Acclimatizing in Tarma - Part Two, Senor de Los Milagros

Learning from our past experience, we decided to take it easy for a few days in Tarma, giving ourselves time to acclimatize, which we timed for the "Senor de Los Milagros" processions which are taking place all over Peru. In Tarma, according to this year's program, there are five in all, Sept 29, Oct 18, 28, 29 and 31. Tarma, being the flower growing region of Peru, has the distinctive feature of "alfombras," flower petal carpets, which turned out to be even more amazing than I had expected.

Along the procession route, schools, businesses, neighbors, families get together to decorate the street, an alter, maybe an alfombra, never mind some of them don't even have a paved street. No matter how simple or elaborate the design, it was so obvious there is so much love, camaraderie, collaboration that goes into the alfombras. Often the alfombras are not completed until just minutes before the arrival of the procession (you cannot finish too early, petals could dry up and be carried off by the wind). The procession then marches right onto the alfombra, the Senor takes a 360 spin, grinding away the beautiful image. Such extravagance is beyond my comprehension.

The Tarma Plaza.


The tourist office on the plaza has a printout of today's (28 October) procession route and for the 29th and 31st.


This is the alfombra that is directly in front of the church. Freshly made, there is still one box of flower petals sitting in the foreground.


The next alfombra on the route features a beautiful picaflor (hummingbird), a motif we would see many times.




In front of the Municipal building, we talk to the folks assembling the alfombra and Sun-Ling pitches in.




The image of Señor de los Milagros comes out of the church.










Video of the procession leaving the church.


Video link here.

The folks at the Municipal building are almost finished.


Meanwhile, at the next station on the route, young folks are very busy completing their beautiful alfombra, one of our favorites.










Here comes the procession, ready to trample through the beautiful alfombras just created.






The angels are ready to throw flowers.




Video.


Video link here.

The Senor stops at each alfombra and shrine for prayers, singing, blessings, and flower throwing; and for the bearers to take refreshments.




Video.


Video link here.

Flowers trampled, the procession moves on.








Leaving the Plaza and surrounds, the Senor heads up into the more humble "suburbs" where the scene repeats into the evening: alfombras are created with care, then the procession comes and tramples.




Sun-Ling lends a hand.






View from the procession route down to the town.


This alfombra when completed will be Mickey Mouse.


We return to town for lunch at a vegetarian restaurant.


However, the procession keeps going.






Bart and Lisa.


And the streetlights come on.






A fireworks tower and a mariachi for the Senor.


The next day the procession continues through an even more humble part of town.








School.




We walk back to our hostal through the flower market.