Peru- Day 4- Cuzco is cool

This was the first morning of the trip we got to sleep in. We all needed it!! Our awesome tour guide Betho was back to pick us up at 9:30. Our first stop were the Quechua (Incan) ruins of Sasxywaman (it is nicknamed Sexy Woman- but there is nothing sexy about it).  This was a former temple on the top of a mountain in Cuzco which the Spaniards  destroyed. The site was immense and the stone work amazing- a common theme with the Incans. Mind boggling to imagine how they got the stones to the site from the quarry 21 kilometers away.  

We next went to a view point above the city and took in all the brown colors of Cuzco in the valley below. After we visited another Incan site Q'opoa. This was a site dedicated to fertility and health. Betho told us lots of stories about how the site was used, including how couples were matched and lived together for 3 months but were told "no sexo". After living together for 3 months they could then decide if they wanted to be married. Our final stop was a former inca temple which the Spanish tore down and built on top of their walls. Today it is a working cathedral with monks and a museums with the original inca walls and rooms for temples. It is a big messed up religious hoe down. 

Betho then dropped us of for lunch and to explore the city on our own. We ate at a basic lunch counter with tables that was in a market. Was convenient to do some souvenir shopping after- so we did. Walking back through the streets of Cuzco made me wish we had more time in this town. 

Betho picked us up in the evening to take us to his ward's talent show. It was so cool to see his church and meet some members and missionaries. I don't think any of us will forget the talent show, especially Brent who was pulled up on stage by a little girl to dance with her. We left the talent show early because Betho had invited us to his home for dinner. Was very humbling to be in his home and meet his awesome family. His daughter played the guitar for us, and his son Alvaro played "More Than Words" for us while we sang along. It was a very unforgettable evening.