Cuy (guinea pig) with rocotto relleno and papas
Today we ventured out of the Cusco valley to try the famous local dish "cuy," which means guinea pig in Quechua. It is traditionally served either baked or fried and paired with rocotto relleno and papas. While the meat tasted pretty good, there wasn't much on the bones considering it is such a small animal. After lunch we met up with our profesora, Libia, who took us to San Pedro market. Like most markets in Latin America it was a bustling center of activity where locals can buy meats, fruits, vegetables and household supplies. Some of the more unique products that we spotted included live frogs, llama fetuses and a one-stop curandero shop.
After leaving the market we hopped on the bus to Awana-kancha, a llama and alpaca sanctuary. They also hosted a number of vicunas, which is the rarest and most expensive cloth on the market. We got to feed the animals as well as observe dedicated locals weavers working on their colorful textiles. We also visited the adjacent shop which displayed a dizzying array of high quality tejidos, or fabrics, ceramics and other artisan crafts. Awana-kancha is a non-profit organization that hosts local weavers from the Cusco area to work and live at the sanctuary and have an outlet in which to sell their crafts. We were amazed by the dedication, skill and artful eye of the women we met there. Many of the more intricate designs can take months to complete. Ciao for now, off to trek the Andes mañana.