In the San Blas district of Peru, was the restaurant Pachapapa. This was by far the best meal we had in Peru. It was nestled in a courtyard and all the dishes were prepared in an oven next to us. Quite spectacular. DELICIOUS!

The steep streets of the San Blas district in Cusco, Peru. Almost like a maze, you could spend hours wandering, and always run into something interesting. Are we there yet?

The route to Machu Picchu has gotten smoother, thanks to two hotels outside Cuzco. Aranwa Sacred Valley Hotel and Wellness resort is built on a 17th century hacienda and has one of Peru’s largest spas. Treatments feature coca leaves and camu camu, a fruit from the Amazon. To prepare for a trek, check into the Hotel Rio Sagrado and book an altitude acclimatizer massage at Spa Mayu Wilka. Photo courtesy of Aranwa Hotels. This appeared in the June/July 2013 issue.

Cancha is the toasted corn that is often served at Peruvian restaurants, as something to nibble on prior, and during, your meal. It's roasted un-popped corn and is normally prepared in a clay pot, on a low heat, with a bit of lard and ground salt.

The view from our hotel room in the San Blas district of Cusco. This area of town overlooked the rest of the city and gave us a breathtaking view as the sun & rain mixed one evening.

STAY During our stay in Cusco, Peru, we picked our hotel in the San Blas district of the city. I had read that this is where you could find great galleries, restaurants, and historical sites. They all proved to be true. Our hotel was the Casa Andina San Blas which was at the end of this street. San Blas is a beautiful part of town that features the very finest of both Inca & Colonial architecture. It is also a very steep part of town, so there are a lot of stairs that act as streets. Because of this, there is very little car activity in the heart of the area. One of the most popular restaurants in the city is Pachapapa, which is on the San Blas square. It features a courtyard with a huge oven where most of the meals are prepared. On the weekends, there is a beautiful artists market that features jewelry, painting, and textiles. At night, I'd highly recommend just wandering the streets in this part of town. Pop your head into a cafe and have a Coca Tea, or sit on the square. San Blas is quintessential Peruvian culture and a must see for anyone visiting Cusco.

Staying in a hotel in Cuzco, my wife and I got to examine the famed Inca stonework up close; one of the walls in our room was composed of the original Inca foundation--interlocking stones fit so precisely, without mortar, built with no metal tools... Andean history makes up the literal foundations of this Peruvian city: the colonial Spanish architecture sits atop the Inca foundations that line the streets. The pre-columbian architects knew how to build. In the numerous earthquakes that have shaken Cuzco over the centuries since the Spanish conquest, the European architecture topples every time; the Inca walls have never fallen. (Above: on the left--the famous 12-angled stone on a side street in Cuzco; center--the 'jaguar's paw' in Sacsayhuaman fortress in the hills above the city; right--a typical Inca-stone-lined street in the historic center.)

Um...not so much. When in Peru, try one of the local delicacies: cuy. If it looks like guinea pig, that would be because it is. The skin is thick and rubbery; the meat is dark and gamey. You may want to chase it down with another local favorite, chicha (a foamy alcoholic beverage made from fermented corn). Just make sure you have a pisco sour handy as a back-up. Actually, if you really want something delicious: order soup. The soup in Peru is amazing.

Climbing stairs at 12,000 feet in the Andes--breathtaking. What could be more timeless than a view over Cuzco from the surrounding hills, Quechua-speakers knitting on the cobblestones? "Internet." One can never rise above it, it seems. Inescapable.

There are many markets in the city of Cusco, but none with a more magnificent backdrop than the open air market at Plaza San Blas. Here you will find both contemporary & traditional art, jewelry, wool, and other small gifts. With the mountains and city in full view beyond, this market occurs every Saturday, and there will be a band or group of performers to entertain you as you shop.

This photo was taken in Cuzco's Main Square at the end of a popular protest. These girls were playing around the square after school. The Main Square has a daily life very intense with locals and foreigners enjoying the beautiful Cuzco.

This store is just a little ways off the main street of the San Blas arts district in Cusco, but definitely worth the diversion. Inside, funky, modern jewelry and handbags are mixed with neatly hung vintage dresses, shirts, and jackets. The walls are covered with artistically placed magazine pages that reflect the style of the wares for sale. It's one of those stores where you go in thinking "oh I could get a souvenir here" and end up buying one or more of the beautiful bobbles for yourself.

With only 11 HUGE suites, La Casona is one of my favorite hotels I've ever stayed in. Heated floors and delicious food in their restaurant make any stay here superb. I especially loved my Plaza Nazarenas view.

Anyone heading to Cusco, Peru will discover that there are tons of hostels to choose from. A lot of them tout the fact that they are 'steps from city center,' or 'right downtown where the excitement is.' But there is only ONE that is literally above all the rest, and that's the Loki Backpackers Hostel. Now to be honest, it's a bit of a party scene and the crowd that stays here is definitely on the younger side, students enjoying their gap year and things like that. However, while the clientele likes to carouse, this hostel does boast the premier view of Cusco. The photo above is from my seat at the bar in this hostel. Cusco was glowing in the distance, and a huge fireworks display went off a few moments after I snapped this. Even if you don't necessarily stay at this place, I'd suggest you make the trek up the hill just to take in a brew and the view.

It seems like a small town but when you walk throughout this small city from end to end you find yourself taking in so much more than you imagined. The locals, tourists, markets, commerce, daily life... we found ourselves at the top of a neighborhood (near San Cristobal Church) which gave us a view of the entire town.

Cusco is much more than a jumping off point for Machu Picchu. The cities cobbled streets and sidewalks wind through architecturally impressive cityscapes complete with colorful inhabitants. The cities many plazas, often punctuated by impressive fountains give Cusco a community feel even though the city is most often overrun by tourists. Even in the rain Cusco is special and romantic and is best enjoyed with a glass of vino caliente!