Semana Santa

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Only one week until we fly back home in time for the glorious Maple Syrup Festival and here we are celebrating the holy and sacred "Semana Santa" or Holy Week with all the faithful Peruvians 😊 Last night, the central sqaure as well as several surrounding streets, were covered in dyed sawdust and dried flower pedals, creating various images of llamas, indigenous women, children, crosses, flowers, doves and corporate sponsered logos :P It was impressive to see it all laid out in front of us and then this morning seeing it all gone, as the night rain washed it away only to leave the streets slightly dyed with reds, whites, blues, greens, and yellows. There will be lots of processions, visiting of churches, morning vigils, firecrackers, eating of yummy Easter pastries, and more to come during these next few days of Holy Week 😊

And I am fascinated to see how the Quechua, and other Indigenous cultures, fuse their indigenous beliefs with that of their conquerors. We have seen much of this in the artwork here, in the churhces, the mini alters situated in airports, bus stations, markets, and homes, and in the various processions and prayers. It is a blissful and beautiful mystery how individuals take their learned religious beliefs and transform it into a spirituality of their own 😊

After the 24 hour bus ride from Cusco to Ayacucho, Machu Picchu feels so far away...yet I can still feel her in my tight hamstrings :P We spent three nights-four days hiking through the ancient and lost rituals of the infamous 100 year long Incan empire. Up, up, up, up over 3,000 feet we climbed and then down, down, down another 3,000 feet. Up, through, and around the great Andes, watching her change from lush green, to arid brown, to winding mossy jungle. And finally, our last morning, rising at 3:50a.m., we reached the heights of Machu Picchu and allowed our imaginations to tell us the unknown stories that lie behind the ruins 😊 Our world is so rich!!!!!

These past few days I have felt an intense longing for home and for community. And I think it is during these times when I know how blessed I am to have such wonderful friends and family 😊 I love you all, Rachel 😊

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