Little clay birds

Wherever the tourist goes in Peru, she&rsquoll find an &lsquoIndian Market&rsquo, packed with colourful fake textiles, jokey T-shirts (&lsquoThe Condor and the Cuys&rsquo a motorcycling &lsquoLlamaha&rsquo and so on), mass-produced pottery, little clay birds that make whistling noises and the ubiquitous woollens (&ldquomaybe alpaca&rdquo is the standard warning issued about all the sweaters purporting to be baby alpaca). The people of the Andes have fabulous crafts traditions &mdash intricate and striking weaves, indigenous ceramics, truly fine traditional woollen clothing&mdashbut you&rsquore not going to find any of these in the Indian markets. I resisted the lures of the markets, only to fall prey to these owls at Lima duty-free. I had fifty nuevos soles in my pocket and there were these owls &mdash made of gourd, carved, dyed and painted &mdash staring, well, owlishly at me. PEN 46 for mother and child.