Hungry & dejected & poor from the traveller cheque debacle, we headed to the market for cheap food. I had the millenesa. Hmmmmm no idea what meat had been breaded & deep fried. My top choices are horse or dog. Tasted surprisingly ok washed down with bright orange soda!

Delighted to say the rest of the day picked up!

We went to the High Altitude Museum (MAAM) to see the child mummies of Lluilahaco (hmmmm dodgy spelling). The Inca children were specially chosen from high ranking families, taken up the snow capped volcano & given a maize alcoholic drink until they fell asleep. They were then buried as they slept in adoratorios at around 6,300 metres above sea level. They froze to death, although the Inca preferred to think of them sleeping.

Due to the altitude & the very low humidity the bodies & the possessions they were buried with, survived 500 years in perfect condition.

The mummies are:
The Girl of the Lightening, 6 years old, buried with a spectacular feather headdress that remains in perfect condition as if it were just made. Her face bears a burn from where lightening struck the volcano over the centuries.

The Maiden, 15 years old & the most lifelike. You could almost believe she was just asleep.

The Boy, 7 years old.

These are the highest mummies yet discovered in the world.

As they are so delicate & require such care, only one mummy is on show at a time. I saw, El Niño, the boy.

Absolutely amazing but also very creepy!!