Food and music for the soul

We’d heard that on Saturdays, a small market sets up outside a park about 10 minutes from our house. And what a cool market it was, full of organic produce, rich coffee, handcrafts, tamales sold by nuns, and even a bakery that had a number of gluten-free concoctions! 


There were perhaps 40 vendors and several hundred people stocking up for the week. I wanted to buy a piece of all of the gluten-free goodies, but that would have wiped out our food budget for the whole month – they were pricey. One slice of gluten-free lúcuma cake was 9 soles, which is about $3.50 or $4. 

In front of the gluten-free stand.... heaven!

But hey, I’m a celiac who rarely encounters treats I can actually eat at our own farmers’ market in Indy (since they always use white rice flour, which I also cannot eat, as a substitute for wheat flour). And here there was a chocolate cake jammed with fresh strawberries. Quinoa cake with tropical fruits. Empanadas filled with potatoes and other vegetables. And all of it gluten-free and white rice-free – wouldn’t it be practical, nay, wise, to spend a month’s budget on those treats?!? 

But the best was yet to come. We took our coffees and treats into the park and played with Simon. A group of people were practicing tai chi; another group was finishing a yoga session. 

Later, the tai chi folks busted out swords, too

A small crowd of families was gathering nearby, and we watched as some musicians set up shop and distributed instruments to the toddlers and little kids. For an hour, we enjoyed their music and the delight on the faces of the kids and the musicians. It felt wonderful to be included in such a joyful experience. 

Joyful sounds in Parque Reducto

I’m hoping this becomes a Saturday tradition for us, although when we move to our apartment in several weeks, it will be a trek to attend. Still, it’s something to look forward to… even if I’m not going to eat all the gluten-free delicacies!