Adventures in Ayacucho

This Easter was definitely one of the most unique I've had to date. Not much can top last year, with my parents coming and us heading to Machu Picchu and my little town, but this was a whole different experience.

It started with two night buses in a row...ouch! We made the best of it, though, strolling around Lima and stretching our legs in between. Here is us (me and my girl Taneesha) on the bus...

When we got to Ayacucho, about 10 hrs south-east of Lima, we hit the ground running. It is a beautiful, historic city of about 100,000 and we wanted to see everything we could. During breakfast overlooking the plaza, we got to see a reinactment of Jesus being dragged through the streets by the Romans after his trial. Also they were making the sawdust carpets that the night's procession would walk over...

We headed to the Pampa, where there is a beautiful monument to the battle of Ayacucho (Peruvian independence from the Spaniards). On the way up, we got stopped in a traffic jam, which made for entertainment as literally everyone got out of their cars and tried to occupy themselves and not think about how hot it was.

But we made it up, and it was worth it! We even got our pictures taken with llamas...

Then we headed into the cute artisan town of Quinoa. Got a beautiful clay piece that shows the last supper, tried some new food, and headed back into the city content. That night we had dinner with our whole group and I had alpaca for the second time...SOO good!

Saturday was the main show...running with the bulls, horses dancing Marinera, scorns of people in the plaza (all in red shirts), craziness. Very cool to see. We decided to break away from the crowds to go see the terrorism museum and artisan work. The museum was very interesting and the artisan work was gorgeous. I am starting a collection for when I have an apartment someday :)

Then we got some much needed grub at this cute hole in the wall place near our hostel and made friends with the ladies...they were so cute and couldn't get over Taneesha's (6'1") height.

We stayed up all night through fireworks and crowds, went to mass at 4am and saw Jesus being brought out on this HUGE float that requires 200 people to carry it. Pretty awesome. 

The last day we took it easy, then headed up to the lookout spot over town and ate some delicious chicharron (fried pork...sooo yummy).

Us hanging out in Lima wrapping up the trip...

A wonderful trip and a great way to celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus...He is risen!

'til next time...