Work and weird foods

I am working a lot, although not as much on the research part as I probably should be. I have had a couple of meetings and at least one has led to further contacts, but there are a few missing links still for the places that I would like to visit. There are a few communities that were pretty badly affected by the floods earlier this year, but I don't know anyone there. I also need contacts in Aguas Calientes so that I can plan for a trip there, and of course Machu Picchu while I am in the area.

In the meantime I have been hanging out at the library of the Centro Bartolome de las Casas, which has a pretty decent selection but is difficult to access. You have to pay to enter (ok, only $1), you can only look at two books at a time, and you have to request them and wait for someone to bring them to you. Then, you can only make copies which cost more than double per page compared to what I paid for copies the day before, and the cheaper place also only counted each piece of paper, not each printed side! I suppose it is worth it, some of the resources I found are definitely must reads and I am not sure I'd be able to find them back home. Fortunately, one of the programs that I am studying likes to make their reports available for free online!

I finally spent some time in the Plaza de Armas at night. I went with Gisela to a cafe for some ponche de leche - milk punch. It is basically warm milk with pisco, quite tasty and soothing on a chilly night. The view of the plaza was also gorgeous, we were able to watch people walk around (photos 1-2). We also walked by Qoricancha, the Incan Temple of the Sun (photo 3). The Spanish built a cathedral on top of it, in typical conquistador style. It was closed at night, but very picturesque. I have plans to check it out tomorrow during the daytime when I can tour the inside.

I finally tried the cuy! It was difficult to eat, tasted a bit like fish, and had a face. I think that all carnivores should eat meat with a face sometimes, it makes you respect the food a bit more. I would eat it again if it was put in front of me, but I probably wouldn't ask for it. One thing that I did appreciate was that I know that the proceeds benefit impoverished women. The restaurant is part of a social program to help undernourished children, and the cuy is purchased directly from women participating in the program to help them feed their children. The restaurant also trains youth in cooking and waiting and employs them.

I am meeting some very interesting people in general, and really wish that I had the time to just wander around and talk to people! Although my research contacts aren't coming through as quickly as I would hope, I am loving chatting with people in the service industry (hostels and restaurants) and the walking vendors. Sometimes I don't like being harassed by some of the vendors, but sometimes it is fun to duck into a doorway or something to hide from the police, converse, and exchange cash for art. The ambulantes, as they are called, are not allowed to sell near the main square because they compete with the in-store businesses there and don't pay taxes. I prefer to buy directly from the artist because I know it is not factory-made, and I know that they are doing all the hard work while someone else is earning wages in a store. It is fun to chat with them, too. Many people are impressed with my Spanish, which is pretty sad because it isn't THAT good, but I suppose that compared to most tourists it is decent. I am not sure what I will do if people that I want to speak to only speak Quechua. I may have to learn that too!