Huaraz Peru Market, Guinea Pig To Cuy
Women selling live chickens, rabbits, and guinea pigs outside the Huaraz market
Our first day in Huaraz we went to the market. Their market is different than Iquitos, and way different than Walmart. These women are selling live chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs from the mesh bags.
These cute little guinea pigs are closer to their fate, known as cuy
The cute little rodents in the photo above are guinea pigs. They were one of the first domesticated animals in the Andes. There is some evidence they were first domesticated for a food source in 5,000 BC by early tribes in Peru. They were definitely kept as livestock at the pre-Incan site of Chavin around 900 BC.
We saw these guinea pigs butchered and ready to cook at the Huaraz market place
All of the chickens are hung up by a hook through the head. That is not done in the Iquitos market, or Walmart.
Chickens hanging from a hook through the head at the Huaraz market
Bread is part of the culture of Huaraz where they raise wheat and corn.
Marmelita buying corn bread at the Huaraz market
Over 300 species of potatoes and tubers are grown in the agricultural district around Huaraz, but “only” twenty species of potatoes are raised commercially that are sold through the market.
Marmelita buying fruit near the potatoe section of the Huaraz market
We tried capuli berries for the first time, but did not like them very well. It was an experment. They looked attractive but to me they are bird food.
Capuli berries at the Huaraz market
Other differences between the Huaraz market, the Iquitos market, and Walmart, is Huaraz only has trout in their fish section, but they have a lot of trout, I mean a lot of trout. Trout fishing in these mountain streams must be very good.
I expected to find Alpaca and Llama meat but there was none. Lots of pork, beef, chicken and sheep. Sheeps head soup is a popular local delicacy that I have not tried, and am a little squeamish about after seeing the sheep heads piled up at the Huaraz market.
We bought two avocados, two oranges, two mangoes, two pepinos, half a dozen ciruela Peruana giant cherries, capuli berries, and half a dozen corn breads to take back to our room for a delicious picnic. It was a good first day in Huaraz.
Huaraz Peru Market, Guinea Pig To Cuy
Bill Grimes, president of Dawn on the Amazon, is enjoying being a tourist at the market of Huaraz Peru.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
I cant believe you do this to poor innocent guinea pigs! They are used as pets!!! Why do you do this?! Huh?! We don’t eat our pets here now do we?! Guinea pigs are used as PETS! I have 2 of them and just the thought of them as a side dish makes me want to cry!
i agree with you. i am about to get a new piggy next month and i love guinea pigs.
P.S.
people eat dogs and cats 2
WAY ARE YOU EAT GUINEA PIG ?
NUBUNILOR VA-S OMORI CU MANA MEA
NUUUUU GUINEA PIG NUUU! WHY DO YOU PEOPLE DO THIS ILL GO TO WAR AGAINST YOU EVERYONE SAY “WAR!” IF YOU WANT TO GO TO WAR AGAINST THESE ROTTEN CRAPHEADS
As an animal lover I find this completly offenceive !!! That is horrible and cruel. Who in their right mind would stuff live animals in a bag like that!!!????? :{- DONT EVEN POST THIS ON THE INTERNET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Our cultures involve, chicken, pork, beef, and salads as food here in america. I think what they are doing right, large animals are hard to come by over there and most of the rest of our world lives in poverty and hunger. Nobody is as lucky as we are. If you were raised up on eating anything your parents could get, from rotten cabbage to a peice of bacon, they are in the food range of almost all other countries because they are small, easy to keep, multiply fast, full of calories, and are cheap. If you live in poverty you take what you can get. Those guine pigs probly feed some hungry malnurished child, who probly works along side their parents, so they might be able to eat that night.
P.S. I know the whole bag thing looks cruel, but on the bright side its not a plastic bag, and the people brining them in probly had to walk along way so they didnt want to have to carry cages around because cages are big and bulky. Besides it really wouldnt hurt the pig, just like snuggling with a buddy in a hammock.