Cosecha de la Papa

A few weeks back (delayed reaction, I know, and I apologize - but better late than never, right?) my brother invited me to come along with him and a coworker, Mario, to travel to a rural area close to Lake Titicaca in order to attend the ceremony of the cosecha de la papa, the potato harvest. Because of someone's obsession with drinking coffee in the morning, we arrived at the end of the main ceremony (oops - see picture on left though for the landscape), but still enjoyed the following fair where the amount and variety of potatoes for sale was impressive. Didn't pick up many details on the what where how why when who of the ceremony, but I do know it has to do with making an offering to the Pachamama (Mother Earth)...

On the way home, we swung by Tihuanacu, one of the most important archaeological sites of the country, which belonged to - as far as I know - the only civilization which doesn't seem to have had any weapons!

Potatoes, potatoes and more potatoes.

The three other adventurers: my brother, Adriana, and Mario - in Tihuanacu.

A piece of the Tihuanacu ruins...