Gramma Barbie Goes Global

The servants used a small flat rock to divert the water from the trough into the tubs where the laundry was washed.

I visited a monastery with a cloistered convent. It was really interesting. There was a talking room through which the nuns could visit with family 5 times a year. They talked through a double lattice and touching was not allowed. Another nun was there as a listening nun to make sure the conversation was appropriate. There was also a turning cupboard through which ‘appropriate’ items could be passed. Most of the time, as the picture says, they lived in silence. During common meals, one nun stood in a pulpit and read from the bible while everyone ate in silence.

Part of this convent was restored and opened to the public as a museum in1970. There is still an active group of nuns in part of the convent…it was the size of a small town. There are still 24 nuns and one of them is 100 years old. At it’s height there were about 170 and each full fledged nun had their own house and one to two servants. The houses were quite elaborate. I will post a few pictures.

My guide explained why the doors were so high and the door knockers were at least 10 feet up the door. She said that people would arrive on horseback and would not want to get down to use the ‘door ringer’. Not sure why anyone would want to ride a horse into the church….she did not explain that.

My guide told me that this was a lucky cross because it is painted green. The ladder represents the ladder used to remove Jesus from the cross. The spear represents what was used to stab Jesus to make sure he was dead and there are other implements of torture attached to it. Not sure I would call that a lucky cross…..

This one in Arequipa is in an area that has a unique name that means black underwear. It comes from the fact that the men who originally settled the area wore black short pants.

Many of the buildings have large tanks on the roof which are their hot water heaters…economical.

With the beautiful fertile valley in front of it. Such valleys are rare in southern Peru.

A picture in front of Misti…