Getting to Know Cusco a Bit Better

Talking a Walking Tour of Cusco

Bienvenidos todos! Welcome, everyone! I am the Latin American Vegan and welcome to my blog. For those of you that are new, thank you for visiting. Those of you that are returning, I truly appreciate your loyalty and support. When I last left you, I left you with a good idea of some of the fantastic food, vegan options, Cusco had to offer. Today, I am going to bring you along with me through the marvelous city of Cusco. Let us begin our journey. As I walk through the city of Cusco, I quickly realize that the people of this region are incredibly talented. They have beautiful murals all over the city. Much of these paintings depict the ancient, yet charming, culture of the Incas. Additionally, they have erected many statues through the town in honor of many historical people. Just take a look below.

One of the many marvelous murals throughout the town of Cusco

We found Chocolate Heaven

As we continue to do some sightseeing in the city of Cusco, we find one of the best shops, ever, here in town. We unintentionally bumped into a chocolate store selling a large variety of chocolates. They have plenty of chocolate bars, which are accidentally vegan, made with chili peppers, coca leaf, pink salt, Inca berries, maca or Peruvian ginseng, quinoa, and kiwicha, just to name of few. For those of you who may not know, and I was one of these people who did not know before visiting Peru, kiwicha is an ancient Peruvian superfood seed that has been eaten for centuries. Moving right along, I fell in love with this shop. The taste of their chocolates was just right. They weren't too sweet or bitter, which is always a win in my book. The name of the shop is Adriana's Chocolate Artesanales, which is Spanish for Adriana’s handmade chocolates.

Chocolate, Yummy!

Coca Leaf

While the word coca itself may be taboo, it really isn’t all that bad. In this part of the world, people have been using the coca left to treat altitude sickness for centuries. Some people, in this area, use the coca leaf to relieve hunger, fatigue, asthma, and colds. Others use the coca leaf to boost physical functioning while decreasing the symptoms of headache, fatigue, nausea, dizziness, and insomnia, which are all symptoms of altitude sickness. Now, I must be candid with you. From the minute I arrive in Cusco until the minute I left, I was drinking at least two cups a day of tea made with coca leaf. I would place anywhere from 3-5 leaves in a nice cup of tea daily. I can tell you first hand that I did not feel any euphoric effects, at all. All I did feel was a bit emergency, considering the high altitude tired me pretty fast and often.

Cinnamon and Clove Tea with several Coca Leaves

Now, It’s Time to Eat!

After heading back home for a quick rest and an enjoyable cup of tea, we headed out to find some food for dinner. We ran into a lovely quaint little restaurant called Naturale Pizzas & Food. This was not a 100% plant-based eatery, but they did cater to vegan diets. So, we decided to give it a shot. Since it was a pizza shop, I ordered the Super Veggie pizza, along with the Vegan Lasagna. The vegan cheese for both items was made from cashews. While I did stop in this place for the pizza, I must say that the lasagna was far better tasting than the pizza. It was quite disappointing not to have a great tasting pizza. Then again, it could just be me since I am for all intents and purposes, a New Yorker at heart.  As a New Yorker, I always feel like New York pizza is simply the best in the world. Sorry, that's just my opinion, it doesn't make it a fact.

Local Pizza

For Further Information

For further details of my walking tour of Cusco, click on the video below. It is a short video linking all of the above into one brief segment. I hope you enjoyed the experiences I’ve shared with you. Please don't forget to subscribe to my website and leave a comment. Additionally, feel free to view my other social media outlets, which include Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Always remember, eat to live a stronger and healthier life, and never live just to eat. Adiós, Cuídate!