Today we took a bus to the nearby town of Tarabuco which is renowned for its Sunday craft market. We took a bus partly because we did not want to go through the process of leaving and entering our parking position more than necessary.

Tarabuco was a small town with an nice main square. Around the square were stalls selling various local craft items, mostly woven from llama wool, and a number of establishments selling food. Down the side streets around the square the things turned into more of a local general purpose market with everything from pickaxes to second hand clothing to meat and vegetables.

We spent 3 1/2 hours wandering around, buying a few things, and being pressed by numerous vendors to buy more.

The day was pleasant but not without some discomfort. There were many signs of poverty in the scene. Some of the vendors, those who simply carried their wares around the town, seemed quite desperate. There were a few intoxicated men wandering between the stalls. Traditional dress was quite common and not simply a show for the tourists, but on many of the older people the garments were well worn and in need of laundry.

I walked away from the day reminded in strong terms of how lucky I was to be born in a first world country.