Life at Street Fes

A short break from our Peruvian excursion.  This was at Fes in Morocco. Shot in 2014 with my then favorite camera - the Fujifilm X-pro1 coupled with the 35mm x-mounted lens.  (It's still an old favorite but lately I've been using the X100F and the iPhone 7 plus for travels.)

Fes is the only favorite place for me in Morocco.  I hated our experience there.  I asked the local guide if it was safe in Morocco.  He said, "Oh yes, yes.  People will steal your money but they won't kill you.  Very safe.  There are no bad people here."  Well, that was reassuring.

Still Life with the Sacred Valley Candle

Shot with the iPhone 7 plus while waiting for our dinner meal at Sacred Valley in Urubamba, Peru.  Tomorrow our tour group heads off to Machu Picchu.  But tonight belongs to us.  Well, kind of.  Rose and I had the table by ourselves.  The rest of our group were at a different table.  We were separated because we came in the restaurant late.  Don't remember why.  Maybe that's when I started to feel really sick.  I had flu like symptoms the day before our departure to Peru but at this very moment I think it started to manifest itself with a vengeance.  Sure enough, I had a fever and chills that same night.  My stomach wasn't doing well either.  And that was my birthday.  What a way to spend it.

Istella (part ii)

As mentioned in my previous post, Istella is seen here serving Chicha, a fermented  beverage derived from corn.  

Chicha morada is a non-fermented chicha usually made from ears of purple maize (maíz morado), which are boiled with pineapple rind, cinnamon, and cloves. This gives a strong, purple-colored liquid, which is then mixed with sugar and lemon. This beverage is usually taken as a refreshment, but in recent years many health benefits of purple corn have been found. Chicha morada is common in Bolivian and Peruvian cultures and is generally drunk as an accompaniment to food.

Women are most associated with the production of chicha. Men and children are still involved with the process of making chicha, but women control the production and distribution. For many women in Andean society, making and selling chicha is a key part of their identity because it provides a substantial amount of political power and leverage.

A good day to be alive.

Compression

Lima by the coast is about an hour's flight to Cusco, which is at 12,000 feet elevation.  At this elevation, Rose and I experienced altitude sickness despite taking pills to prevent it.  In fact, the symptoms were the same when one took the pills.  Coming down from Peru to Lima is even worse.  This is what happened to the half empty water bottle I had when the plane descended from 12,000 feet down to sea level in one hour.  Imagine what our body went through during that flight.

Stone Henge of Peru

So really the Celts rolled a second group of Stone Henge from Wales to Saqsayhuman.  It has never been discovered before.  Until now.  Really.