There have been times when we were riding in our taxi (in Cusco and the Sacred Valley) and we noticed these long poles (almost like bamboo) with a plastic red bag or flag on the end. I first noticed this in Ollantaytambo, but we saw it over and over again one day on one of our taxi rides through the countryside. Eric asked our taxi driver and he explained that it is a sign that "Chicha" is available or for sale. Chicha is a fermented drink typically made of corn or grain that is most commonly alcoholic. There is a variety called chicha morada made from purple corn that is non-alcoholic. Now that we know what the signal is, it seems that there are houses and shops all over the place offering the drink. Sometimes there is hardly a house or shop standing, but there is still a red bag on the end of a pole.
The other interesting thing I noticed in Ollanta was what I initially thought were cows (vacas) on the roof of many of the houses. Then I noticed that some of them had other items along with the cows. So I asked Winn, the hostess of our B & B what they meant. It turns out that they are torros (bulls) and sometimes there are other items accompanying them - crosses and ladders most commonly. Winn explained that when they first opened their B & B they had a ceremony when they put the torros on the roof. In one they put Pisco and in the other cerveza (beer). This sort of "house blessing" ceremony is said to make the household strong, whether that means financial gain or fertility, or is simply a good luck charm. It is said that it is a blending of spiritual beliefs - both native and Catholic/Christian. After speaking to Winn about it I did some research online and found that the ladder is to ensure that the inhabitants can make their way to heaven after death. There is a great deal of information online about what each of these items can/do symbolize. It was a neat thing to learn about. Just one of the fun things about travel - learning about other cultural traditions!
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