And behind me… the ‘Sexy Woman’ ruins near Cuzco, Peru

Cuzco – its cobbled streets are lined with children bearing hand-crafted finger puppets for you to buy. Its restaurants are filled with sizzling alpaca steaks and cute but roasted guinea pig fillets. And every building in Cuzco flies a rainbow flag with pride.

But it’s not gay pride, its the pride of the Incas! The Cuzco people have proven to be more open minded than the gay community when it comes to their rainbow flag. Whereas the gay community instantly excluded the offsetting light blue tone, the Cuzco people opened their arms in acceptance of our pale coloured friend and allowed a seventh stripe to deck their flag.*

This also helps the local light blue wool industry and has proven to be a sound business move for Cuzco. So next time you see a parade of rainbows, don’t jump to conclusions… it may be the Incans.

*Colour information confirmed by Newtown retail worker who decorates her shop each year for Mardi Gras… Thanks Bronny!

Travelers Tips:

The CUZCO visitor ticket gets you into a number of the ruins and museums around the area (but not including Machu Pichu!). The discount rates for students are VERY attractive, so either invest in a fake or bring your own from home so that you can still afford to eat on your travels…

Bronny also recommends waiting around at night near the main plaza for lots of free drink coupons at each of the clubs.

You can negotiate the price of your meal. In Gringo alley, hear what the different restaurant operators have to offer and then make them a deal. You can get up to 50% discounts at times or have desserts and entrees thrown in for free!