Stricken with the curse of Rascar Capac
I spent the better part of the morning puking everywhere. I guess I wasn't sufficiently respectful in my last post about ancient Pre-Incan football players - my mom told me not to post that or maybe it was because I ate nothing except a few bites of dessert yesterday despite my parents' repeated threats and warnings. Anyhow, thanks to my steady diet of water cracker bites and sips of electrolite replacer, I am much better now!
We got to Arequipa yesterday and checked into the Casa de Tintin - which I picked out. It is a great hotel with really nice gardens. The first thing we went to see was Juanita, "The Princess of the Ices". She was very interesting because unlike other mummies found here she was frozen immediately at death and not dehydrated, so she was very well preserved and scientists have been able to do lots of tissue studies they can't do on other child sacrifices. She was probably chosen at birth to be a sacrifice to the mountain gods and raised specially in Cuzco. At the time of her sacrifice she was about 12 years old. When researchers ran her body through an MRI at Johns Hopkins they discovered that she died from a heavy blow to the right side of her head. Her brain was completely pushed to the left side of her skull. Fortunately, when this happened she was probably unconcious from an intoxicating drink of fermented corn called chicha. Because of the freezing, all her organs have been perfectly preserved - she was physically perfect: no illness, no infirmity, no cavities even. They were able to analyze her stomach contents and identify her last meal. Her possessions were almost all intact also and she was from a wealthy important family. They can tell because she owned fabric that was reserved for important families from Cuzco. She had to walk all the way from there to the mountain top as part of the ritual. Archeologists found several pairs of her and the priests grass slippers on the path up the mountain.
While we waited to go in, we watched the Germany/Argentina game. It was hard not to cheer as Germany destroyed Argentine and my parents kept shushing me so as not to offend all the Peruvians, who wanted Argetina to win. Germany crushed them 4-0. Hasta la bye bye, Argentina!
After the ice mummy we went to the Santa Catalina convent. I saw a huge tour group of nuns! There are still 30 nuns who live at this convent, but they have a small section apart form the rest and they don't mix with tourists. Also these nuns all had souvenir bags and several were wearing hats over their wimples. Anyhow, this place was huge! I felt like Theseus in the Labyrinth. It was really beautiful and colorful all painted in vibrant shades of red, yellow, orange and blue. The paint stains your shirt if you lean against the walls - my dad learned that the hard way! There were lots of gorgeous geraniums all over the place and a rose garden also. There is a huge fountain in one of the 10 million courtyards that is filled with goldfish. The convent was filled with beautiful and interesting things and I have decided that I want a 16th century writing desk with dozens of little drawers for my room when we move. My mom just said, "Save your money." Do you think that means my parents won't get me one?
The place was so big that we had to stop at a little cafe located in a lovely garden. I had delicious extra-chocolaty cake for lunch! We finished the rest of the convent after our break. After that we visited some shops. We found baby alpaca reversible llama hats! There were also these really cool chess sets where one side was Inca warriors and the other was conquistadores. My dad wanted one, but my mom said no, because it isn't much of a game when you already know which side will ultimately win.
We stopped at a creperie for dinner and to check on the Spain/ Paraguay game. Spain won. This result was also locally unpopular. I had a butter, cinnamon and sugar crepe - so they said, but it tasted like apples. That is why I couldn't eat it.
Today, I didn't do much - except the puking. There was a lot of that, but I am much better now and after resting, water biscuits and electrolite rehidrate whatever, we were able to go out for dinner. We went to "Restaurant on the Top". And yes it was. After climbing Mt. Everest - well, it was 6 flights and at this elevation I could barely breathe. My mom was calling for oxygen and Nepalese porters by the fourth floor! The view was stunningly beautiful and I ate an entire pyramid of arroz blanco (white rice - I don't know why it comes shaped like a pyramid). Well, I feel fine now and cannot wait for operation "See Camelids" tomorrow!
We got to Arequipa yesterday and checked into the Casa de Tintin - which I picked out. It is a great hotel with really nice gardens. The first thing we went to see was Juanita, "The Princess of the Ices". She was very interesting because unlike other mummies found here she was frozen immediately at death and not dehydrated, so she was very well preserved and scientists have been able to do lots of tissue studies they can't do on other child sacrifices. She was probably chosen at birth to be a sacrifice to the mountain gods and raised specially in Cuzco. At the time of her sacrifice she was about 12 years old. When researchers ran her body through an MRI at Johns Hopkins they discovered that she died from a heavy blow to the right side of her head. Her brain was completely pushed to the left side of her skull. Fortunately, when this happened she was probably unconcious from an intoxicating drink of fermented corn called chicha. Because of the freezing, all her organs have been perfectly preserved - she was physically perfect: no illness, no infirmity, no cavities even. They were able to analyze her stomach contents and identify her last meal. Her possessions were almost all intact also and she was from a wealthy important family. They can tell because she owned fabric that was reserved for important families from Cuzco. She had to walk all the way from there to the mountain top as part of the ritual. Archeologists found several pairs of her and the priests grass slippers on the path up the mountain.
While we waited to go in, we watched the Germany/Argentina game. It was hard not to cheer as Germany destroyed Argentine and my parents kept shushing me so as not to offend all the Peruvians, who wanted Argetina to win. Germany crushed them 4-0. Hasta la bye bye, Argentina!
After the ice mummy we went to the Santa Catalina convent. I saw a huge tour group of nuns! There are still 30 nuns who live at this convent, but they have a small section apart form the rest and they don't mix with tourists. Also these nuns all had souvenir bags and several were wearing hats over their wimples. Anyhow, this place was huge! I felt like Theseus in the Labyrinth. It was really beautiful and colorful all painted in vibrant shades of red, yellow, orange and blue. The paint stains your shirt if you lean against the walls - my dad learned that the hard way! There were lots of gorgeous geraniums all over the place and a rose garden also. There is a huge fountain in one of the 10 million courtyards that is filled with goldfish. The convent was filled with beautiful and interesting things and I have decided that I want a 16th century writing desk with dozens of little drawers for my room when we move. My mom just said, "Save your money." Do you think that means my parents won't get me one?
The place was so big that we had to stop at a little cafe located in a lovely garden. I had delicious extra-chocolaty cake for lunch! We finished the rest of the convent after our break. After that we visited some shops. We found baby alpaca reversible llama hats! There were also these really cool chess sets where one side was Inca warriors and the other was conquistadores. My dad wanted one, but my mom said no, because it isn't much of a game when you already know which side will ultimately win.
We stopped at a creperie for dinner and to check on the Spain/ Paraguay game. Spain won. This result was also locally unpopular. I had a butter, cinnamon and sugar crepe - so they said, but it tasted like apples. That is why I couldn't eat it.
Today, I didn't do much - except the puking. There was a lot of that, but I am much better now and after resting, water biscuits and electrolite rehidrate whatever, we were able to go out for dinner. We went to "Restaurant on the Top". And yes it was. After climbing Mt. Everest - well, it was 6 flights and at this elevation I could barely breathe. My mom was calling for oxygen and Nepalese porters by the fourth floor! The view was stunningly beautiful and I ate an entire pyramid of arroz blanco (white rice - I don't know why it comes shaped like a pyramid). Well, I feel fine now and cannot wait for operation "See Camelids" tomorrow!
Comments
Love always,
Maurin
Love to all,
Grandpa Boyce