Cuzco, A Navel City

Cuzco, the center of the Inkan Empire, was thought to be the center of civilization. As the winter solstice nears, celebration is heightened. Our arrival coincided with a month long party in the city of Cusco. It seemed that there were fireworks every night around the town, as well as festivals, parades, and food tents galore. We had been warned not to eat the street food, since our digestive systems might not be able to handle what came our way. After visiting the marketplace, we were not too keen on eating what we saw on the street anyway. It was a delight to see so many Peruvians gathered, many in traditional dress, to celebrate in one place. One day when there was a parade, we could hardly get down to the Plaza for the crowds of participants lining up. Each differently costumed group represented a different village or community in Peru. There was often a civic leader speaking from a stage under a large tent, surrounded by a local crowd.

We noticed that most of those in the parade were women. Women dressed up in the women's roles as well as the men's.  We enjoyed walking up and down the streets, people watching and window shopping. A real cultural show.