Field Trip! Part One: to Pisac

After breakfast with a local contact who is going to help us with some development meetings in Peru -- and at which I had something other than bread and jam for the first time in days! -- we were on a high. The meeting was fabulous and there is so much possibility! I actually didn't wait -- I emailed our development officers as soon as we got back to the hotel. Hey, I had twenty minutes before we left on our day trip. 

The destination for the day was Pisac and Chinchero. I knew Pisac, because we'd worked with the community there several years before. I didn't know what was in Chinchero, or where else we'd be going along the way. I could have asked, but it was all part of the adventure.

We set out along the Antisuyu road, toward the east. I was told that any time I wanted to stop, just let them know. That's easier to do when you know where you are....

First stop, Pukapukaru, the first tampu (storage site, way station) out of Cusco. It's a sacred location, and quite beautiful.

Next stop, Yunkapata. This was the site of a purification gate to Cusco. The dogs help herd the sheep and move them.....

Unless the dog is hit by a car. That was seriously unpleasant. Then the ladies started arguing over whose fault it was. No, the car never stopped. Thankfully it was over quickly.

Carrying goods.

All along the highway you can see terraces, and segments of the road along the hills.

Or valleys between the glacier-covered mountains. The valleys are sacred. The glaciers -- called  apu -- are sacred. It's spectacularly lovely.

The yellow rectangles in the right third above are corn.

Then we were in Pisac. Several years ago now, when R and I worked together in the Community Services department, we worked on a technical assistance to this community. They wanted to build a community museum, a cultural center, but this had never been done before in Peru. We got two museum professionals from Mexico to serve as their key consultants, and in 2009, the Community Museum of Pisac opened its doors. I wasn't able to go for the ceremony, but I still have the plate they'd made me as thanks.

Lucky girl that I am, I had a private tour with Francisco, and learned a great deal. I tried to take photos for the activity centers, and take some notes. I learned that single ladies wear "showier" hats, while white flowers signal "married." And that a paco is a healer, but not a shaman; shamans work for pay. 

There are a number of chess sets like this in the region: the Spanish vs. the Inka.

Big pottery vessels. These are for chicha, the fermented corn beverage.

We continued on our drive. For the day, we made a big loop, starting east of Cusco, then going north, then west, and back to Cusco. Along the way we passed many roadside buildings with big paper flowers outside. This was apparently the symbol that the establishment had chicha for sale.

Next stop, Yucay. This building is what remains of a palace of the Inka Huayna Capac. Some of it has been restored. Still, pretty incredible.

And outside, a local family having lunch. With, of course, chicha.

We made our own way to lunch next, in Urubamba. Our driver, Honorato, knew of a good place. He was right. It was buffet, and I was allowed to eat whatever I wanted! (R had been very cautious after S's illness, and my allowed foods were very limited.) I was craving vegetables, and so was very happy. I also tried two new foods, both quite tasty: olluco, a root vegetable of the Andes, and alpaca. This reminds me -- for dinner the other evening I'd had a milkshake (yes, for dinner, why not?) made with lúcuma, another Andean fruit we don't have. Now I don't know which I like better -- guanábana, taxo, or lúcuma. Sigh.