Peru, Part 12 – Chinchero

Getting near the end, I promise!

Fields on the way to Chinchero – ©Deidre AdamsOn the road to Chinchero – ©2012 Deidre Adams

Another day excursion from Ollantaytambo was to see the village of Chinchero, known for its traditional-style weavers and the extraordinarily fine work they do. It is home to The Centro de Textiles Tradicionales de Cusco (CTTC), founded by Nilda Callañaupa in 1996. Nilda grew up in Chinchero in the 1960s, at a time when “most weaving was of inferior quality with synthetic fibers and Dayglo colors” (Hand/Eye). She later made it her mission to learn the techniques of her ancestors and teach them to other women in the village to preserve the fine craft traditions of the past.

Chinchero weaving – ©Deidre Adams

Our guide at the CTTC was Carolina Concha, who combines work and parenting with admirable ease.

Carolina Concha and son –©Deidre Adams

There was another little girl here at the center that day, keeping herself busy with her own toys or intermittently interesting herself in the work of her elders.

(Side note: In fact, as I noticed throughout most of the places we went in Peru, this seemed to be the way children behaved. They stayed near the adults, playing or otherwise occupying themselves, and they didn’t have tantrums or beg for attention. The only time I saw children out of control was in a rather upscale restaurant in Lima, where an obviously wealthy family was having a large gathering complete with several children and no fewer than 3 nannies in uniform. Still, the children ran around making noise and disturbing the other diners, looking much more like the scenes I’m accustomed to here in the U.S.)

We saw demonstrations of spinning, weaving, and knitting. The CTTC weavers are also making a big push to study and return to the natural dyeing techniques of the past. The beautiful colors come from leaves, moss, lichens, roots, and other plant matter, and of course, cochinilla.

 

After leaving the center, we did a little more exploring of the town and, of course, the ruins.

February 4th, 2013|Travel|2 Comments

Peru, Part 11 – Ollantaytambo

Ollantaytambo Women – ©Deidre Adams

Ollantaytambo was my favorite town on the entire Peru trip. I could easily picture myself living to a ripe old age here, starting my mornings with a coffee and empanada at La Esquina before getting the day’s provisions at the market. Then I would spend the afternoon and evening working on my art, stopping only to make a delicious dinner of local foods and spices, or perhaps to take a walk in the glorious afternoon glow of the sun.

It’s a lovely little town on the Urubamba River, nestled in a basin surrounded by majestic mountains. It was originally founded in the mid-1500s by the Inca Pachacutec, one of the most important and powerful emperors of the Inca Empire, and then fortified and used as a stronghold against the Spanish by the Manco Inca, leader of the native resistance. Many of the original buildings are still inhabited today, although changed somewhat, with the original thatched roofs having been replaced with tejas shingles. A network of the original irrigation channels filled with rushing water flow throughout the town beside the cobblestone streets, and pedestrians are constantly stepping over them as they navigate the busy sidewalks.

We stayed at the Ollantaytambo Lodge Hotel – not fancy, but comfortable and charming. I suspect it only gets a 2-star rating because of the fact that you only have a 2-hour window each afternoon in which there is  enough water to take a shower – despite the fact that there’s an enormous amount of water flowing throughout the streets 24 hours a day.

Ollantaytambo Lodge-2 – ©Deidre Adams

Ollantaytambo Lodge – ©Deidre Adams

 

This little guy apparently lived at the lodge, and whenever we ventured outside the gate, he would accompany us for a couple of blocks or sometimes all the way to the center of town.

Ollantaytambo Dog – ©Deidre Adams

There are many very good restaurants here, as well as a large market for fresh fruit and vegetables and other food, plus the usual shops for souvenirs and the like. The town square was always bustling with activity. We were there in time to see a motorcycle cab race as well as groups of local schoolchildren practicing traditional dances in the main square.

 

We took one short excursion for the purpose of experiencing chicha beer, a traditional, slightly alcoholic drink made from germinated maize first boiled in a big pot over a wood fire, then fermented in a large earthenware pot.

Chicha brewer – ©Deidre Adams

After meeting the proprietress and hearing about the process, we were ready to try a sample. But wait – you cannot take a taste until you have made the proper acknowledgment  by saying “Pachamama, santa tierra” (Earth mother, holy ground) as you pour a couple of drops of your chicha on the ground. For me, one small taste was enough. I’m sticking with microbrews after this.

Also at the Descanso establishment, we got a chance to play a round of juego de sapo, the frog game, in which you toss a large brass coin at the board and try to earn points by getting your piece to land in one of the holes or spinners, with the ultimate goal of getting it into the frog’s mouth. Susan is the reigning champion of our group.

 

Then we were off to see the Ollantaytambo ruins.

February 3rd, 2013|Travel|Comments Off on Peru, Part 11 – Ollantaytambo

Peru, Part 10 – Sacred Valley: Písac

Pisaq – ©Deidre AdamsInca Písac, Sacred Valley, Peru

Písac is an area in Peru’s Sacred Valley that includes both a modern village and a complex of Inca ruins. The ruins contain impressive terraces, used to increase the amount of usable agricultural land in Inca times, as well as structures which were reconstructed after the originals were destroyed by the Spanish in the 1530s. The village has a large market that attracts a large number of tourists.

February 1st, 2013|Travel|Comments Off on Peru, Part 10 – Sacred Valley: Písac