Sunday, May 18, 2008

Chupaca, Close to Huancayo

Our week of Spanish lessons was concluded with an outing on Saturday. First stop via bus was the livestock market held in Chupaca every Saturday. The market was extensive comprising rough areas set aside for sheep, (and the slaughter of sheep), pigs, cattle and horses. I had expected to see llama and alpaca being traded but by the end of our walk through the market, we only spotted a single llama foal going for the price of 120 Soles (CAN$ 42). Again, the market was not a typical tourist attraction but a great way to experience a little more about rural life in Peru. Our next stop was an archaeological site set on a high ridge with commanding views of the valley. The site consists of grain storage buildings built approximately 1200 years ago. The positioning is significant - to protect the stored grain which was at risk of theft by other tribes, as well as help preserve the grain by exposing it to cool winds coming off the surrounding high mountains.