Shopping at the Witches Market

While visiting the famed 'witches' market (Mercado de Hechiceri) in La Paz, we encountered baskets filled with llama fetuses - yes - dead unborn llamas. Not only can you buy potions to remedy any illness or to protect, you can buy the llama fetus to bury under your house to ensure a harmonious home. You'll see these 'llama' charms in the basket at the left of the photo and also hanging at the top of this vendor's booth. You also see on sale a wide variety of herb and folk remedies, and talismans believed necessary to satisfy 'good' and 'evil' spirits that populate the Andes. The Andean Aymara culture believes that these amulets and talismans should be scattered at or near the front door of every house for proper balance of good luck and a happy home. I like Feng Shui better .. so I won't be packing a llama fetus in my luggage. -Karen