Iglesia La Merced

I checked the trail situation to Machu Pichu and the only one available at the moment is the Inca Trail (for the two other trails there are no people and to go alone with a guide I would have to spend $300). I am then going on the Inca Trail tomorrow at 7:00 am. It will be a four day trek. I will spend the last night in Aquas Calientes to soak after the trail in thermal bath. I will be back on Thursday morning so I will put new info then. I got water purification tablets and glucose pills and the rest should be provided the the guides. I am only taking my sleeping bag and a few pieces of clothing. I was told that at this time of the year, low season, there are about 100 people on the trek daily as opposed to 500 in high season.

Today I visited Iglesia y Convento La Merced (Church and Convent of the Mercy) and I saw many interesting works of art again. One of them was the hosteria (I think that's the name in English?) made of pure 24-carat gold incrusted with a few hundred diamonds, pearls, rubies and other precious stones. The main pearl is in the form of a mermaid - the shape is natural, only the head is made of gold and attached to the body-the pearl. It's unbelievable how nature made this pearl grow in this shape. I have also seen more Madonnas de la Leche. Karla has also encountered Madonnas with exposed boobs, feeding the infant, painted around the same time the Madonnas here were painted, in Sicily and along the Amalfi Coast. That is very interesting. I told the guide who was giving me the tour around La Merced how unusual it was for me to see the paintings of the breastfeeding Madonna and he said: "Wait till you see this" and he led me to a huge painting, overlooking the atrium, one of the main paintings of the convent, portraying the Virgin breastfeeding the infant and St. Peter! I saw this and I was... gasping for air, ready to faint, holding on to the guide... Just kidding! But it is the most unusual thing I have ever seen in sacral art.

I also wanted to visit Museo de Arte y Monasterio de Santa Catalina but the nuns closed earlier. I knocked and knocked because according to the schedule it was supposed to be open but a tiny elderly nun opened the heavy doors a crack and told me they were closed for the day. Rats! Maybe I will have the chance to see it when I return. In most of the places I visited I was the only vistor so I don't blame the nuns for taking off since there's no one to admire their art...

In the evening I went to Centro Qosqo (Cuzco in Quechua) de Arte Nativo Danzas Folkloricas and saw an hour of beautful folk dances and songs from the regions around Cuzco. It was a great performance in a very nice theater. Lots of beautiful costumes and beautiful music. During the intermission everyone was given mate de coca tea.

I forgot to report on the big protest which took place a few days ago in Cuzco and which I witnessed but I will tell more about this when I return because it touches the subject of modern anthropology and what I was writing about earlier - the survival of the indigenous people. Details tk (to come).

I will be in touch on Thursday and until then much love to you all.