Day 9 Cusco

Bright and sunny today. We took a cab to the San Pedro Market this morning, where we wandered through the aisles looking at the produce. Many varieties of potatoes.

The local bread…

Black corn..

Some of the women bought woven braid, which was very inexpensive, but when they got it out in the sun, it looked shiny and synthetic.

We walked from the market to the Cathedral, passing on the way interesting sights, including this old woman eating ice cream on the steps of a closed shop.

Photos aren’t allowed in the Cathedral. It bests some of the cathedrals in Europe for grandeur and wealth. It also has a famous painting of the Last Supper with a guinea pig (Cuy) on the table.

The Cathedral is made from stone brought from an Inka site above Cusco called Saqsayhuaman. It has 11 chapels, including a Chapel to Christ of the Tremors. A painting of this Christ is said to have saved Cusco from an earthquake back in 1650.

As we exited the Cathedral, we found the last of a parade rounding the Plaza. This is just one group of many who paraded throughout the Cusco streets all day in celebration… Of what? I’m not sure, but they were having a good bit of fun. Quite a contrast with the Sicilians’ dirge during Holy Week.

One of the dancers…

Next we visited the Center of Traditional Textiles of Cusco. Here are the most finely woven fabrics, created by weavers living in the Cusco area on backstrap looms.

Most of the women are older, but somehow they are able to produce the most beautiful textiles sitting barefoot on the floor without much back support.

Tomorrow we will visit the organization’s site in a village outside of Cusco.