A different shopping experience

(No photos for this ....)

We set off with Milka ... warned that we would be going into an area where it wasn't safe to carry bags, cameras, etc and where pick-pockets might frequent. Get the picture .... 4 of us carrying nothing, minus our jewellery, money stashed in internal pockets or hiding places.

We'd previously driven through this commercial area (nothing like the commercial areas we are used to) but today, Saturday it was alive. The railway line which runs through the centre of the street was filled with people selling livestock... puppies, kittens, ducks, chooks.... A side-street was a sea of tarps all the way up the hill – a double row of stalls up the middle of the street and footpaths lined with more stalls ... all crowded with bargain hunters. All the spaces in buildings lining this street were also full of stalls – alley ways, courtyards, unfinished buildings ... every available space. One space we went into was such a building ... up 3 flights of concrete steps – open floors of an unfinished building where dozens of stall holders had laid out their wares on tarps or blankets.

Some of the stock was new, but much of it was second hand ... clothing, curtains, sheets, apparently from North America, Other sections were tools, old computer parts (motherboards .... crapppp!!!) even second hand traditional clothing – woven shawls with big holes in them.

We traipsed along .... Milka leading the way, Jill and I trying to keep up .. and Gladys bringing up the rear ... often falling behind because she stopped to check out a bargain. After a while it became apparent we were on a mission to get items for Milka's 'costume' for her hen's night - a Pimps and Prostitutes party. The shopping expedition for boots for Jill and I was to come later. Milka, tried on coats, leather jackets, searched for bags etc before setting off for another area where other items were added to the costume collection and boots were purchased ... for 50 soles!

Whist we were shopping with Milka, Jeff and Lex were assigned the task of looking after Zac during his bucks' event – can't call it a party as it was an all day event, starting with breakfast during the Rugby Tri-Nations match, followed by go-kart racing, then paintball, then off to Senor Carbon's for lunch (all you can eat meat), then a 'show' involving flesh, and finally to meet up with the girls event for a night of dancing, drinking and merrymaking.

Pleased to note that all made it home safely, although somewhat bruised and sore, but generally in better condition than a previous night out.