De Lima a Cusco

Arriving at Lima after quite the flight we got our first sight of Peru. The city is very impressive in that it encompasses many attributes of the Castillian culture and at the same time it felt as if we had arrived in a new world. We visited a museum where we learned a basis of the different cultures that have lived in Pery throughout the centuries. Pottery and jewlery differed depending on the culture, where some used color, and other stuck to creating different shapes. It was really interesting to learn that arivalos were used in the Inca society to store beer made out of maiz. This product was very symbolic because it was used as a means to allow reciprosity to function within the society as a payment for labor and energy. Also, we learned the importance of gold, as a representation of men and the sun, as opposed to silver, as a representation of women and the moon. As different cultures besides the Inca worshiped many dieties, some were more inclined towards the sun God, where others were moved the the moon God, but tipically it was a difference of sex. Consequently, duality was very important in these cultures as well. As we left the museum we had the opportunity to experience true peruvian cuisine in El Bolivariano, where we enjoyed a great assortment of foods from aji de gallina to guinea pig. The next morning we flew to Cusco.
Cusco is a small city in which one can find a wide variety of remnants from the ancient Inca empire. The high altitude greatly affects the human body, and as soon as we arrived we saw a part of the culture that is very significant. The coca leaf is used as a natural medicine that helps with the symptoms that the altitude might bring. The coca leaf has been used in the inca culture as well as cultures in Peru to this day and it was very important in agriculture and trade as well.
Cusco is surrounded by mountains and it is a part of the variety of enviroments that one can find in Peru. This enviromental difference is very important when understanding the Inca society and how they endured, survived, and prospored through such tough conditions. Not only is the enviroment completely different when moving locations, but it also varies within a location. This variety allowed the Inca to take advantage of a vast array of goods such as marine life, where they extracted their source of protein. In the highlands, maiz was vastly cultivated as well. We also got to enjoy great cuicine here as well. La Cicciolina was a very classy restaurant with great food that was caracterized by many different tastes and combinations. The architecture and art was also very impressive. On our way out we experience what some would call a culture shock.It is very evident that there is great inequality in Peru, just as there is in many Latin American countries. Actually, Latin America has the greastest inequality and uneven distribution of income in the whole world. Things are much different here, but it only helps to not take ones life for granted so often.