I am writing again on Saturday, after arriving back from Machu Picchu last Wednesday night. The train journey was very enjoyable with Layla and me enjoying music on the ipod all the way. The trolley came round with refreshments and we enjoyed a pisco sour the first time round, a coffee next time and finally a Cusquena beer. The view over Cusco by night as the train zig zagged back down from the mountains was stupendous.
Back in Cusco, Layla was very tired and wanted a shower and go straight to bed. After we got settled in ... to a warmer room upstairs in the same hotel as before, I went down to Chez Maggy to see if the band were playing. We were both hungry as it was ages since lunchtime so I said I would order a large pizza and bring half back in a box for her. Chez Maggy is only around the corner so I didnt mind walking there on my own. Peering in the window there was no sign of a band but next minute a tap on my shoulder and it was one of the musicians, Larry, saying they would be playing in about 10 minutes. Having been to this restaurant several times by now I didnt mind going in on my own, sat at a table in front of where the band would play, and ordered a pisco sour and the pizza. Soon the band members appeared and they were mostly different musicians than usual. They were selling a different CD too so at the end I bought it as they let me have it for a third off the usual price and they all signed it too. Then I hurried back to our hotel so that Layla could enjoy her half of the pizza.
Next day we decided to have a nice lazy day around Cusco - we had intended to explore further afield but Layla was still feeling a bit under the weather from her cold and just wanted to enjoy Plaza des Armas. This proved to be a wise decision as the shamen popped by at 8.30 to say hello, just before we moved hotels and he warned us not to stray too far from the Plaza because there was a one day demonstration going on all day by university students and it could be risky. We decided not to stay at the same one as before because although the room was marginally warmer there was no window and no door on the ensuite bathroom either!
After he had gone we set off to the Plaza intending to have breakfast. On the way we passed another hotel and went in and were shown a lovely twin bedded room with balcony overlooking the plaza and it was full of sunshine. The cost was the same so we decided to hail a taxi and move our things. In no time we had moved in, left our things to unpack later and were heading to Cappuccino cafe for breakfast, just 2 minutes walk away and we enjoyed breakfast on the balcony too. We had a good laugh over breakfast because I couldnt remember if there was a door on the bathroom or not. We were already amazed at how small the bathroom was and were laughing saying that one could sit on the loo and have a shower at the same time, and that hopefully there was a door!!!
Back in our room afterwards we got settled in and then Layla decided to rest up as we were going to be godmothers at the christening of Sebastian Gorki that evening. I decided to go out in the square and see if any musicians would be playing anywhere. In no time at all I was talking to the charango player whose CD I had bought the evening before and he said he and Larry would be playing with members of another band at Papillon restaurant and Baghdad Cafe sometime after noon. This proved very enjoyable and Layla came over to watch the band too and we both bought their CD. We had a delicious Mexican lunch in Baghdad Cafe too. It was another lovely sunny day so I relaxed on a seat in the Plaza for a while too and at one point two other musicians came over ... I was listening to my iPod and luckily had two sets of headphones with me because next minute all three of us were listening ... one earphone apiece ... and this became four when a child approached and asked to listen too, and she laughed with delight to hear andean music playing!
Then back to the hotel to get ready for the evening as Juan was coming to fetch us at 5.30. We were lucky enough to get to the church by taxi, the one day demonstration strike having stopped most of the public transport - we could have walked it but the church was in an area not too safe for tourists. Juan is always careful to warn us of any risks. Jorge arrived at ten to six and at 6 pm, Gorky and Lydia arrived with little Sebastian beautifully dressed in the Peruvian equivalent of a sailor suit. The church was the Templo de Belen and a mass was in progress as we waited until 6.30 when the christening would begin.
Layla and I had to sit in the front with the parents, with Juan giving us a nudge whenever we had to do anything. I was the one who held the baby when the actual baptism took place and Juan managed to capture a few pictures of this on my camera. Later we had to hold candles which were lit and what did I manage to do next ... silly me managed to catch my hair on fire!!! Luckily Lydia spotted it instantly and put it out before I singed more than the ends on one side!
After the ceremony we all piled into a bus laid on for the purpose and went to the place where the reception was being held. As guests of honour Layla and I sat with gorky and Lydia with a table in front of us. All the other guests were seated on chairs all round the room. Snacks were brought round, then a glass of champagne each, followed by several pisco sours each. Around 9 pm everyone was served a plate of lechon (roast pork) along with rocoto relleno, maize, roast potato and salad, and this was really delicious. Then the music and dancing began, mostly huayno and cumbia typical Cusquena music which is very fast and danceable. For the rest of the evening I was properly exhausted because one person then another kept getting me up to dance - even one old lady who danced so fast I could hardly keep up. I was pretty tired after a few hours but enjoyed myself so totally. It was really an honour to be part of such a familial scene, and they take godmother{s responsibilities much more seriously here - I am now considered the second mother to Sebastian Gorky and would be expected to bring him up if anything were to happen to his parents. This story will be continued in a couple of days as I have to go now. It has been afew days since my last episode so I am sending this unfinished one now so you know all is well.
