On our second day in Cusco, I volunteered with Threads of Peru to take pictures of weavings made by the local indigenous women so that the organization can put these up on their ebay store site. Threads of Peru is an NGO that "connects remote villages to an international market - enhancing the economic livelihoods of weavers, enriching their textile and cultural traditions, and supporting the health and well-being among community members."-Threads of Peru website.

It was a gorgeous day and I had some of the best scenery around for a fashion shoot! On the day of, Drew and I were picked up by Katy Shorthouse (a contributing author of Lonely Planet Peru and owner of a bar in Cusco called La Chupiteria) and a few of her friends who would help model some of the weavings. We headed out to Chinchero first to get some mountain scenery. This area in April is so beautifully green.





A few images of the models wearing scarves and bags.







Drew had no idea he'd be modeling that day, but he did well. A natural, I say!





This was taken during our lunch break that day. The sheep remind me of two dogs happy to see their owner coming. =)



On our way back to Cusco, we stopped by a tiny market and the pops of color from these potatoes were calling my name. Potatoes are a major Peruvian crop, and their origin are thought to have began in southern Peru thousands of years ago.



We ended the day at The Muse, a restaurant close to the Plaza de Armas in Cusco owned by one of our models of the day, Claire. They make the best mango shakes there. Oh, and the banana chocolate shake was divine!





If you're ever in Cusco, stop by the Muse for some great live music and yummy shakes. Great atmosphere, friendly service.

Next post: Lares Valley 4 day trek. Things go awry...

{Cusco Peru Travel}