Sightseeing

Cusco is definitely for tourists, and I finally managed to do some touristy things - such as going to the Museo Inca and buying some Alpaca pullovers. I even bargained to get a better price for the latter. A nervewrecking undertaking which I had to make up for later by going to the supermarket were prices are fixed and nobody wants to talk to me. I was quite touched to see the pullover-vendress bless the money she got from me, though - explaining at seeing my surprised face that I was her first customer of the day - at noon. Her shop was in a touristy-purchases-mall located next to ten others of the sort. Maybe things are better for the shop-keepers if the tourist-season is in full swing but life in these malls is certainly different from the bustle in the markets in which I normally buy my stuff for the field.
The museum yielded an interesting discovery, too. More than half my life ago somebody sent me a love letter which started with the photo of an emaciated male mummy, who had his hands raised up to his cheeks and his mouth wide open, like an uglyfied version of Munk's 'Scream', followed by the words 'if I don't get to see you soon I will look like this'. As I turned one corner of the museum I stood in front of this very mummy - very exciting to meet an old acquaintance so unexpectedly.
Another moment of excitement was when I arrived at the Plaza de Armas. A further military parade! This time just by schoolchildren and their shouty teachers.


Later on, when I was driven home in a taxi I saw the same children arrive back in their school at the end of my street. That explained the military music nobody knew about yesterday. They were rehearsing.