Oops it's Tuesday: Fiestas!

    I wasn't even thinking about the fact that it was Monday yesterday because I have been busy enjoying the Festival del Nuestro Señor de Choquekilca, the biggest festival of the year in Ollantaytambo and a glorious four day weekend.  I wish every day was a holiday.  This festival is largely comprised of the three pillars of any Peruvian fiesta, large or small:  eating, drinking and dancing. And of course all the religious stuff, too.
   Those among you well-versed in Christian liturgy may realize that this past Sunday was Pentecost, fifty days after Easter when the Holy Ghost came back down to Earth like a rushing wind and annointed Jesus' apostles with tongues of fire. This was the day Peter had prophesied that the Lord would pour out his spirit on everyone (in Joel 2:28-29):

 ²⁸ "And it shall come to pass afterward,
   that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
   your old men shall dream dreams,
   and your young men shall see visions.
²⁹ Even on the male and female servants
   in those days I will pour out my Spirit.

  So, our Señor de Choquekilca is a local saint who appeared once this time of year and Ollantinos honor him with dances and parties that conveniently coincide with Pentecost (I'm sure the Señor planned it that way). I'm really bad at recounting the details of the actual story of the Señor but it's something about a man almost falling in the river but clinging to a tiny plant which miraculously stayed rooted. He saw a wooden cross in the river, or maybe it was just a piece of wood, and in this precarious state he had a vision of the Señor. He was able to pull the wood out, or go get a horse and do it, or something, and now the cross (which is maybe made of the wood from the river?) is all dressed up and venerated and lives in the Templo on the Plaza. I don't know what year this was and don't take my word on any of that, but that's the gist!

   Today is the final day and I am taking a break during the lunchtime lull. Once it's all over I will report back with pictures and stories galore, because the other heart of the festival is the traditional masked dance groups who spend the days honoring the Señor with elaborate costumes and huge processions. Anyone recognize that gringo-face dancer down below?