Cusco and Pisac Day

Hey, Nick and Adam, thanks for writing. See my travels do come in handy and help you with geography and cultural stuff from around the world -- and Nick, i too hope we don't have to eat guinea pig on our travels, but alpaca, however was tasty. Well, talking about school things, we did visit a school out in the mountains today. A school build of bricks made from the local mud and a school of very basic amenities. The browned-burnt faced children were happy to see us, and they were like school children i've visited everywhere -- happy, curious, and a bit devilish. They loved when i took their pictures and immediately showed the results. I was very impressed with the fifth grade class i visited. The walls were covered with hand made posters and children's work. The teacher was obviously very good and dedicated. The school has their own garden of onions, potatoes, etc. the children raise for their meals. When we were there children were arriving after we had arrived, some walking two or more miles down out of the hills to school. There is no bus or cartransportation. Can you imagine that, kindergaten children walking that far. The people are very hardy. After the school visit, whch i hated to leave, we drove to Pisac and up into the mountains around this town to see all the terraces that cover the mountainsides built by the Incas, i guess about 800 years ago. The terraces have stone walls to stop erosion and allowed the Inca people to farm the mountainsides. Imagine very high and steep mountainsides completely covered by terraces! The mountains here are like our Rocky Mountains back home, very young mountains and so very steep. While we were there some local man was playing his flute and the sound carried far around this gigantic bowl in the mountains. Only the air and the flute were heard. The Incas must have been very talented and hard working people and very good farmers. After that we went down to the town of Pisac to eat lunch (i had fresh trout which was very good). The retaurant had their own guinea pig cage which was shaped like a big house for the guinea pigs to romp in until someone orders one for lunch. After lunch we went to the local marketplace where the Ketchua (sp?) people sell their vegetables and wears. The Ketchua are the people who wear the colorful clothing and hats as everyday wear. They are the indigenous peoples of the mountains and probably direct decendents of the Incas. The woman work the markets and wear their babies on their backs -- held there by a small blanket tied in the front. One woman i was negotiating a sale with, her child fell asleep as we were talking and she just reached back and pulled the blanket up over his head. The children are very close to their mothers (on their backs) until they learn to walk as they go everywhere with the mothers at work in the fields or to sell their goods in the markets. Everywhere i go i am so taken by the local people and their simple but effective ways. Our day ended today about three and so i am writing this a bit early. Enough for now from the land of Peru.