Raqchi



Raqchi, Peru

It's not too far from Cusco to Raqchi, so for a change we had a nice relaxed start time.  Probably just as well as the previous night both Nic and I had succumbed to the bug going around the group.

Raqchi is a small town that used to be where people bringing their foods to Cusco would stop off.  As a result, the people of Raqchi became known for the ceramics that they made to store these foods.  More recently, they have embraced tourism by offering homestays with the villagers. Which is why we were there. 



We arrived in Raqchi in the pouring rain.  The town square was a mudbath and we had to park the truck next to the door of the church to unload the rucksacks without them and us getting completely drenched.  Nic and I and another couple were allocated to Stella and we set off with her to her home.  It was a good twenty minute walk on very muddy tracks in the still pouring rain.  By the time we got there our trousers and feet were soaked and spirits were dampened to say the least.



Stella's house, Raqchi, Peru



We really didn't know what to expect, but we were shown to two rooms on one side of a double courtyard.  Stella showed us where the toilet was and then left us to our own devices while she cooked us dinner.  We weren't sure whether we were supposed to stay put or go and find her, but we took our lead from the fact that she would have come and got us if that was the idea   It felt a bit strange just sat in someone's home like that, but we watched the chickens and dogs and  played some cards while we waited.



Our room, Raqchi, Peru



We had expected to go into Stella's part of the house for dinner, but instead she brought brought it to us in our room.  We had been told it would be starch, starch and more starch and they weren't wrong.  We had a potato and sweetcorn soup to start with, then chicken with rice and potatoes.  After dinner, Stella came and sat with us and Nic and I used our limited Spanish to have a conversation of sorts.  It was nice to have the opportunity to ask her about her and her family and how they lived.



Raqchi pottery, Peru



In the morning, we had to be up and ready for breakfast at 6am.  Breakfast was some fruits in condensed milk, a hot hardboiled egg, a pancake of sorts, bread, cheese and .... potatoes.  After breakfast Stella led us back into the town. We thought it a bit odd that someone had also scooped up the four puppies and brought them with us, but we discovered that this was because someone had come into town to do vaccinations and it was time for the puppies to have theirs. When we got there the square was full of rather disgruntled cats and dogs!



We were then given a display of the traditional pottery making before the inevitable opportunity to but gifts.  This is always difficult, as you  want to repay the hospitality you have been shown by buying something, and it's not expensive, but we just can't afford the space and weight in our rucksacks at this stage.  But this time we did manage to find a couple of very small things that we could take with us.



Raqchi pottery, Peru



We then had a mass goodbye session with the ladies who had hosted us all and were given some Andean cross necklaces before we set off on our way to Chivay.

The homestay was an interesting experience if a little awkward at times.  I was very pleased that we had learnt a bit of Spanish, as Stella spoke no English, so without it we would not have been able to have any proper conversation at all.  That would have been a shame as that was really the main benefit of the homestay.