Sunday, September 1, 2013

Warm Jalq'a designed accommodations

The lovely pink connecting section of the habitacion featured coloured  glass to add light and tecture.
On our trek with Condor Trekkers, we slept both nights in lodging that was designed according to Jalq'a traditions. The Jalq'a people are indigenous people of Bolivia who still live according to their cultural traditions. The tourist lodging was constructed by the villagers and is run by the community, with all proceeds going to the community.

At the end of our second day of trekking, we arrived at our home for the night.

Each of  the cabañas had three sections: the entrance and kitchen (from the right); a connecting hall where the bathroom was, a common area, and a sleeping area with two bedrooms.

Soft coloured light from inside our warm abode.
Our knowledgeable and kind guide, Johnny, cooked up delicious vegetarian meals in the kitchen. How did he know that a bowl of warm oatmeal for breakfast was one of my favourites : )

Simple. Beautiful. Functional.

The craftsmanship -- not to speak of the work collecting the stones -- was truly inspiring. Although we did not
have to light a fire to stay warm (layers of clothing was all we needed), just the presence of this masterpiece
in the common area warmed us.

The dinosaur theme was joyfully caried through the appliqués. At night, I dreamed of times long passed.

This view, looking up from the area outside our casa, shows the adobe used to create walls, houses and fences. The sun was resplendent every day.

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