5000 mt above sea level

After 3 months it was time to hit the road again, this time we headed into the Andes to the

city of Huanta, 43 Kms north of the city of Ayacucho but we didn't made it                                     there without any hassles Madeline and Louise were

hit hard by  "soroche" altitude sickness when the bus crossed a 5000 mt above sea level pass.

Our heads were aching and our guts turning that put us into physical restrictions for the next

3 days while our bodies adjusted slowly, it was all worth it at the end. We are eating the local 

cuisine, witnessing epic traditions and meting amazing friendly people.

The tennis boys.
They get together for a good hit out once a week after work, late at night .
Thank you guys for sharing the fun.

Madeline had to get over her nerves to meet Carlos the eldest member of the family.
And he still with us.

Humitas.
A ground corn cake like wrapped in corn husk made with butter, cinnamon, milk, sugar
and sultanas. Beats corn-flakes by a mile.

This was at the front of the meat market section just in case you did not see it.

Coca leaves section.
Coca leaves is the main ingredient for the making of cocaine, in the highlands the selling of coca leaves is legal in small quantities for making tea or for chewing.

Bored sticky beaks wouldn't let me do my blog.

It was all fun and games until Pepito the bird pooped on Madeline's shoulder.

Forget your late night Kebabs and hot dogs.  Nothing beats a good hen soup (Caldo de Gallina) before bed at the local.

 

These blocks of home made Fetta cheeses are lovely to look at but might be deadly for a Gringa to eat. We don`t know.

These markets went for streets and streets. Obviously the main shopping day for the village of Huanta. And we were the only foreigners to be seen. It kinda of felt like we were the attraction.

Yes she is asleep on the job. Notice the bunch of Coca Leaves in her pocket. She`s probably been chewing those leaves all morning.  She is probably "fully chilled"

Louise said "that guy is selling blood".  No.  It is tree sap. Good for everything including cancer.

Catching a lift in the highlands.

Yep you guess it!. Guinea Pig or Cuy as it is known here. Complete with head and feet.  The fried potatoes were yummy.

My lovely gringa at the Barbosa country club.

Must be something in the water

This is Madeline actually having a conversation in Spanish with this indigenous lady about fruit trees. It blew me away. Give it a few more months and I reckon she will be fluent.

Palm Sunday parade in Huanta. These guys were scratching their heads on how to get through the crowd that was forming.

You can`t have a parade in Peru without fire crackers.

"Where`s Wally"  

Palm Sunday in Huanta where the tradition is for young and old.

This is as close as i could get to the statue of Jesus been carried by a donkey

.