Some Peru

Longer update today, after the Colca- and motivation-induced absence last week. Travelling is exhausting, but more interesting than finding internet cafes :)

02-05.06.: Cañón del Colca

 Thursday through Sunday:

Ouch. Also wow, but describing that needs pictures.

We went down into the canyon with more than 20kg in our backpacks, each, taking everything, since we believed we would camp there. We also decieded to take the long route, to a village called Tapay, against the advice of the lady from the hostal, Villa Pastor, we were staying at (barely: she lured us to the hostal with promises of 20S for a room with private bathroom, but it took a long discussion to get that price once we were there, instead of double that. I missed the Spanish word for 'cheating' then). We then proceeded to follow the false -- or probably misunderstood -- directions of a construction worker, which had us scrambling steepest slopes and following cow's paths ( or maybe just general gaps in the vegetation) for 90 minutes before we found the beginning of the actual trail. 1000m altitude difference downwards, and another 600 up, we had traveled to Tapay, barely able to stand up. The sights are breathtaking -- literally, as I have a well developed respect for heights.

In Tapay, there is only one hostel, 30S for a room, ask for breakfast to be included. Also ask for dinner; I don't know the price, but it looked delicious.

A night's rest restored us enough to hike the trail to Llahuar, including great views and perilous -- but this time official -- mountain paths, which, at one point, had slopes on three sides so steep that no plants could grow there.

One of the hostels in Llahuar has hot springs (10S for a bed in a very basic dorm), which we enjoyed immensely, before setting off to Cabanaconde again on Sunday, now 1200m higher than our starting point, up quite steep mountains. Ouch again. We checked in at Pachamama's, a hostel made up with Inka-style decorations, and haggled the propritor down to 12S (from 15) a bed and breakfast, including one Crêpe; I think he got into trouble with his wizened old mom for that.

06-09.06.: Cabanaconde -> Arequipa -> Nazca -> Lima

Monday-Tuesday:

We got to Nazca on Tuesday morning, 7o'clock. While gathering ourselves on a plaza, a man from a hostal around the corner smelled prey, and tried to offer us lodging or expensive Nazca tours, but after realizing we weren't interested, he became very helpful (Hostal       , nice people there :) and we got to the lines for 2S instead of 50.

If possible -- weather and money permitting -- it is probably better to take one of the air rides to see the lines. From the tower, we only saw two, and they are more impressive on pictures, I think. We quickly went on to Lima, where we arrived sometime in the evening.

Wednesday & Thursday:

Lima is large, and definitely more western ( or civilized, richer or whatever... more of a city you'd find in Europe or the US) than La Paz. Although for some reason, by day all traffic lights have policemen regulating traffic, without the lights being turned off...

We took lodging in the Pension Ibarra, a nice place run by a talktavie Lady, no sign, up 14 stories, no elevator, though Doro rather disliked the too familiar atmosphere without speaking the language.

If you can work up the courage, you should sample lots of street food, and drinks, which are local, delicious and have names I have totally forgotten, sold by friendly and chatty vendors.

Today, here in Trujillo, I learned that, in summer, there are some problems with Cholera, at least up here, so you might want to take some care during that season -- or always. Cholera sound a lot worse than the runs I got the next day, which I attribute not to the food but to the abysmally filthy toilet on the bus to Lima, without running water, but with lots of urine everywhere, and no chance to wash hands for hours. But I may be wrong, and I may have gotten just what I deserved -- which, in the end, turned out to be mate de coca, coca laves tea, prepared by Ms Ibarra herself, as a remedy for stomach pains. Doro, meanwhile, explored the city, which she showed to me the next day.

We took another night bus to Trujillo, named for Pizarros birthplace by one of his lackeys. The bus turned out to be a lot more comfortable than we expected, cama instead of semi, although the "dinner" turned out to be 8 Ritz and two small cupcakes, no icing.

10-11.06.: Trujillo

Friday and Saturday:

Yesterday, we walked to Chan Chan, one of the two major archaeological sites of Trujillo, from our hostel, El mochillero, in the city center. This turned out to be an all-day activity, as the site itself is quite large, but also because the ticket includes a museum and two pyramids, both of which are spread out in the city. Nevertheless, the sites and the museum (and also today's site) must be the best documented sights we've visited in south america, and left me feeling that I really learned a little bit about the Chimú people. 

Today, we walked again to the Moche (the Chimú's predecessors) pyramids, Huanca del Sol y Huanca del Luna, a little bit further but less spread out, unfortunately through a commercial zone, making the hike very unpleasant. The museum is great and very well done, and you must enter the pyramid with a guide (English, Spanish or French, included in the price of 11S, 6S if you've an ISIC card). Ruth was very informative, and we also talked about topics unrelated to the Moche (the cholera story is from her). If you ever get to Peru and are unwilling to spend the 150$ for a tour of Macchu Picchu (without a guide, although they are advertised; a fellow traveller had bad experiences), I can recommend Trujillo.

Now it's time to go to bed, after we've spent the evening tiredly pining for milk (hard to come by here), but to lazy to get out of our hammocks to buy some. By the way, El Mochillero has a comfy atmosphere, with lots of hammocks in the back yard. It's at Jr. Idependencia and Jr. Estete in the old center of Trujillo.