Today we met Vidal and our driver Manuel. The guys really wanted to show us what local life was like so we met local farmers and weavers in small towns like Chinceros. Manuel had prepared us lunch at his home - and we ate in the courtyard of an old church. It was beautiful and there was so much attention to detail I couldnt believe it. Actually this would become a theme throughout the trip - METICULOUS ATTENTION TO DETAIL. Then we went to the salt flats which were, at that time, the most magnificent things Id ever seen just because of how old they are, how intensely they are attenede to by the families that own them and their aesthetic appeal. Then we hiked down to the sacred river. The sun was just starting to set and the river sort of glistened a little and flowed so smoothly I dont wonder at all why it was felt to be sacred. The whole place has a feeling of holiness.
