Bienvenidos a Peru!

11 hours and 60 degrees later I’m flying over the peaks of the Andes from Lima to Cusco. I arrived safe and sound in a slightly overcast and rather humid Lima this morning, dusted off my Spanish and negotiated my way through customs and another security check to my boarding gate for the quick flight to Cusco.

As I’m way too exhausted to read I decided to make a play list entitled Cusquena (T/V – you’ll get a copy when I get home), a Peruvian beer, to inaugurate my Peruvian adventure. There’s no theme to the selections – just a few recent favorites. As I listen to my new mix I’m snapping shots of the blankets of clouds outside of my window intermittently interrupted by still snow-covered peaks of the Andes Mountains and glimpses of rivers and valleys below. I’m reminded of the harrowing story of Argentine Futbol team that was memorialized in the movie, “Alive”. Witnessing the expanse of this mountain range commands respect for Mother Nature and the duality of her magnificence and peril.

Once I arrive in Cusco, I’ll be heading to the Hotel Monasterio, showering and meeting my parents and pseudo-aunt for lunch and a tour of the city. Ambitious as I am, I brought shorts to wear this week – apparently it is 47 degrees currently in Cusco. Oops. Oh well, beats the 17 degrees it was when I left New York last night.

A brilliant surprise on the plane – they served snack boxes, which included Alfajores! For anyone who has never tasted this Argentine delight, it’s a must. In a past life I attempted to make them and it’s truly a process…and they certainly didn’t taste as good as this one!

Cusquena playlist:

Name - Artist

Young Blood - Single The Naked and Famous

Shake Me - Single Taddy Porter

Modern Lover - Black Cherry

Rich Girl - The Bird and the Bee

F**k You - Cee Lo Green

Get Some - Lykke Li

All My Days - Alexi Murdoch

I Hate Camera - The Bird and the Bee

Reasons to Sing - The Crash

Lights Out -  Santigold

Crazy - Jem

Little Lion Man - Mumford & Sons

Raise Your Glass - P!nk

Ambling Alp -  Yeasayer

Ghosts - Swim Laura Marling

Ooh - Scissor Sisters

Happy -  Brandi Carlile

Honky Tonk Badonkadonk - Trace Adkins

New In Town - EP Little Boots