Day 11 – My Highlight Approacheth

My excitement began to build as we hit the “go” button, bidding adieu to the town of many vowels and meandering a mere 40 miles toward Cusco.  Backing out of the Urubamba River Valley we felt like dwarfs, squirting between its tall cliffs. Our crossing through the village of Pisac signaled that it was time to start climbing back up to the higher elevations.  Our first vantage point showed that which we had left behind.  Later, at our second vantage point we were greeted by Cristo Blanco and all that he protects in the town of Cusco below.

Cusco was the historic capital of the Incan empire and it’s original puma-shaped layout was to serve as a reminder.  Capitalizing on a Incan civil war, the Spaniards conquered it in the early 16th century.  Offering the gift of small pox, they were able to retain it and control the reduced native population.  Its resemblance to Madrid is due largely to the Spanish redecorating efforts, much of which were done by recycling materials originally quarried by the Inca.

Its Plaza de Armas is a jewel at night as the illuminated Cristo Blanco stands his vigil above.  Shops are plentiful in this city of about one-half million.  Restaurants offering llama and cuy (guinea pig) are too easily found but, my highlight, was just around the corner.

For years I’ve read about Norton Rats’ Tavern and how it served as a crossroad for world travelers, many of them bikers.  Its Peruvian address always made it seem so far away.  But today it neared itself to within a few hundred meters of where we lodged.  Yeah buddy, it was just like the various travelers had described it, only much cleaner.  American-style burgers (beef content outweighing llama content), beer and t-shirts and license plates on the wall.  Clearly, the highlight of my trip, had been reached.  During one of the refueling sessions at Norton Rats’, Tim and I noticed an empty spot on the wall that would accommodate one more t-shirt.  He wished out loud that he had brought one from our dual-sport motorcycle club.  The light bulb went off and I retrieved my club shirt from my lightly-used laundry bag.  Bedazzled with the sweat of one-day’s ride, my Orange County Dualies t-shirt is now among the ranks of many others at Norton Rats’ Tavern in Cusco Peru.  Pinnacle reached and job done.