Day 3 in afternoon

This morning was spent in a tour of the fish market area of town where i got a number of wonderful pictures of the men mending nets and some drinking cervaza and the women cleaning and selling fish. The people were very gracious and friendly. We also went to walk across the ´bridge of sighs´ where lovers now go to hang out. I think it was named after the bridge of sighs in Venice, Italy where men were allowed a last sigh before they were taken to the other side and executed. Interesting! We also took a tour of Shantytoewn where the squatters have moved in -- a half million of them to build their stick and tarpaulin shacks. The Shantytown is on the side of a dry sandy mountain or big hill, and the people are exceedingly poor, but friendly. They have been there so long that certain sections now have sewage and running water and on the top of the mountain the people have gotten into furniture making and some have prospered. There are signs that even Visa is accepted. When people finish their houses they are required to pay taxes. Needless to say some take a long time too finish their building in concrete or brick. However, we all left that part of town quite quiet and depressed for the grand scale of human poverty and living amongst so much waste. Had a good lunch and then went walking the area in which we are staying to visit the hand-crafts markets which i enjoy. Just had a beer and am now ready for a nap. Tomorrow we head to the mountains at 11,000 feet in Cusco and i´m ready to see this spendor.
hasta la vista mi familia and amigos!