Cusco – New Years Eve

The few days between Christmas and New Year you could see the city starting to get busier with more 'Western' faces….most of them wearing board shorts, flip flops and looking like they'd just left the set of Home And Away!! The main celebration all centers around the Plaza de Armas and by the sounds of things its meant to be quite a spectacle.

We went about starting our celebrations in the only way any self respecting Englishman would when abroad and headed straight for the nearest pub for a couple of pints. Having spoken to some people on the phone back home who had already welcomed in the new year, we headed off to find a restaurant for dinner, somehow we managed to blag our way into one slap bang on the main plaza and even had front row balcony seats overlooking the plaza… kept our fingers crossed they didn't realise that the couple who had reserved it wasn't us! Had a lovely dinner with entertainment from a live traditional band and a few more drinks all whilst watching the crowds merge below us.

Just before midnight we joined the 1000's in the growing crowd on the plaza with fireworks flying all over the square and an increasing air of anticipation. Everyone was waiting for the main clock on the cathedral to chime at midnight and the main event to start – it is customary in Cusco to welcome in the new year by running around the plaza 3 times for luck….but as we soon realised, the main bit of luck you need is to get round the plaza without being hit by one of many fireworks being randomly thrown in any direction by the crowd. All of a sudden the clock chimed, the crowd surged forward and we found ourselves slowly running (it is 3300 m above sea level, so you run slowly!) round the plaza. We'd taken up the sensible position of being in the middle of the crowd as those on the edge looked most vunerable to a direct firework hit. We managed to get round the plaza 3 times with only a couple of near misses from rockets and hurdling the packs of fire crackers going off on the floor. It was all very entertaining but also complete chaos! Once we'd finished we stood back and watched the rest of the mayhem from the main steps by the cathedral. It was one very good evening!