An American in Lima

Back in December, msnbc.com published a photo story on Qoyllur Rit’i and global warming, with photos by El Fotógrafo and captions by yours truly. I neglected to provide the link to that slide show, which includes some of EF’s strongest images of the dangerous (and endangered) glacier pilgrimage, so here it is, belatedly: “Peru’s Disappearing Holy Glacier.” [...]

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Happy Immaculate Conception Day! Did you think that this was the day that Mary did (not) get shtuped by Joseph and Jesus was immaculately conceived? I did. I even tweeted about it, erroneously. Thank god for Wikipedia and the efforts of reporters on the religion beat. Because it turns out that December 8 is the [...]

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I was raving the other day about the chocolates and other treats made by nuns and sold at the church of the Nazarenes, in downtown Lima, where El Señor de los Milagros lives. I made myself so hungry writing that post, I had to go to the Nazarenes the next day and buy a stash [...]

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Pres. Alan García bears the burden of the silver litter, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009; photo courtesy Andina A recent poll by the University of Lima indicated that more than three-quarters of devotees of El Señor de los Milagros say the Peruvian Christ figure has answered their prayers. Nearly 76 percent — 75.8 percent — of [...]

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It’s mes morado(purple month) again in Lima, and the faithful are dressed head-to-toe in purple clothing, a sign of their devotion to El Señor de los Milagros. This miracle-working Christ figure is housed in the Church of the Nazarenes, in downtown Lima (see photo above), where thousands of worshippers come to pray and make offerings each [...]

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July 28 marks Peru’s declaration of independence from Spain in 1820, and today Peruvians are celebrating Fiestas Patrias with almuerzos, parties and plenty of booze. A celebrant enjoys free pisco at Lima’s Plaza de Armas, 2006 (photo courtesy RCBusiness.com ) More than 1300 litres of pisco will flow from the fountain in Lima’s historic Plaza de [...]

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Many thanks to Alenja and Holly of Collecting Tokens for including my rant on the archbishop of Cusco as a June “Just Post for a Just World.” The Just Posts roundtable highlights ”posts about topics of social justice and activism in all shapes and sizes,” writes Alenja. She adds that “Holly and I are pleased to share this wealth of posts [...]

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Peru’s biggest supermarket chain – Wong – plays up Fiestas Patrias in a big way, sponsoring patriotic events and featuring the “flavors of Peru” during the month-long season. The store’s colors are red and white, the colors of the Peruvian flag, but to celebrate the Independence Day spirit during July, some employees wear outfits distinctive to Peru. The young [...]

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A tension has been building up all week in our house as Father’s Day approaches. This was a low-key holiday for us back in the States — El Hijo would make El Fotografo a card at the last minute, or I’d haul him off to the mall to buy an electric razor — but since moving [...]

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photo c. Jorge Vera 2009 Alejandro is from Santiago de Cusco, a province near the former Inca capital. He led a comparsa of 22 members on the pilgrimage last week. He was intelligent and well spoken, and he patiently explained the signficance of each part of his Capac Qolla outfit to me. I was intrigued [...]

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We camped out for three nights (June 6-9) in the valley below receding Qolqepunku Glacier. That dark mountain on the right used to be covered with snow and ice. Once upon a twentieth century… I look at this photo, and what strikes me is how pleasant and cozy the scene appears. Warm sunlight, plenty of space between [...]

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Doing the Yawar Mayu dance with a dancer from Cusco El Fotografo and I were making friend with our camping neighbors — a comparsa from Cusco — at the Qoyllur Rit’i pilgrimage last weekend, when suddenly one of the young dancers snatched me by the arm. “Come on, dance,” she said. No, I said, several times [...]

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Back in Lima today after four days and three nights at Qoyllur Rit’i. We got great material (interviews, photos, video), and all of us survived, but it was an ordeal. photo c. Jorge Vera 2006 Bitterly cold temperatures (-10 degrees Celcius), sleepless nights accompanied by constant drumming, dynamite being set off helter-skelter. Having to re-set up camp ourselves in [...]

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It is quarter of nine in the morning, and we’re waiting for the van to pick us up at Hostal Buena Vista, in Cusco, to take us to Mawayni. That’s where pilgrims begin the eight-kilometer climb to the shrine of Qoyllur Rit’i. The hostal is owned by El Fotografo’s cousin Jorge, who’s got a nice [...]

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