We began the day making plans to visit the local Indian market or experience Cusco for one last time. A group of us hurried through the busy streets only to be surprised by the celebration in Plaza de Armas. The square was packed with tourists and locals looking to enjoy the festival of the Sun or Inti Rayma. We had observed dancers practicing routines the night before at the square and so to see them dressed in colorful traditional attire while they paraded through the crowd was a pleasure. I loved seeing the officials walking around in their suits carrying a colorful manta to represent Cusco's culture.
The San Pedro Indian market was an absolute pleasure to have on our agenda. Narrow walkways lead you to myriad smells to please your senses while you hobbled your way through the congested but amazing market. What interested me the most about the place was how you could look around and feel disconnected from the outside; you could have been in a market in any country with people of all races brushing against you and yet you knew you were in Peru thanks to the elaborate mantas, lucuma juice stands, and the local peasants shopping across from you. Cusco had always seemed too tourist-oriented for me but the market brought back memories of Occongate and our wonderful time in the mountains.
After a greatly satisfying shopping spree, we made our way back to the hotel for lunch. On the way, Mariela pointed out a store with Shah Rukh Khan's (an actor from India) poster hanging on its door--this was certainly the highlight of my day. A city as beautiful as under the sun as it is at night with houses lighting up the backdrop of Plaza de Armas, Cusco is forever inviting with warmth through its food and culture.
We were back in Lima for the evening where UARM students organized a quick display of their talents for us. From music bands to folk dances, we were entertained and given a chance to glance at the influence history has had on them. The folk dances stayed true to the indigenous culture with certain routines displaying Spanish influences while their contemporary counterpart--the bands--displayed how the present generation is no different from those in other countries. I feel one often views another country from a standpoint of an outsider looking in to experience the exotic. Though one finds the new and unknown, one forgets that these kids, especially those in the cities, grew up listening to pop or metal or rock like us. Our romanticized ideas expect them to be fantastical and I'm thankful that our group wasn't ethnocentric to have similar expectations. The students displayed the evolution of culture and how the new and old live on together.
The night was dimmed by the color of goodbyes and new facebook friends requests as we prepared for our last day in the country. We intend to take back the warmth and love the country offered us while we cherish each day and each new friend Peru gave us.
The San Pedro Indian market was an absolute pleasure to have on our agenda. Narrow walkways lead you to myriad smells to please your senses while you hobbled your way through the congested but amazing market. What interested me the most about the place was how you could look around and feel disconnected from the outside; you could have been in a market in any country with people of all races brushing against you and yet you knew you were in Peru thanks to the elaborate mantas, lucuma juice stands, and the local peasants shopping across from you. Cusco had always seemed too tourist-oriented for me but the market brought back memories of Occongate and our wonderful time in the mountains.
After a greatly satisfying shopping spree, we made our way back to the hotel for lunch. On the way, Mariela pointed out a store with Shah Rukh Khan's (an actor from India) poster hanging on its door--this was certainly the highlight of my day. A city as beautiful as under the sun as it is at night with houses lighting up the backdrop of Plaza de Armas, Cusco is forever inviting with warmth through its food and culture.
We were back in Lima for the evening where UARM students organized a quick display of their talents for us. From music bands to folk dances, we were entertained and given a chance to glance at the influence history has had on them. The folk dances stayed true to the indigenous culture with certain routines displaying Spanish influences while their contemporary counterpart--the bands--displayed how the present generation is no different from those in other countries. I feel one often views another country from a standpoint of an outsider looking in to experience the exotic. Though one finds the new and unknown, one forgets that these kids, especially those in the cities, grew up listening to pop or metal or rock like us. Our romanticized ideas expect them to be fantastical and I'm thankful that our group wasn't ethnocentric to have similar expectations. The students displayed the evolution of culture and how the new and old live on together.
The night was dimmed by the color of goodbyes and new facebook friends requests as we prepared for our last day in the country. We intend to take back the warmth and love the country offered us while we cherish each day and each new friend Peru gave us.
No comments:
Post a Comment