clinking his pesos

clinking his pesos

a Maya shoeshine man waits 
for scuffed zapatos

On our way back from Chichen Itza we stop at the plaza central in Mérida, the capital of the state of Yucatán in Mexico. Spanish conquistadors built Mérida on the site of the centuries-old Maya city of T'ho or Ichkanzihó, "city of five hills (pyramids)." Because of its long history, Mérida may be the oldest continually occupied city in the Americas. 

           Mérida was named for the Spanish city of the same name. The colonial builders incorporated carved stones from T'ho into their buildings, including the main cathedral across from the plaza central. In colonial times the city was surrounded by a wall to protect the citizens from revolts by the indigenous Maya. Today, ironically, Mérida has the highest percentage of indigenous people of any city in Mexico.

           

          Around the plaza, buhoneros wait patiently with their braided belts, balloons, handmade hammocks and food carts for touristas to purchase their wares or get their shoes polished. 

This is their ancient home. They have all the time in the world.

eating purple grapes

 

eating purple grapes 

and peaches from her wheelbarrow

watched by curious dog

This fruit vendor has set up shop on the corner of a street in Pisac. The dog looks eagerly at the piles of grapes, perhaps wishing he could sample some too. Her old wheelbarrow, lined with red and blue plastic, and the pink plastic shopping bags create a bright tableau for the purple grapes and yellow peaches. The adobe wall behind her, its pink paint pitted down to the clay bricks looks like an abstract painting, contrasting with the neat design of the stone street.

t'ikas on her braids

t'ikas on her braids

a vendor waits by her cart

of many colors

Punenos, the inhabitants of Puno, love bright colors, especially brilliant turquoise. Here it is seen in the tall shop-on-wheels and even the waste basket and plastic bag next to the cart. The large t'ikas on the ends of the vendor's long black braids are typical of southern Peru. She is standing in the narrow calle near our hotel, while her precious cart barely straddles the narrow sidewalk. Puno hugs the shore of Lake Titicaca, the largest lake in the world above 2,000 m. The founding of Puno dates back to the late seventeenth century after the discovery of silver mines in the area. Beautifully crafted silver jewelry is readily available in many shops, although prices are steadily rising as the supply of silver declines.

Ollantaytambo

Ollantaytambo

vendor taking siesta

in her tiny stall

The narrow cobblestone streets of Ollantaytambo have been continuously occupied since the thirteenth century, a living example of Inka city planning, including irrigation channels running along each steep street. In the noisy central market, I catch this woman taking a nap in her little stall, her head leaning against a big bottle of Coca Cola.