Hospedaje! Plus the native fashions...

Adrian and Rosalina's home stay 2nd floor room where Jeannie, Robb, Gus & Jeb slept. Downstairs on the right, facing, is the kitchen, where the cuy live and through which you must walk to exit the back door leading to the running water spigot and, further down, the toilet.

Our accommodations at Thomas and Hilda's home.

 

Jeannie and me on the walk up the mountain Thursday evening.

Our home's women prepare dinner in the kitchen with an flame cooking area and propane gas camping-style stove (along the wall on the right). The children all gather in this building and help amuse and change Josué, the baby, who lies on a palette several alpaca layers thick just to the left of the fire pit on the dirt floor.

Thomas works as a taxi driver and at a restaurant, if my terribly broken Spanish serves me. I saw him up before 5 a.m. that Friday morning, heading back off to work. He got home after we'd eaten ~ Ciprian, Adrian's son and Sonja's husband, played host to us; we'd gotten to spend only a bit of time with the family after dinner (we were so tired) and saw how the whole family lit up when Thomas walked in, running into his arms for hugs, Lourdes hanging all over him.

 

Dominga, the grandmama, Lourdes, Irma, Nicodemo, Sonja, Hilda and Ciprian.

Heading back down towards Adrian's abode, Jeannie and I try on the native styles and pose for photos with the family.

 

 

These skirts, known as a poliera, are the formal festive attire for each woman, and each galon, or band is decorated with embroidery signature to each village.

While the men are more Westernized in their wear, the women appear to be rather shy, at least about being photographed, when not wearing their indigenous fashions. The hat, or chollio, is velvet and either plain or embroidered and held underneath the chin with a juatana, or beaded tassel. I've been learning along the way since we landed in Cusco and the Sacred Valley area that each variant of montera, hat, signifies a wearer's village. The high-headed white straw hats that I have coveted since arriving are from the town of Cincheros. The more gaucho-like wool felt ones are from neighboring villages, while the alpaca knit caps are from all over Peru.

More on the weaving in this village tomorrow!

Back at Terra Andina at lunch in the covered courtyard.