the city in 1650, serve as the foundation for the colonial church of Santo Domingo. We also saw some Incan ruins on the outskirts of Cusco: Puco Pucara, or “Red Rock,” probably a resting point for travelers, and Qenqo, or “Zigzag,” which has a nifty cave.

That night we sat around a long table for pollo a la brasa (picture being served half a roasted chicken and a small mountain of french fries with dipping sauces), celebrating Melanie’s birthday at the end of the meal, when the waiters brought in a surprise chocolate cake.

The next day we went to hilltop ruins of Saqsaywamán, which means “Satisfied Falcon,” and which guides, including ours, Elvis, pronounce with the mnemonic “sexy woman.” Elvis told us that the Spaniards tore down many of the original Incan walls, using the exquisitely carved stone to build their homes down below in Cusco.

Down the road, we watched Pedro, an Andean healer, perform a traditional blessing ceremony. The offering he wrapped up for burning included anis, coca leaves, corn, thread, seashells, rice, and an impressive variety of cookies and other sweets (pachamamma, the mother earth diety in the Incan belief system, clearly has a fondness for sugar).

On the main plaza, we visited the Cathedral, which took almost 100 years to build, beginning in 1559. As with so much else here, the Spaniards used an Incan foundation, in this case a former palace. The cathedral holds a rich repository of colonial art.

From there, we drove down in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, taking advantage of a roadside photo-op. We arrived hungry in the town of Pisac, where most of us had squash soup and spaghetti in chicken sauce for lunch, followed by shopping in the market. We visited the Pisac ruins next, known for agricultural terraces and great walking trails. Our second day ended after dark in Ollantaytambo, population 2,000, elevation 2,800 meters (9,186 feet).

The train left Ollantataytambo at 7 a.m., bound for Machu Picchu – well, actually, for Aguas Calientes, a little town at the foot of the Incan mountaintop citadel. We boarded a bus for the zigzag climb to the top. We arrived just in time for the group to gain entry to the rugged and steep trail that leads up Huayna Picchu (“Young Peak,” in Quechua), a peak that overlooks Machu Picchu (“Old Peak”). This trail is limited to 400 hikers per day, and we contributed 20 of 24 students to the total. At the flat-rock summit, the vantage point for photos is hard to beat.

Later, all gathered on a lawn terrace at Machu Picchu, Elvis shared something of the history of the site. He said a 10-year-old boy, Pablo, led Hiram Bingham to the citadel in 1911. The boy received 1 sol coin; Bingham received the title “discoverer” of Machu Picchu. He also took away hundreds of pieces of pottery, gold, silver, and other remains, much of which ended up at Yale University. Peru is negotiating for their return.

We had time to explore Aguas Calientes as well, since we had a late evening train ride back to Ollantaytambo. Many students tried out the natural hot springs from which the town draws its name. On Friday morning, a bus took us back to Cusco.

Before flying back to Lima, we said goodbye at the airport to five students in the group who are staying on: to Diana, Ellie, and Melanie, who will live in Cusco during the service term; and to Juli and Kathy, who will work about an hour and a half away, in Katiñaray. In about a week, the service visits begin, with photos and news notes to follow.