Sunday, September 6, 2009

Cusco Central Market


The central market in Cusco has everything you can imagine, from sheep brains to toilet paper, herbal concoctions, maize, hot food, freshly squeezed juices, live frogs, dried llama embryos, and tailors in case you need your hem fixed or a skirt made. Many of the local people do their shopping in this market. They can get everything they need and even have a hot lunch; not quite like Costco but it is certainly one version of one-stop shopping. There are whole baby cows, skinned or coat still intact, sheep heads, or if you prefer intestines, hooves, tongue, or bladder, you can buy those too.

The vendors are children, young and old ladies alike. They cut and weigh animal parts, fruit, or make an herbal remedy for anything from a common cold to cancer. One of my favorite things to watch is when the vendors nod off into a siesta sitting on a bag of potatoes or laying their head down on a sack of meat.

There is something about seeing the grittiness of who we really are, without the illusion that our supermarkets perpetuate: that life is clean, comfortable, and neat.

2 comments:

  1. Oh Amy dear come home and I bet you would enjoy a trip to Costco for a hot dog. That picture you posted with this is beautiful.Oh I wish I could sit down and talk with you about this journey you have been on. Take care and let us hear from you soon.Praying for a safe time what's left.

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  2. It would certainly give you a different perspective. I'd probably become a vegatarian..lol

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