Cusco, Peru - Day 7

Today is our last day in Cusco and we would be sad to leave. We’ve spent over a week in Cusco, the sacred valley, and Machu Picchu and have enjoyed our time in this cultural utopia. We decided to embark on a trip to the weekly Sunday market in Pisaq, a city about an hour away from Cusco. I managed to persuade Matt to take the local bus which costs less than a dollar each way. Not so much to save money as a tax ride would be less than 15 dollars, but more so to get an authentic experience, to travel as locals travel, and to experience the trials and tribulations of a crowded bus with people standing and holding overloaded packages. Exposing oneself to local customs whether it be food, modes of transportation, or living accommodations builds a broader perspective and forces one outside their comfort zone; in my opinion, two of the main benefits of traveling.

I’m glad that Matt is game to try most new things, so he readily agreed to take on this mini challenge. We found the bus station, a empty parking lot in the middle of a rather nondescript block, with a line of people looping around the lot and out to the street. Vendors selling food and drinks, and locals toting screaming children and large packages all added to the atmosphere. After waiting for about half an hour we were the first couple to get on the next bus and we secured a seat for the ride to Pisaq. Others were not as lucky as they crowded the aisles and loading area in the front of the bus. I half expected the bus driver to pull a ladder out for people to climb up to the roof as they do in other third world countries.

The Pisaq Sunday market is a quite an assorted vivid overload of colors, smells, sounds and unique sights. Multi-colored corn ranging from the typical yellow to the exotic brown and purple flanked exotic fruits and rainbow-like color assortment of spices and dyes.

One of the more interesting items was little penthouses built into the building’s facade which housed multiple guinea pigs in a plethora of rooms. Next to the housing complex was an oven which resembled a brick oven pizza oven in the states. It was round with a small hole in the front and a long wooden pole with a broad flat end used to transport foods in and out of the oven. On top of a big metal pan that was just recently pulled out were a couple roasted guinea pigs hanging out.

Cusco, Peru - Day 7