Pachamamma

March 3rd was going to be tough on everyone.  Up at 4 AM, on the train at 5:30 and back in Ollantaytambo by 8 AM.  The crew looked to be holding up pretty well at this point.  

Nil has organized a day of experiences for our crew.  The first stop was Reynaldo at his sanctuary.  We were going to listen to traditional Peruvian instruments and meditate to rejuvenate and relax after our morning adventures.  

Reynaldo was awesome and th meditation session was much needed.  Someone not named Scott Anseth or Katie Anseth began snoring loud enough to wake the dead.  I will try and up load some videos of Reynaldo playing the different instruments for us.

No we didn’t drink the Kool-Aid, we are just getting ready to meditate 

Relaxing to Condor feathers and pan flutes

Reynaldo with the rejuvenated Hornets 🐝 

From meditation to Pottery, we travelled to visit the studio of Seminario.  Seminario is a famous created of pottery using traditional Incan methods.  Seminario has pottery on display in Washington DC and at the Field Museum in Chicago.  The studio started with just he and his wife but now employs several Peruvians on creating the clay and making the molds.  It was a fascinating place and he is a fascinating man.  The cool thing the kids thought he was just some near local potter.

Cups before being fired 

Seminario with the St. Hubert’s students.  Say it is me Sem-in-ario.  Use an Italian accent it will make you happy. 

From pottery to lunch we drove to a Peruvian cultural center near 

The cultural center was awesome.  We were welcomed with dancing and music.  It is amazing how tired you can get dancing with a 60ish Peruvian woman at 10,000 feet.   We danced. We learned of the tremendous variety of vegetables, fruits and meats that Pachamama, the earth mother, supply’s to the men and women of the Peruvian highlands.

We participate in an Incan ritual with our Cocca leave to bring us safety on our travels.  

Down by the lake celebrating Pachumamma.

The three cocca leaves

A lake in the highlands of Peru.  Not a bad place for a celebration.

A few of the students didn’t feel well and went into Cuzco early.  They missed out in a traditional Peruvian dinner.

Agqin we had music and dancing.  Some of us had our fortunes in the cocca leaves 🍁 by the local medicine man.

My fortune 

1. I am a happy guy.  ——mostly true
2. I am a good guy.    ——-debatable
3. My destiny is long.   ——no need for doctors 
4. The direction of my life is upward.  —??
5. I should not worry as much. —- OK

Our host had been heating rock over a fire for 4 hours and marinating lamb, chicken and guinea pig since 4 AM.  Here’s how it goes you move off the rocks, clean out the ash, lay down a bed of herbs and grass, put down the meat with rocks then more rocks and meat then vegetables and rocks then fishs and rocks, cover it with more grasses and herbs then cover the whole thing in dirt and wait 2 hours.

Hopefully I can up load a couple of videos when I get home but her are some screen shots.

Dancing 

The guinea pig going into the ground with the hot rocks

More hot rocks.  Bring on the 🌽.

This is what it looks like when it was finished and we wait for the cooking to complete.

Here come the potatoes.  

Cooked guinea pig.  Get your knife and fork Katie!!!

The chef 👨🏻‍🍳 and I breaking down how to marinate guinea pig.

The doors from the cultural center.  The sun and the 3 levels of the world represented by the condor, puma and snake.

It was a beautiful and spiritual day in the highlands of Peru.  Thank you Pachamamma.

Now into the city of Cuzco to our hotel a “little” dinner and bed.  Tomorrow is Sunday let’s see what happens.