Peru #6: It´s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

My home-stay in Cusco is located in a part of town known as Wanchaq, and in is in the Villa Periodista neighborhood.  We live on the third floor of a five-floor building.  I have called the home an apartment in a previous post, but I guess condominium would be more appropriate since the unit is owned not rented.  The building is located at the end of a small dead end street.  (Dead end streets seem to be pretty common here.)

At the beginning of our street. 

Our building. 

A view from the balcony outside the condo.

There are lots of windows in the house.  Some have great views.  Some have views of other rooms of the house.  Some of views of walls.

One of the views from the dining room. 

One of the views from my bedroom.

Our neighborhood has a school, at least one day care center, and lots of residential buildings.  There is also a small park in the center.  There are almost always people spending time at the park.  I haven't felt unsafe at all walking around, in daylight or in the evening.

I'll have to try out the playground equipment before I leave! 

This pretty fountain is only on for a few hours each evening. 

Fútbol (soccer) court at the beginning of our street.  I believe it is part of the school.

Cusco has tons of stray dogs, so it is common to see several walking around.  They come in all shapes and sizes, and generally keep to them self.

Paw prints in the sidewalk.

Most of the buildings in the neighborhood are nice for Cusco standards.  Looks can be deceiving though.  Buildings can somehow simultaneously look nice and crappy.  Here are some examples below.

This building is next to ours.  At first glance it looks nice.  But upon closer inspection, the brick work seems kind of shoddy...and the third floor isn't even completed! 

The front of the building looks like a trendy new condo complex in the US.  The side wall tells a different story though.

The area surrounding our neighborhood seems to be pretty quiet and safe also, with many more houses and residential buildings.  There are also a few parks (one with a basketball court), mini-marts, restaurants, and businesses.

A park with an alter in the middle.  I'm not sure who/what is is for. 

The view from my bus stop.

Another park a few blocks from my neighborhood. 

Some of the local businesses.  "Chifa" is Peruvian-Chinese food, and there are many Chifa restaurants in Cusco.  This one is called Chifa Chang Cheng.  (Say that three times fast!)