The hotel was an old monastery.

Hotel Belmond Monasterio

The Chapel of the monastery.  It's basically a function room today.

The street outside our hotel. Very narrow.

Larger stones are used to help smooth the ride for cars.

Got a kick out of this street name.  Must be where I live!

This was an old convent that was converted into a museum.  We came to see a display of how the Incas formed the building blocks to withstand  ground movement.

These blocks were all made by hand and laid without any kind of mortar.

These are basically giant Legos that interconnect with one another to inhibit movement.

The Cusco Cathedral

The Cusco Cathedral

On Easter morning we had to walk to the main square to get to our buses.  We saw this procession and thought it was in celebration of Easter. It was not.  Some thought it was in celebration of Corpus Christi but that is normally in June.

The main square in front of Cusco Cathedral

Throughout the country you would fine woman an children  in traditional dress looking to have their picture taken for a donation.

On a hill overlooking Cusco is complex that was a fortress as well as a location  for ceremonial activities.

Saqsaywaman

While quite irregular, these huge stones were all carefully cut to fit together without mortar.

You have to wonder how these rocks were set in place 800 years ago.

Saqsaywaman

Saqsaywaman

Saqsaywaman

Suri Alpaca

On the way back to our hotel we stopped at a Lama and Alpaca exhibit.

Alpaca

Huacaya Alpaca

Lama

Anexhibit showing how all the various dyes are made.

They stressed that natural colors are muted and not bright colors frequently sold to the tourists.  Those are from China.