|
After stepping off the plane in Cuzco my chest tightened
and I was grateful for my luggage being collected for me.
I reached the hotel, which was approximately a ten minute
walk from the town square, and welcomed a cup of coca tea
(I really liked this tea!). A girl I was sharing a room with
happened to speak fluent Spanish and she decided to venture
into the square the day before the Inti Ryami festival
to watch the dancers. I agreed to meet up with her later.
However, I was grateful to sneak back up to my room after
breakfast and sleep for a few hours more. I hadn't been feeling
too well, and had suffered a little altitude sickness. |
|
Globe Trekker's Neil Gibson at the Inti Ryami festival,
Cuzco
|
|
After enough time feeling sorry for myself and realising
that my dying swan act wasn't working with anyone, I decided
that my best tactic was 'when in Rome...', so off I headed
for the town square. Immediately my spirits were lifted and
I must have looked such an idiot, grinning at the amazing
sights. Groups of dancers made their way around the square.
Everyone took part and the costumes were really something
else. men, women and children vied for attention.
This is where the fun really started! I watched in utter
amazement at the array of groups twisting, turning, singing
and making their own music throughout the centre of Cuzco.
I noticed my friend sitting on the balcony of one of the little
cafes overlooking the square and thought about joining her,
but realized that I had the best view. I was in the thick
of it.
The groups of dancers had now made their way into a smaller
square, a bit off the beaten track. Absolutely fantastic!
Not a Westerner in sight, save me. I soon spotted a little
truck selling bottles of Heineken beer for a few pence and
discovered that I'd paid a few quid for mine. Well, what do
you expect! I sat minding my own business on the steps watching
the dancers recover then regain a second wind as they began
the dancing round this new little square all over again. It
felt like it was all just for me and i was enjoying every
second of it.
As I sipped my beer, a group of three students from the local
college made their acquaintance along with a bottle of the
local brew Chi Cha. They chatted with me in broken
English and offered me their 'poison'. I obliged and offered
them mine....which they finished with gusto. They continued
to pass the bottle of chi cha round until I felt that i could
take no more, unless they wanted to peel me off the floor
and haul me back to my hotel, so I made my excuses and left
them to finish it.
In fact I began to wish I'd stayed, or at least guzzled more
for as I watched the dancers across the square, I felt an
arm guide me to the middle of the road....right in the centre
of the dancers. Oh my God! So I skipped and jumped and pretended
I was a professional Peruvian dancer, but the fairy elephant
display was a dead giveaway. But it was to get worse; not
only was I not feeling well and under the influence of alcohol
but I was dancing amid professionals and being photographed!
No doubt so they could all have a good laugh when they got
home. But, what the heck, there's not many that can say they
took part in the Inti Ryami dance routines and drank Chi Cha.
Text © Paula Davis, all rights reserved.
|
Travel Writers: Peruvian Delights By Paula
Davies
