CUSCO REDUX
In the afternoon we return to Cusco for one last day before heading to Puno. My roommate and I (known as the "Crazy Californians" by the others in the group for our love of hiking up most anything) head up toward a church we hadn't been to yet. From this vantage point I take a few last assorted photos.The next morning we fly to Puno, with an elevation of around 12,500 feet (3800 meters). This is the sort of elevation one can feel and I notice the occasional heart palpitation and shortness of breath as I wander around town. There is not much to Puno itself--it is a port town leading to Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world. It is very utilitarian in design, making one long for the freedom of the sea.
For New Year's Eve we participate in a shamanic ceremony that includes a ritual cleansing, prayer, and blessing. As part of the ritual we're each granted three wishes, though I honestly don't have anything to wish for--I'm quite content where I am and with what I've got. Maybe I can cash them in when I'm not feeling so content.
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