It's my first trip south of the equator, so I check my globe to see exactly where Peru is located, and hop on an overnight flight leaves NYC Sept 5th evening and lands in densely populated Cusco (via Lima) the morning of Sept 6.

At 11,200 feet, this city (once the capital of the mighty Inca Empire), is more than twice as high as Denver. Steep cobblestone streets and narrow sidewalks zigzag through town, and houses climb straight up the hillsides. The best way to adjust to the altitude is to expore on foot.