Dream Trip 2009

Great Travel Moment

We visited the weaving village of Patacancha (~13,000 ft) in the Sacred Valley of Peru days before their school's 20th anniversary celebration. We'd arranged to spend time on the grounds and watch some of the preparations. We spent over 2 hours there, mingling with the children and communicating mostly with smiles, since they spoke mostly Quechua and our Spanish sparked giggles. The girls in this photo were rehearsing their dance to the beat of a single drum and a rustic musical recording. It was interesting to see the indigenous woven ponchos and hats intermingled with some urban-influenced clothing. Another exciting part of our visit was playtime when our 13-year old son joined the boys for a game of high-altitude soccer. The ponchos were flying and the smiles were wide. Our visit left me with indelible, heart-warming memories and I hope to visit again soon!