エクアドルの旅 ECUADOR vol.4 / Cuenca - Vilcabamba (1998)

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- Cuenca  クエンカ -

Someone said happily that this city has old Spanish streetscapes that can no longer be seen in Spain. The pre-colonial scenery is nowhere to be found anymore, though.

本国ではもう見ることのできない古きスペインの街並みが、この街にはある。誰かが嬉しそうに言った。植民以前の風景は、もうどこにも無いけれど。




They are neither edible nor wearable. People buy such flowers from time to time.

食えないし、着れもしない。そんな花を、たまに買うのが人の生活。



                  
Walking on two legs, "walking and eating" became possible for the first time. It must have felt really great.

二足歩行で初めて可能になった”歩き食い”。最初にやった時はとんでもなく気持ちよかったことだろう。




I bought a bottle of red sap called "dragon's blood" that day. It is said to be good for abrasions, cuts, and even diarrhea if drunk.

この日買ったのは“竜の血”という名の赤い樹液。擦り傷や切り傷から、飲めば腹下しにも効くとか。





- Vilcabamba  ビルカバンバ -

This village is said to be one of the world's longest-lived villages. It is neither hot nor cold, there is no loud noise, the pleasant sound of insects at night, and the air is so clear that I forgot I was breathing.

世界有数の長寿村と言われるこの村。暑くもなく、寒くもない。大きな音も無く、夜には心地よい虫の鳴き声。そして、息していることを忘れるほど透明な空気。




Spending his days tinkering in the garden.

日がな庭いじり。




The villagers' entertainment is cockfighting.

村人の娯楽は闘鶏。



                    
A place where the boundary between sleep and awake becomes unclear.

睡眠と覚醒の境がわからなくなる場所。
                    

    
                
No need to do anything.

なにもしなくていい。



                    
I wanted to throw a pebble without a second thought, so I did. Because there are many places where I can't even do that.

無性に小石を投げたくなって、投げた。それすらできない場所も多いから。




Whenever I visited the rooftop bar, which was almost always empty of customers, there was the warmth of the fire, the lukewarmness of the beer, and the melody from the tape recorder. I learned the name of that song ten years later because I remembered everything that was there.

いつ訪れても客がまばらな屋上バー。焚火の暖かさとビールのぬるさと、テープレコーダーからのメロディ。すべて覚えていたから、あの曲の名を10年後に知った。




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