Apparently we are bad tourists + the Sacred Valley
Trip Start
Mar 09, 2007
1
21
169
Trip End
??? ??, 2008
Sacred Valley,
Peru
Sunday, April 8, 2007
Well, what we were told was a big steaming pile of Alpaca crap. There is nothing traditional about any of these markets in Peru anymore. Seriously I think Peru has totally sold out to tourism. All these traditional markets were just a bunch of tourist markets, selling all the tourist crap. I guess when it comes down to it, tourists don't buy onions, hammers, and pencils, so I guess thats how the traditional markets got the pink slip.
But thats not the only thing. It seems that the older generations still wear the traditional garb. The younger generations don't. Peru is losing its traditions. The only time I have seen the younger generations (from kids to those in their 30s and 40s) is for tourists to take pictures of so that they can get money. Seriously, everywhere you go, their are kids dressed up standing next to their Alpaca in the touristy sections asking for money to get a picture taken. There is nothing original about dressing up with your alpaca for the tourists. What happened to the good all Peru. You can't take a picture of anything without someone asking for some money. We were asked to give some lady some money for walking up this path the other day in Chivay.
All the kids ask for gifts or money. What kind of mentality does it breed in these kids? Begging and expecting money from all the tourists that walk past them. We were actually talking the other day and were wondering if these kids even know how money is earned. They must truly think that all money in the world comes from the tourists and that it grows on the trees in our backyards, and that we take trips to other places to hand it out. Kids need to learn and respect how money is earned. Whats sad is that kids here do work and the problem is that they aren't in school. The kids are so cute that the parents put them out there to help sell their goods or get pictures taken to get money. Then the kid grows up, is no longer as cute as the new, younger, and cuter kids and has no ability to generate income and also has no schooling. Then what?
Some of these kids are so good at the guilt trip thing too. They start to cry or say that they need money for food. They can even be funny. Some kid tried to sell us finger puppets in the square. No offense to the little kid, but what am I going to do with a finger puppet?! Why would I want one? When we told him no, he asked us for money, and when we told him that we wouldn't give him money, he said "You are bad tourists" and ran off. Chelsea and I nearly died laughing after that one.
Anyways, the markets were all just tourist stuff. Bags, t-shirts, stones, jewelry, and enough Alpaca goods to keep all of Russia warm. On the tour we go to a few ruins. We went to the ruins in Pisac and Ollaytantaytambo. Both ruins were quite cool. The Incas never finished building the structures in Ollaytantaytambo because the Spanish came before they finished. The mason work is incredible. The stones are all different sizes and they polished them, flattened them, and made them fit so tightly it's amazing. The Incas were actually quite clever. Their irrigation and agricultural systems are extremely advanced. The last stop in the tour was the church of Chinchero. This was quite impressive. The Incas built this temple to one of their gods (can't remember which one), then the Spanish came, told them their god was the devil (seriously), and built a church on top of their temple. Its cool because you can see the Inca temple's original stone work at the base and the new church walls built right on top of it. The church is extremely old and really intricate and covered in gold on the inside.
Tomorrow we are off to do the Salkantay trail and we should be in Machu Picchu on Friday. Chelsea and I are both super excited.
