Tarabuco Sunday Market

Local markets are always an attraction for me in my travels, and in South America, the local Andean markets make wonderful photographic (and shopping) excursions since they're typically very lively and colourful.

Just 1-2 hrs away by bus from Sucre Bolivia, Tarabuco hosts such a market. Every Sunday, tourists and locals alike would converge into this small Bolivian town. Aside from the permanent shops in town, locals from nearby villages also arrive to set up stalls. The town is home to the Yampara culture, one of the ethnic groups around the region, and so designs belonging to the Yampara on textiles, handicrafts etc can be found aplenty in the market.

In fact, Yampara attire, and especially their headgear, are apparent everywhere, being worn and sold by the locals. While textiles, weavings and handicrafts dominate the market square, more mundane stuff can be found as you move further away from the square - food produce, safety pins, kettles etc, the daily livelihood of the community.

Besides getting photos of indigenous people in their traditional attire, the Sunday market is a great place to get your souvenirs as well! There is relatively little harassing on tourists, and if you're looking to get ponchos or similar textiles, the designs in the market are beautiful! And perhaps you may even get an authentic handwoven one from the village! 

Lares Trek

One of the highlights of a trip to Peru is undoubtedly Machu Picchu, and the classic way to reach this wonder is via the Inca Trail. However, as the Inca Trail requires special permits and a controlled number of trekkers are allowed on it, advanced reservations are often advised and this may hamper those who's travel itinerary are just planned out a day in advance......

However, there are a number of alternative treks that one could enjoy from Cusco to Machu Picchu. I took the Lares Trek, and really enjoyed it (except the last day). There are a few variants of this trek itself, and the last day of our 3-day trek variant was on a vehicular dirt road, which was not exactly the best of trekking experiences. Still, it was overall a good outing, especially the first 2 days, which were absolutely fabulous!

The highlight of the trek for me, is the campsite stop in the village of Huacahuasi. An Andean community still living in old stone thatched houses, complete with villagers donned in their colourful traditional attire, it was a good glimpse into a distant past. These villages are also known for their weaving, and so, getting a handwoven llicilas/manta/poncho would be a real deal vs getting something in the city of Cusco. And camping and sleeping under the blanket of the Milky Way is always something special. The trek itself was not exactly strenous although the altitude would slow you down, with the highest point being over 4000+m. Nevertheless, just take it slow, and stop and admire the beautiful Lares valley and its inhabitants!

The trek ends in the town of Ollantaytambo, where a train ride will bring you to Aguas Calientes where you would explore the wonderful Machu Picchu. A fitting end to a wonderful trek indeed!