Arranging for tours in Peru is quite easy. All you have to do is step out the front door of your hostal and into the place next door and chances are they can help you out. Out for a walk and some lunch, I came across Colca Trek, a company I’d read about in my Lonely Planet: Peru guidebook. Though the price seemed a bit high, I decided to just go for it as the comfort of the bus trip and the hotel I’d stay at would be a nice change of pace from my $10 hostal in Arequipa. I was to be picked up at around 8am the next day along with 15 or so others and we’d make our way (with many stops) towards the Colca Canyon. Climbing into the van, I was greeted by the French family of four that had been on my trip to Amantani a couple of days before. This has become more than common, running into the same people time and again on this trip. Its always nice to see a familiar face.

Stopping probably a dozen times on the 4 hour drive to Chivay, the gateway town to the Colca Canyon, we came across my first Vicunas of the trip and hundreds of Alpaca and Llama that seemed to be wild, but belonged to large farms throughout the area. Driving over a pass that peaked at over 16,000’, we stopped along the roadside to have some Coca and Chachacoma tea (very minty and good!) to help with the altitude gain. Chivay is set in the valley at the edge of the Canyon. I’d opted to stay in the smaller, less touristy town of Yanque, a 10 minute drive further, along with Alexandra an American working in Lima. After a huge buffet lunch in Chivay we made it to our hotel where I could surely take a nap and have a bit of a rest after the big meal. After 5 minutes, we were told to meet out by the hammocks where we’d depart on a walk up to the farming terraces and pre-inca ruins near Yanque. Struggling a bit, I soon found a rhythm and the walk turned out to be quite nice. It was nearing sunset and we came across a nice, quiet grouping of ruins set on the hillside known as Uyo-Uyo. When the Spanish settled in the area, they burned down the structures and rebuilt on the other side of the river. Continuing on, we walked through empty farmland that the locals were beginning to plant with beans, corn and other traditional crops. A call from one of the fields and we were summoned over for a cup of Chicha. As you’ve probably seen on Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations or any similar show, Chicha is a fermented corn drink made by the local women who begin the fermentation process by chewing corn (or other grains) and spitting them out then allowing them ferment for a week or two. The situation couldn’t have been better and I knew I’d probably never have a chance (or want to) try the drink again, so I gave it a shot. Emptying a small amount as an offering to the earth, I downed a large glass of the concoction before we were off again walking towards the much anticipated hot springs where we soaked away our high altitude hiking pains. A 30 minute walk back to the hotel and we enjoyed a wonderful meal before retiring early.

Another early start and we were on our way to Mirador de la Cruz del Condor, an area of the Colca Canyon known so well as the place to see Andean Condors. Arriving along with a dozen other tour buses, our guide pointed us to an area that was a little quieter and a good spot for seeing the birds. For 90 minutes we sat on the edge of our seats (well, rocks) in anticipation of the giant animals flying directly overhead or near the edge of the drop-off into the Canyon. Camera ready, I wasn’t fast enough to capture the first of many passes only a few meters away. The animals seemed to enjoy the crowd and showed off flying high overhead, then circling around from the opposite side, closer each time. In all, about 6-7 different condors of varying sizes wowed everyone during our short stay. A highlight of the trip to the canyon and of my time in Peru, it was an amazing experience not to be forgotten.

I’d remembered the name of a company that I had found months ago when planning this trip and it just happened that my hotel was right next to their office. The thing with seeing Lake Titicaca and the floating islands is that you can make all the arrangements yourself or go through a tour company. In the end, its all the same as they put you on a boat with a group anyway. The cost came out the same, so I went with All Ways Travel. The group I would spend the next two days with was to be about 22 people, just enough to fill the small boat. Leaving early the next morning, we started our slow journey out into Lake Titicaca. Only 5 km from the dock in Puno, the floating islands were our first stop. I had no idea of the scale of the community until we passed several ’islands’ that had larger buildings as well as smaller huts for several families. In all, the islands included 4 small schools and 2 churches (Catholic and Seventh Day Adventist). As we approached each island, 3 or 4 local women would come out to the edge to greet us and try to get us to stop at their island. My understanding is that the tour agencies rotate each time they go out, giving every family a shot at wooing the tourists. Our boat pulled up to one of the islands and we were welcomed by 3 women and seated in a circle. Our guide then explained how the islands were built and functioned with help from the locals and their pre-made exhibits. While the whole thing was extremely rehearsed and generic I did learn a lot about the culture and how the Uros people got to where they are today. You can’t blame them for taking advantage of tourism as they really don’t have that many options for making a living. As is the case almost everywhere in Peru, the people were extremely kind and full of laughter and good spirit.

After an hour or so we boarded our boat and set sail for Amantani, a two hour trip. A slow trip to say the least, we reached the dock around 2:00 and were divided up into groups of 2 or 3 and assigned to our ’mother & father’ for the homestay. Joining Chris, a retired farmer from the UK (in the process of moving to Spain to try his hand at wine making) we followed Augustina to her home where she showed us to our room and immediately sat us down for lunch. The kitchen and dining area consisted of a wood burning clay oven/stove next to the dining table with only small windows to allow the building smoke out of the room. The house and our room did not have electricity and the bano was of the manual sort (bucket of water to put in the toilet in order to flush). Despite this, the room was comfortable and we were given more than enough blankets to stay warm during the cool night on the island. After lunch and a bit of a rest, we met the other members of the group for a walk to the top of Amantani Island. Already at over 4,000 meters in height, we would walk to about 4,300 meters on a breathtaking hour long walk. The views continued to get better and better and at the top we waited for the sunset. The trail was constructed on concrete and stone which made for an easy descent in the dark with assistance from the bright moon and stars. After dinner, we gathered in a small community building for traditional music and dance and were of course dressed up for the part. An hour of sweating in a wool poncho and hat and I was ready for a good nights sleep.

my homestay house for a nightAn early breakfast of pancakes and café and we bid our farewells to our host families and headed towards the other major island on our tour, Taquile. The more visited island proved to be quite different with local customs and dress in contrast to Amantani. While being tutored on the culture of the island we climbed yet again to the main village where we rested and were given the opportunity to buy arts and crafts in the plaza. The main goal while on Taquile was to get some lunch and we settled on a place overlooking Lake Titicaca. The view was beautiful as the sun made the water a bright blue to match the sky. The final leg of our journey would be the descent of over 500 steps infamous to Taquile. Most groups climb these stairs and I was happy to be headed in the opposite direction. A quiet 2 hour ride back to Puno got us there by 4:00, just in time to crash in a hotel for a couple of hours before dinner. One thing I do enjoy about group tours is meeting really cool people and I’m happy to have hung out with my new Danish friends, Allan and Marianne. 

All in all, the experience was positive. Its tough to see how tourism affects a culture, but I was impressed at how true the people have stayed given the influx of visitors on their island and I really hope it can stay that way. I suppose its inevitable that tourism will take hold, but I hope that it happens with respect to the land and people of Lake Titicaca. Everyone we came across was extremely friendly and welcoming and I very much appreciated getting a glimpse into a way of life that is so foreign to me.

I’d heard good things about the Santa Catalina Monastery in Arequipa so decided to set aside most of a day to see it. Knowing only that it encompassed more than 20,000 sq. meters of land in the center of Arequipa, I was expecting to get lost in this ‘citadel within a city’ as I‘d heard it called before. Walking into an entry court off of La Merced (or Santa Catalina) I paid the $10 admission and set out on a beautiful bright day in Arequipa. Two things that drew me to the monastery were the fact that I didn’t have to hire a guide and was able to take my camera in (as opposed to other monasteries I’ve visited here). The complex is referred to as a photographers playground and it would not disappoint.

The Monasterio de Santa Catalina was founded in the late 1500’s as a place for the rich of Spain to send their children off to be nuns. However, it became a place for the privileged to live an easy life with several servants per nun. Living in style wasn’t the original idea for the monastery and in the 1800’s, the Pope sent a rather strict Dominican nun to straighten things out. The monastery is still active with about 30 nuns living in a separate area not open to the public. Walking through the many outdoor ’streets’, I was began to get a feel for the size of this place. The cells, as they call them, where the nuns lived a solitary life were amazingly comfortable apartment style residences, most with complete outdoor kitchens and brick oven stoves. There was a never-ending system of rooms and niches created from the local volcanic white stone so common in Arequipa. Many buildings had been damaged by earthquakes throughout the years, but have since been beautifully restored.

Enjoying the ability to find corners of the monastery to myself, I was able to appreciate the tranquil atmosphere that is such a huge part of monastic life. It was amazing to be within a large city like Arequipa but have such solitude. A small café open to a beautiful courtyard was a great spot for a rest and a lemonade (lime really). I also met Maura from California and had a good time exploring the rest of the campus with her before tiring and needing some lunch and replenishment of spent energy. In total, I think I was there for 4 hours and got an endless collection of photos. The day was a pleasant surprise to say the least. 

a typical 'cell'one of the many streets within the complex

Having enjoyed a relaxing few days in the smaller towns of Paracas and Nasca, it was time to move on to Arequipa, a city of more than 700,000 residents. I’d heard good things about the colonial architecture and cultural sites. Again choosing the overnight bus, I arrived quite early into the terrapuerto 2 km from the city center. My taxi driver offered to help me find a hostal even though I had one in mind, but didn’t have an address. Without luck and after driving around for 30 minutes I had him drop me off near the Plaza de Armas where I was bound to find a place to stay. Enjoying the first hour of a beautiful day in Arequipa, I stumbled upon Casablanca Hostal less than a half block off of the Plaza. I negotiated a rate closer in line with what I was willing to pay and settled in. Discovering that I had a 20’ wide balcony fronting the street with views of the colonial arcade of the Plaza, I was quite thrilled with the accommodations I’d found. As I’ve done in many other towns and cities along the way, I spent the rest of the day exploring the streets, sampling some of the cafes, enjoying a post-wedding procession around the Plaza and getting a preview of my stay in Arequipa.

Plaza de Armas in Arequipa with the volcano el misti in the backgroundMy day started off with a wake up call from the trumpet section of what I would discover to be a weekly/Sunday military & flag raising ceremony held steps from my hotel lobby. After a nice breakfast at one of the many cafes on the 2nd level overlooking the cathedral and fountain I was feeling up to a cultural activity and decided to go check out the Museo Santury, a museum dedicated to the finding of a young Incan girl just 15 years ago. Nicknamed (by the mountaineer who discovered her) Juanita, the Ice Maiden, the girl had been found near the top of a volcano not far from Arequipa. Over 500 years had passed before an eruption had caused her to be thrown from her sacrificial grave 100 meters down the mountainside. To this day she is frozen in the state of her death. Being exposed for 2 weeks before being found, the blanket which was wrapped around her upper body had been thrown aside and the skin of her face and neck had been damaged slightly. Since 1993, 18 children in total have been found near mountain tops, 14 in Peru and 4 in Argentina. There is still some mystery as to what happened, but the Incas believed that sacrificing a pure being to the mountain would fend off natural disasters such as volcano eruptions, avalanches and devastating weather caused by the peaks. The children were dedicated from birth and knew of the sacrifice that they would one day make. I really found this interesting, especially given the recent date of discovery and the circumstances involving the findings.

this guy enjoyed the parade as much as anyoneWith the deep Spanish history of Arequipa I was interested in seeing one of the many grand mansions in Arequipa. Of the choices, Casa de Moral seemed the most accessible being open to the public and just a few blocks from my hotel. Approaching from the opposite site of the street, the façade was not all that impressive with just a few windows and the main structure being built of a volcanic rock so typical in Arequipa. Entering through an arched opening an impressive interior paved courtyard with several trees allowed light into every room of the house. The spaces were preserved and decorated with furniture from the late 1800’s, beautiful pieces that were constructed to last for many lifetimes. The house had undergone a few renovations as a result of earthquakes that rocked the region from time to time, but the final restoration resulted in a fantastic time piece in history. As in many of the Spanish cultures the areas I appreciated the most were open to the outside environment and there was no shortage of grand courtyards and light filled niches. Knowing that I had one more day in Arequipa, I’ve decided to save the big tourist draw for the city for my last day of two separate trips, the Monasterio Santa Catalina. You can find my thoughts here.

interior courtyard of Casa de Moral

After a relaxing for a couple of days in Paracas, I took the 3 hour bus trip to Nasca with one goal in mind. What’s that, you ask? Of course, to fly over the Nasca Lines. Not knowing much about the actual town of Nasca, I had few expectations. I found a hotel just a block from the bus station and settled in before walking down the street for some comfort food (pizza, naturally). Nasca is a small town of about 50,000 with their one major tourist draw being flights over the Nasca Lines. The selection of restaurants was quite good along the main street leading to the Plaza de Armas and I settled on a place that had second floor seating overlooking the street. After ordering, a couple, Erin and Adrian from Wales, that I’d met on the bus earlier joined me for dinner. It’s funny that while traveling certain people are drawn to each other and micro relationships develop. They may only last for a few hours or a couple of days, but things seem to align that way. I hope to keep up with many of the amazing people I’ve met during this trip.

Plaza de Armas, NascaI’d booked a flight with a company next to my hotel and had arranged for a 11am pickup to go to the airport. I knew (and it had been reinforced) that the pickup time didn’t mean much, but I had all day as my bus to Arequipa didn’t leave until 10pm. Checking in around 11, I was told it would be another hour, so I walked up to the Plaza and parked myself on a bench to people watch and enjoy the warm sun. Getting to the airport around 1pm, I was told it would be another 45 minutes and I walked towards the gift shops adjacent to the waiting area. Not 5 minutes later, a man came over and introduced me to my pilot and we were on our way. The Cessna 206 sat 6 people and I was lucky enough to get the co-pilot seat. Looking back, this couldn’t have worked out better. We walked out on the tarmac towards our plane and were seated and given a few simple instructions from our pilot, Manuel. Taxiing towards the end of the runway, we took off and were in the air in a matter of seconds. The flight proved to be quite smooth for such a small plane though the passengers in the back of the plane may disagree.

'The Astronaut'Banking over the first of the Nasca Lines, I started to realize just how cool this was. I’d seen so many photos and it doesn’t start to give the whole idea of flying over these justice (as my photos don’t either). I guess I hadn’t realized how spread out the lines were, but we flew a minute or so in between seeing each one. The pilot would bank the plane to the left or right, then circle around so the other side of the plane could see equally as well. Manuel flew with his elbows while excitedly pointing out the window to each geoglyph. I got used to this after a few minutes and realized that he’s been doing this 4-5 times a day for years and years. Some of the lines were barely visible while others stood out easily against the dry desert rock and sand. It’s a tough thing to describe an experience like this in words or even in photos, but I was really impressed with the flight and happy I’d made the effort to get to Nasca. 

'The Hummingbird'

Pilot & 'Co-Pilot'

The Isla Ballestas are known as the ‘poor man’s Galapagos’ and a highlight for anyone visiting Peru that’s interested in wildlife. I’d booked a seat on one of the boats the previous day which would leave around 8am. Waiting at the dock for 10-15 minutes, I boarded the small powerboat along with 20 or so people. There must have been 6-7 boats leaving around the same time, so was lucky to be on the 2nd boat of the morning. I managed a seat near the back of the boat, just out of ear shot of our English guide, but could pick up the key phrases. Cruising out towards the islands at a pretty good speed, our first stop was near the cliffs below the Candelabra, a carving in a sandstone hill in the Reserva Nacional de Paracas. This would be a preview of the Nasca Lines which I’d be seeing later in the week, though they are of no relation.

Just after leaving the Candelabra, I could start to make out the islands and lines moving across the sky. I had no idea what we were about to encounter. Millions of birds flew from island to island creating what looked like giant dark clouds. As we moved closer and wound around and even through arched openings within the islands we were able to see penguins, Peruvian boobies, cormorants, pelicans and sea lions in huge numbers. Sea lions draped over rocks seemed to pose for everyone in the boat as we passed by. Birds of all sorts flew overhead as we all quickly donned the hats we were encouraged to bring in case of falling gifts from the birds. The smell of guano was intense throughout the hour or so we cruised the islands. Every seven years, locals harvest the guano to be used for fertilizer. High above on the rocks, small makeshift buildings are used for 3-4 months during that time by workers. 

Having decided against going to the Galapagos Islands during this trip in order to spend more quality time in Peru, I was really happy with the experience of the Islas Ballestas. Towards the end of the tour, we came across a beach full of sea lions, all female except for one large male. Two dozen or so animals that were swimming along the shore began to swim closer to us to see what we were all about. On the way back to port, the sun came out making the trip that much more enjoyable. There’s just something about being out on a boat soaking up the sun. A few hundred yards from the dock our boat came to an abrupt stop and turned back towards open sea. Our captain had spotted 3 dolphins surfacing around some of the fishing boats anchored in the bay. They followed us back towards the dock a bit before spotting another boat behind us to show off to. A great ending to our 2 hour tour.

Following lunch, I waited near some of the restaurants for the second half of the day, a tour out to the Reserva Nacional de Paracas. While I had some idea of what to expect at the islands, I’d not seen photos or read anything about the reserve. Some of the great surprises while traveling happen this way. A group of 10 of us drove 10 km to the entrance to the park where we spotted flamingos from several hundred meters away. The landscape was not as I’d expected it, being mostly sandstone and blowing sand with a constant breeze off the Pacific Ocean to keep things cool. On the ride out I’d met a couple on our van that had just finished a weeklong mission trip in Peru and had a few days to travel before their flight home. Turned out that Marc and Carol Dyke were from Calhoun, Georgia and we had several friends or acquaintances in common. They are both nurses and had worked in Hinsdale, IL for a time at a hospital my mom had worked for a bit as well. Small world, isn’t it? We continued driving out to a few viewpoints which were breathtakingly beautiful, high above on cliffs overlooking the coastline and the islands to the Northwest. We climbed to the top of the highest dune in the area for a panoramic view of the entire reserve and North to Paracas before descending to a small grouping of buildings surrounding a lagoon for lunch. The reserve was quite a surprise and an intriguingly beautiful landscape that I didn’t know existed in Peru. The small pleasures of traveling.

Being able to relax for a day while traveling is a luxury. Nearly everyday, you feel the need to catch a bus to the next town or had out on an early morning trek. I’m hoping to cover ‘down days’ in a future article as they are necessary to any long-term traveler for your heart brain and wallet. Slowing down is also a key part to being a traveler. Today was one of those relaxed days. I woke up at a decent time, planning to head over to the bus station with Rob and Jessie to secure tickets out of town. Meeting up at my hotel in our usual spot, the 3rd floor lounge (had the best wifi around), we set out first to Cruz del Sur bus company. I managed to get my ticket for late that evening back to Lima as I was making my way South down the coast, but we had to make a trip to the main bus terminal to get Rob and Jessie’s tickets to Tarma (North of Huancayo). All business finished, we stopped in at Hipo’s Burguers for lunch. As the case has been so many times, especially in Huancayo, the ordering process was as confusing as ever and I ended up with an American breakfast AND a sandwich, despite Jessie‘s good Spanish. No worries, it put me out a whole $0.67.

As part of Rob and Jessie’s blog (www.knkexplore.com), they have a featured page on Beer (South American specifically). Today, they’d arranged to meet with a local (and turns out, the only) microbrew in Huancayo, Andina. We hopped in a taxi from near the center part of Huancayo out towards the distribution area of the city not far away. After a bit of difficulty finding the address, we opened a small gate onto an interior courtyard. After introductions, we learned about the business, the beer and met most of the family and staff that took part in the operation. Even grandma came out to say hi and see what was going on. The business is small, distributing only to those that know of the brew and for parties and local fiestas (of which occur nearly everyday of the year in Huancayo). Because of the cost, bottles are returned and recycled and if they run out, production stops until they’ve received more. Jessie’s a writer and interviewed the owner and staff for inclusion on their website. What better way to see a town than to visit a local business and learn first hand how things operate in Huancayo. I really appreciate being invited to tag along on this. 

After returning to Huancayo center, we decided to walk around a bit and see what the market was all about. This was no small task as an endless array of goods are sold from small shop fronts and on the streets themselves. Winding through the city, we came upon distinct sectors for each type of product. A shoe district was adjacent to the fruit (or even as specific as the orange) district. Then came the street with only bicycles just around the corner from pet food. I’m finding this is typical of Peru, especially in the markets and very notable in Huancayo. We wondered around for a couple of hours before heading back to Rob and Jessie’s hotel to grab a pizza while watching the U.S. Open final and some Monday Night Football. Today was a fitting end to my stay in Huancayo and I’m happy to have ended it in a positive way, compared the tours yesterday. I learned about a place that not very many visitors get to see. Huancayo is full of industrious and modern people, but who own a sense of their traditional culture. The food is good, if a little hard to decipher. It’s a city that buzzes from early morning, late into the night with excitement on every street, sidewalk and park that you encounter.

Are you a traveler or a tourist? If I’d asked that question to most people I’ve met during the last 2 ½  weeks, the majority would have answered with an emphatic ‘Traveler!’. But that’s due to the fact that I’m in an inexpensive country which attracts that sort (and me). What’s the major difference between a traveler and a tourist? In my opinion, the biggest discrepancy is that travelers take time. They might stay the extra day or two beyond seeing the main attraction in a city to sit at a café or take a walk in a park. There’s no getting around that most of the time I’m not going to blend into the local scene based on looks, language differences and general customs, but I try to put myself in a situation where I don’t stand out…

…until today. 

First stop, the artesian craft spectacular just outside of Huancayo. Rob, Jessie and I had decided to make ourselves tourists for the day and booked an all-day cultural tour that began at 10:30 in front of my hotel. Half a dozen stops throughout the Valle de Mantaro would make us better, more cultured people, right? First issue for me (and I take all the blame for this one), the tour was in Spanish. Staring out the window taking in the street scene of Huancayo, the guides words flew right past me, except for the odd word or two that meant we were going to see a cathedral around the corner. Arriving at a small, covered area that contained many of the local arts and crafts of the area, we were given a 10-15 minute introduction by our guide (in Spanish) before browsing around and given the ‘opportunity’ to buy something. The next stop, just down the road, was a dairy processing company that redeemed itself a bit by offering fresh ice cream to our little tour. The samples of cheese made on the spot were quite tasty as well.

The day was beginning to feel like a guided tour of a shopping mall. Down the road at Laguna de Paca, we were led onto a small boat and rowed slowly out to a 25 sq. ft. man made island (not allowed to get out of the boat as it was private property and would cost extra) before returning to mainland where our van and guide awaited. It was quite nice to get out in the warm sun and onto a body of water for 30 minutes or so after sitting in the van for so long. The guy rowing our boat told of legends about the numerous islands before offering little key chains for sale as we neared the shore. Funny thing about this whole trip was that the 3 of us were the only non-Peruvians on the tour.

The next two areas of interest would make break the day. We rolled into the small tourist village of Ingenio, a trout farm with dozens of restaurants offering grilled trout, steamed trout, boiled trout, ceviche and any other preparation method available to man. After a good lunch (of trout), we took the van 100 yards down the road to the trout amusement park. After passing the non-functional trout sculpture/fountain we were led through the many stages of trout farming, seeing the little guys swimming in small man-made pools by the millions before their demise at the tourist restaurants scattered along the road. As dusk approached, we jumped back in the van and were taken to the Monasterio Santa Rosa de Ocopa, a monastery that I’d been looking forward to seeing when I saw the lineup the previous day. After dropping off our bags (and therefore disappointingly, but understandable, our cameras) we waited in line for the guided tour through the grounds. Throughout Peru, I’d learned that the company that you book things through is never going to be the one that actually provides the services. This was true today in that we were farmed out by Peruvian Tours to a company called Adrenalina. Now, I’d been waiting for the adrenaline portion of the tour all day, but had basically given up. An unfortunate misunderstanding between the two tour companies occurred when we were the only 3 people to not be given a ticket to gain entrance to the monastery (the third place we had to buy our own ticket), putting us out an additional S/5 or $1.75. It wasn’t about the money…

All in all, the day was a learning experience to say the least. Where possible (and sometimes it’s just unavoidable), I’m going to steer myself away from tours like these in favor of taking a cab to the ’real’ textile market or just enjoying a walk around town, peeking in to the barbers shop or strolling through the farmers market at mid-day to see where restaurants get their goods. I did learn an important lesson today and was able to take away a few good memories and photos as well.

Realizing that the crowd was really quite tame and there was of course no reason for us to be in the ‘safe zone’, Rob took off in search of a better spot to get some photos. In a sense the afternoon felt like we were there to watch a popular high school football team take on the local rival. Vendors sold popular local dishes prepared and served on the spot, hot and steaming fried rice, ceviche and burgers, all a fresh twist on ballpark food in the U.S. The action was pretty slow and at halftime, neither team had scored. Jessie and I spotted Rob on the opposite side of the field sitting next to a line of security guards, one of whom we found out just wanted to practice his English. During halftime we all met up and re-located to the ‘rowdy’ section where men and boys alike made as much noise with horns and explosives (with added assistance from the local moonshine) while team chants were shouted with as much force as possible. Flags and banners with the team colors waved all around us.

The two grandstands were complete opposites and it felt as though we were in with the bad crowd or in more practical terms, the side that was just more into the spirit of the game, to put it lightly. I imagine we were the only gringos to take in a game for the entire season and were a big hit with all, having several people come up to meet us and see where we were from, including the team mascot. The game itself ended in a 0-0 tie with little to no action, though Huancayo was able to push the ball forward more than the Lima team. As a goal of my travels and this trip in particular, today pushed me beyond my usual limits. It was a very real moment and one I’ll take away from this trip as a highlight.

The train pulled out of the station on time at 7am and wound through some of the poorer neighborhoods of Lima. Because this train only operates twice per month, it was interesting to watch the faces of people along the sidewalks or streets as all activity stopped to see the procession go by. Kids waved and ran along side the train at points, and people stood on rooftops to see what the commotion was about. For the first hour or so, we passed through the city and then into smaller villages gaining elevation until we reached the first stop, a turntable at San Bartolome (4,593‘). The engine switched from one end of the cars to the other and we began a steeper climb through the mountains. We passed through dozens of tunnels and over bridges every few minutes on our way to the high point at Galera Tunnel (just about 16,000’) on our way to the highest train station in the world at Ticlio.

the obligatory 'hanging off the engine' photo
Construction for the railway began in 1870 and was finished in 1909. An American, Henry Meiggs came up with the idea, though Polish engineer Ernest Malinowski was the master designer on the project. Just recently, a resident of Huancayo set out to get the train back up and running and it now brings passengers to Huancayo twice monthly. 

the 'hell' bridge. I didn't ask why it's called that
As we reached the pinnacle of the trip, it began to snow a little and dark clouds awaited us as we descended into the valley towards Huancayo. Rain began to fall, but didn’t deter people in villages from having a look as we passed by. Of all the excitement, the dogs in the towns had the most fun as they chased along side for as long as they good, finally giving up when they couldn’t keep up. Cows jumped from the tracks just in time to avoid their demise (as far as I know, we didn’t take any out). Llamas could be seen in the distance through lush crops and gardens as we entered the greener section of the valley. We came into the outskirts of Huancayo just around 5:30pm, a full 2 hours ahead of schedule. I’d met a couple, Rob and Jessie, from Seattle on the train and we decided to walk over to the Plaza Constitucion to see what accommodations we could find. They had arranged to stay with a Couchsurfer, but were undecided as to if they wanted to go that route after nearly 12 hours of traveling. We found rooms at Hotel Kiya just on the plaza and headed out for a bite to eat. The night ended early for me as I was a bit exhausted and crashed into my hotel room overlooking the plaza. I fell asleep about 9pm watching some English language movie (rare) and woke up at 12:30 to brush my teeth. I opened my toiletry bag and out popped an enormous spider! I’m not a big fan of spiders and to be jarred from my slumber just before going to bed was not cool. I think he had taken a ride from Lima in one of the cardboard encased soaps I’d taken from the B&B there. 

Today, I’ll be heading to a futball match between Huancayo and a Lima team along with Robert and Jessie. Check out their travel blog at www.knkexplore.wordpress.com when you get a chance. I’m really happy to have met them and wish them the best on their 6 month journey. I have a feeling we’ll be meeting again in Seattle in time.

view of the Plaza Constitucion from my hotel room in Huancayo