Venturing out

Yesterday as part of my class I was taken to a great market and saw all kinds of interesting produce including many different types of maize and beans. My teacher chatted with the stall holders and they were all very courteous and helpful. After that I joined South American Explorers, a not for profit organisation that helps travelers with information on planning their journeys. It seems like a nice place to hang out and has wireless which is the real reason I wanted to check it out. On Thursdays there is a open meeting, the next one explaining about Quechua which is the indigenous language – so I may go along.

As my body becomes acclimatized to the altitude I begin to feel more able to check out the various opportunities and possibilities. Last night's attempt at salsa left me in no doubt that my talents lie elsewhere. There was a group of 20 somethings and me and most of them had done it before. The teacher was quite patient and Macdud, my partner from Holland was really kind but I didn't get beyond the basic step which I had forgotten by the time I got home – still, trying something out for free several thousand miles away has something to recommend it.

Today, after class I walked up a steep path to see some Inca ruins called Saqsaywamán – this sounds a bit lie sexy woman so is easy to pronounce. I couldn't get in due to not yet having bought a 10 day pass for various sites – a silly rule considering that many people only visit for a day or two. However, I could see much of it from he next hill to which I had diverted to see massive white statue of Christ and with a great outlook on the city where was able to take some nice photos. On the way down I stopped in a posh hotel fo hot chocolate and was impressed by some life size stone puma heads in the lavatory which were really taps above the stone sinks. On my way back there were some young traditional dancers practicing in the Plaza near where I live where earlier there had been a Nestlé tent offering free nutrition consultations to he local people – this seemed like highly debatable multi-national activity but I suppose not surprising.