Page 60 - Bulletin, Vol.83 No.3, December 2024

few heavily laden sherpas come down from the city, having accompanied tourists on a
trek. Everything is perfectly organised to optimise the number of people thanks to bar-
coded tickets. Arriving at the site after 2 hours and a half, we visualize this wonder of
the world, and are fascinated by the beauty of the site, the technicality of the buildings
and their integration into nature, as if the entire city were an extension of the mountain.
The village is bustling with life, its ancient name aguas calientes referring to the hot
springs that flow nearby.

Day 12

This is the end of our trip. We fly to Lima and stay at the airport before leaving for
Europe.

Tupananchiskama: means goodbye in Quechua, but not only that: it incorporates
notions of love, nature, the universe and the importance of sincere and true
relationships. I can't help but see a deep similarity with Namaste in Nepal.

Ode to the Harmonica :

A small instrument that fits in your pocket and keeps company
to travellers and motorcyclists. It can be used in all
circumstances. It allows beginners and experienced players
alike to play a few notes to their heart's content and, above all,
to their breathing capacity. It is definitely the only instrument
that can be played while breathing. The scale rises alternately
through short breaths and inhalations. Anyone with some
musical ear will quickly be able to reproduce simple tunes. Then the practice will allow
for an almost infinite variety of modulations and produce music 'that comes from within',
the same music that allows great performers to give life to their deepest feelings playing
the tunes of blues whether to express the suffering of the slaves or simply their festive
mood during an event. On a previous trip to Nepal, I gave harmonicas to children. This
time, the French head office of the Hohner company, thanks to Jacqueline, its Director,
kindly donated 30 "happy colour" harmonicas to us. These harmonicas, designed for
children, are very well made and, for a modest price, make it possible to have fun
quickly. As you can see, both young and old were delighted to be able to play a few
notes.

Watch the video at :

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1A_ClUrolHxIQPSVYo6b-qTyzPzq2J1hW/view

The coca leaf :

On sale in the streets, stalls and markets, dried coca leaves have been used by local
people for thousands of years for their slightly energising properties, to relieve hunger
and fatigue. In Peru, they make teas, drinks, ointments and even sweets with it. A UN
Convention wanted to eradicate coca plantations, authorising only imports only to be
used in drinks, including a famous one that even mentions it on its label. Classified as a
narcotic despite its very low concentration of active ingredient, it is forbidden to bring

58 AAFI-AFICS BULLETIN, Vol. 83 No. 3, 2024-12

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