Nasca

Mountainous region and rocky area of Nasca.

Pool at Hotel Mojoro.

Nasca Lines Airplane.

In the air above the lines and what the desert
region of Nasca looks like.

Nasca is a really rocky, dirt dusty, and sandy region of Peru. With mountainous heights and low rising hill versions of similar mountains. Not as steep as the mountains in the Cusco region and full of vegetation. In particular parts of Nasca there are oasis and vegetation growing in the valley areas where there is a constant supply of water. Since it is winter time in the southern hemisphere there is not as much heat dryness as one would expect. Besides the desertous landscape Nasca is know for a few more things such as the Nasca lines, cock fights, and other things one might expect of a desertous  location. The Hotel that I stayed at, Hotel Mojoro is an isolated, but blocked off by their outer boundary wall of their property from the land that they do not own. Within the complex itself there are many things to do. Pool table, swimming pool, soccer, swings, monkey bars, hammocks, a lagoon, restaurant, bar, and lounge chair dispersed among the complex. I almost forgot to mention that they also have a pet Alpaca on grounds as well as peacocks.


The Nasca lines are quite a site to see that figures where drawn back in the ancient times of Peru from the civilization that was there at the time and still sit undisturbed. They are visually seen from the difference of the top soil and below it. The top soil is dark colored rocks and the bottom is lighter soil or in this case sand/ dry dirt. Thus lines and pictographs can be formed, but the real question is is how did they make these pictographs without being able to see from above? Nevertheless it is quite amazing and interesting even though they are lines, but the fact that they are ancient pictographs that with stood time and natural occurrences is beyond anything.

Owl man or astronaut line.

Dog line.

The other thing is the cock fights that i believe happen pretty regularly since it is a form of entertainment in the Nasca region and a way to gamble money to see which cock wins. One might say it is barbarism, but it is their way of life and being able to see it for what it is in the cultural aspect in their region you won't see it that way. The losing chicken does not go to waste either which is not bad because then it will just be food for some family or someone who is eating and the consumer will never know. Just that they are eating their great tasting chicken. In the fight, each cock's spur is either cut off or kept on depending on the blade that is attached. It is a painless/ nerveless part of the cock just peoples bottoms and crown of their heads are to them, but aren't cut off in the similar fashion in cock fights. The owners then attach the sharpened blade to the cock's foot with a small wooden block to ensure the blade does not two things: cut into their own foot and to keep the blade secure in place while being attached to the foot. Then to ensure stability and security of the blade, the owners then tie using string/ small rope the block and blade in place on the foot. Then to give it a protective cover they then tape the rope. To make sure the blade is clean from dirt, dry blood, poison, etc. the owners wipe the blade clean. They hold the cock's while trying to get them riled up to later attack each other. Once they have done that they place them at opposite ends and close the gate doors for them to them start fighting. It is not over till the losing cock's beak touches the ground.

Spider line.

Another view of the region of Nasca.

Cock fight in Nasca. Owners attaching the blade to foot.

Cocks in the ring about to fight.

Box of death. Blade of choice to attach.

Owners preparing foot by cutting the spur of the foot
off and attaching the blade.

Dune buggy! One of the best activities to do on the desert.

Riding the buggy through the desert and rock.

Sand boarding! Another fun activity on the dunes.

Ancient Nazcan body. Preserved by ton of salt,
organs taken out, and filled with cotton.

Ancient skull on the burial grounds.

Ancient aqueduct. Water flows underneath.

Nazcan woven shack. There are Peruvians
that live live like this in Nasca.

Food and Beverage

Peruvian winery with best wine being
displayed. Also with their very best Pisco.

Typical Peruvian Pisco found.

Bigger than usual corn and not as sweet as the states.
along with fine steak and a potato dish creation.

Chilean wine. Found a lot in Peru because it's their
regions skill in the southern hemisphere. Peru makes
their own too, but a bigger importer of Chilean.

Small taste of Peruvian buffet dish. Tomato and salad, Alpaca 
drumsticks, wonton dumpling, cold pasta, 
and rice mixed with vegetable.

Salt from the salt mines. Salt found on every
table in Peru.

Peruvians collecting and harvesting potatoes.

Typical size of Peruvian potato.

Collecting and transporting crops by mule or
small horse.

Typical Peruvian soup. Usually only vegetables.

One shop in Cusco that specializes in cocoa tea.

Collecting and preparing potatoes for transport.

Nice restaurant in Peru. Awesome dessert!

Amaretto ice cream and brownie with amaretto hints
covered with chocolate drizzle.

One region in Peru that specializes in the
making of bread. For this bakery sweet
tasting bread.

Another region that specializes in Creme de Pisco.
Which is similar to Bailey's Cream, but with Pisco.
Chocolate, vanilla, and orange Creme de Pisco.

       Just like my other experience in Italy of


2004, each region specializes in something that


they are know for.




As explained by the captions of some of the


above, most small villages in Peru specialize in


something and in some cases because of the


layout of the land its by region.




From what I picked up from the regions that I at


they specialize in Creme de Pisco, bread, brick


making, harvesting certain crops, cocoa leaf


growing, salt, wine, Pisco, pottery, Alpaca


textiles, and the list can go on and on.


Those are the ones that I have encountered.


 For a majority since Alpacas and Llamas


populate the country of Peru, textiles made of


the fur of those animals are very prized and their


biggest thing.




The quality or craft of the treads of the alpaca


textile will vary depending on whats it is for or


the quality that is given the apparel.


I have tried everything for the most part that


Peru had to offer except for the questionable


stuff that one should not when it's their first time


because one is not use to the germs or micro-


organisms that live there. Some examples being


street vendor food, sandwiches from some


places mostly due to not well kept mayo, and


getting food from the big market where locals


would get their meat and vegetables.




Restaurants for a majority are safe, especially


the nicer ones because they want customers and


do whats necessary to keep them coming back.


The portion and taste of the food in general is


nothing like we ever tasted back home. Not real


fat, salty, sugary or big. Everything is as what


we should eat here at home.




One of meats that I tried that was really


interesting and good is alpaca meat. The thought


of eating at first, I'll admit was skeptical, but


after trying it and taking my time eating it. It's


actually REALLY Good! It's almost like steak


or a version of steak, but a lot finer piece of


meat.




There was another moment where I could have


had moth larva in the morning for breakfast, but


stomach was not really strong for that at that


time. Plantains were really good, but not as


sweet as the bananas typically eaten back in the


states.




Pisco is great tasting alcohol. I like to reference


it as a wine vodka because it is made from grape


and fermented till it has a hard liquor


consistency.




Then the popular and great mixed drink made


from the Pisco is called a Pisco Sour. That is


pretty much Pisco, lemon juice and egg white


with blended ice. That is really good especially


during the summer and hot times of the season,


but it can be drank anytime of the year too.

Sabino Instruments

Working table with little hand held flutes and finalizing
small guitar.

Same work table with small guitar and hand held chisel.

Floor covered in wood shavings from countless
instrument creating.

Second work table with wood shavings, hand saw, and plane.

Second work table with polyurethaned version
marimacho and other hand tools to get the job done.

More hand tools, pencils, etc. hanging on a wall.

Charangos of one style cut into shape and waiting to be
worked on.

Charangos of another style cut and sanded down into 
shape. Waiting for finalized touches.

Charangos waiting to be dried out for one year before
being worked on.

Wall two of hand tools and finished charangos.

       Sabino is a local Cusconian who is an Instrument Professional in creating the various instruments that him and his two sons make within their shop. This profession and trait of craft has been past down from generation to generation within his family starting from his great great grandfather down to current  day. Considering how times have changed since then and global influences (machinery, ideas, music, food, etc.) have been introduced and perhaps somewhat adopted there has been some talk that his sons might not want to continue the line of instrument making, but as of right now his sons are continuing the line of craft and currently working on different instrumental projects. Creating Charangos is a long process of collecting materials such as wood and wood even from the way north like Canada and the USA. Using one piece of thick wood to cut out and carve the general shape of the Charango. After it has been cut into its general shape they allow the wood to dry for a year to then continue the process by shaping it into its final decor and playing shape of state. They then use different kinds of wood to then decorate and design the surface of the Charango into designs and patterns that speak to them. This is really symbolic and as much of a part of Sabino when creating his instruments. 
         When each Charango and guitar like instrument is made in terms of pattern and design for each one he pays close attention to the relationship and differences of the sound that the instrument makes and relates it to woods being used to design the instrument's look. As another general reason and relation he has with the process of designing these instruments he enjoys the aesthetics of the different woods as they are being inlaid into the look of the Charango. Sabino has a personal project that he has been working on of his own and that is his own personal guitar. The guitar has been made out of a beautiful single piece of cherry wood inlaid the edges with dark and light wood, and inlaid the dark wood for the neck and head of the guitar. There is no hole in the center of the guitar where the strings vibrate into the guitar, but there is a heart cut out just below the neck where it meets the body of the guitar and in the top left corner slits with little circles next to them. He says he designed this one that way because the guitar is like his heart and every sound/ stroking of the strings is his heart beating to the sound of the music the guitar makes and his passion for creating these musical instruments. With his craft of these instruments and making them as his profession, he enjoys seeing the same love and interests from others of the tangible and intangible feelings and connections they receive from his instruments who'd like to purchase them. Once looking at his finished pieces in the store room and the workshop room with the painstaking process to make one of these instruments, one would only be amazed at the craft and quality one can get for such a beautiful instrument with the use of hand tools. Whats more amazing is that he is located through a very obvious door that seems hidden because a merchant is parked right in front of it and on the other side of the street in front of Sabino's door to his shop is the 12 sided stone.