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"The Inca Trail is not for me"

Visiting Peru

Annette
2005-08-29 23:19:47

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to take your chances anyway (or if you arrived with a good supply of blisterpack), you will find small treasures. Wall plates, vases and containers in the ancient shapes of Inca beer vessels are commonly offered. All are hand painted, often in rich, earthy shades of browns and rusts, in filigree-like geometric designs. Others will be painted with brightly colored mythical scenes. Furthermore, weavings, alpaca sweaters and blankets are widely sold. Watch the quality, and try not to overpay.

A large section of the market is dedicated to fruits and vegetables. This part is the most native, authentic section, catering to the locals. Women from the valley farms display produce that towers in front of them in bright mounds. Bundles of red onions with their green stalks still attached lay alongside carrots, tomatoes and overripe bananas. Big sacks of potatoes of all varieties wait for buyers. Peru is the "Land of the Potato", and about forty varieties, even blue ones, make it a staple ingredient in meals. It is fun to watch the farmwomen. The young ones often have their babies tied to their backs in bright shawls, the little heads contentedly looking out, or napping while their mothers attend to business. The women all wear the typical mid-length skirts with petticoats underneath to give them a round, almost barrel-like appearance. Their long hair is separated into two thick, shiny braids hanging down to their waist. Most of them wear hats. Various kinds of food are prepared in open-air stalls, and small cafes catering to tourists are on the periphery of the main plaza. Wear good walking shoes here; the lanes are all cobbled with small, round river rock.

"For the Inca, Thunder was the God of Rain

They believed that he carried a sling.

When he cracked it, it made the sound of thunder"

After the visit to Pisac market, the ruins perched about 1800 feet (600m) above town are a must. ...