March 4, 2020: Day 5

Today, we flew from Lima to Cusco. We arrived to Cusco in the morning and then we went straight to the hotel in the heart of the city. Cusco is a province of Peru that is 11,000 feet above sea level with a population of 500,000 people. The change in altitude from Lima to Cusco is definitely the biggest challenge for us to overcome. The city is located in a valley of the Andes Mountains where the Ancient Incas flourished.

To begin our journey in Cusco, we went to lunch at a Peruvian buffet. The buffet had many Peruvian foods such as seviche, alpaca, and arroz con leche (rice with milk and cinnamon on top). Throughout the day, we went on tours of Incan archeological sites. We were able to see extraordinary views of Cusco on top of mountains that surround the city. It opened my eyes to the beauty of Peru and the unique layouts of the cities in what the Peruvians call "The Highlands." To add to the excitement, we were able to pet some wild alpacas that surprisingly were quite open to humans. After the tours and views, we went to dinner at a place called Moreno in Cusco. Here, the guys enjoyed Peruvian foods that included pork belly, roasted chicken, and meat skewers with corn and chicken. After dinner, we had some free time to explore some of the city and get some rest for another exciting day tomorrow.

- Evan