Cusco, Peru is one of the more cultural cities we've encountered on our trip so far.  Cusco was the capital and center of the Incan Empire.  Now Cusco has an interesting mix of the original Inca culture and  Catholicism with an artistic and new age vibe mixed in to make a very vibrant city.  Like Quito, the city climbs up the steep valley walls making a sea of burnt orange rooftops.  The high altitude would make this a crisp and clean back drop, unfortunately the city is plagued with traffic making exhaust fumes the most common scent in the air.  This is a great city to walk around, or like most Latin American towns, it has a great central area, Plaza de Armas.  The plaza is a good place to sit in a park bench and watch the people go by.

This is the second Monday we've lucked out and stumbled upon a big event.  As the start of holy week, there was the Fiesta del Senor de los Temblores,  Which is translated into "The Black Lord of the Earthquakes Festival."  A black crucifix is paraded around the city from church to church while the people shower it in red orange flower petals to protect the city from any more devastating earthquakes.  That night we had dinner over looking the Plaza de Armas where the procession ended.  I have never seen so many people packed into an area so densely.  The people spilled into the streets leading to the centro for blocks.  I would guess that tens of thousands of people came to Cusco for the ceremony.  It was an amazing sight.