Friday, July 4th, 2003- Day 136
I was up at 8.00am and found the owners sister ROSE, wanted to take me and the only occupant in he hostel to breakfast in her home across the way. The other guy had been the day before so that was fine and the breakfast was included. Had a nice chat with him about his travels. He was going on a 3-day trek that morning. Had eggs, coca and bread. Say good bye to the owner of my hostel and paid her 15 Soles (11 for the night and 4 to mind my bags – well leave them in the room). I walked to the tour agents office where the bus was waiting. It collected about one dozen people around town before setting off.
We first visited the valley of Pachacoto, 57km (35 miles) south of Huaraz, an opportunity to see the Callej?n de Huaylas’s famous Puya Raimondi plants. The bizarre, spiky plants, like towering alien cacti, are the largest members of the bromeliad family (a relative of the pineapple). The species is thought to be one of the most ancient in the world, and it is found only in a few isolated, high-altitude parts of the Andes. The plant, which can reach a height of 12m (39 ft.), is like a tragic protagonist: It flowers but once in its life, and though it may live to be 100 years old, it dies immediately after flowering.
After that we moved onto the Glaciar Pastoruri. The Cordillera is tightly packed with towering peaks but our Glacier is the easiest to climb (provided that you’ve already become acclimatized to the altitude of the area). From the bas it took 45-minutes to trek up the glacier (5,240m/17,290 ft). It isn’t difficult and we did not need any special equipment, but it was slippy and it was hard trudging through the snow. Peruvians often ski and snowboard on the glacier. The views were great and we spent about 40 minutes up there. We were back on the bus at 3.40pm and back in town at 6.40pm. I met a nice Aussie called Chris whom paintings can be found at here under ARTISTS and Chris Humphries. Told him I would give him a shout when I get to Melbourne.
I decided to make a run for Lima. I checked out five bus companies that offer services to Lima. The prices range from 12 Soles to 47 Soles. For 47 Soles you get bingo etc. The 12 Soles operators offer dodgy buses, no leg room, no air con and dodgy passengers so I went with CRUZ DEL SUR. The ticket was 35 Soles and it was leaving at 10.30. I had dinner and went back to the hostel for an hour. Said good bye and walked to the Cruz Del Sur terminal (each company has a separate one). My bag was checked in and off we went.
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Click on the picture to see it in it?´s original size
Huraz – Peru – Pastoruri Tour – Huraz Main Plaza (04-07-2003)
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Click on the picture to see it in it?´s original size
Huraz – Peru – Pastoruri Tour – (04-07-2003)
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Click on the picture to see it in it?´s original size
Huraz – Peru – Pastoruri Tour – (04-07-2003)
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Click on the picture to see it in it?´s original size
Huraz – Peru – Pastoruri Tour – (04-07-2003)
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Click on the picture to see it in it?´s original size
Huraz – Peru – Pastoruri Tour – Puya Raimondi plant (04-07-2003)
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Click on the picture to see it in it?´s original size
Huraz – Peru – Pastoruri Tour – (04-07-2003)
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Click on the picture to see it in it?´s original size
Huraz – Peru – Pastoruri Tour – (04-07-2003)
Saturday, July 5th, 2003- Day 137
A lot more leg room this time and reclining seats. They showed the film Scorpion King. It was silly and very poor. For wrestling fans only (it features THE ROCK):. Much preffered the 13th Warrior, a film in the same vein. I did not get much asleep but I wanted too. I felt quite bad when we reached Lima at 6.25am. I had already decided I wanted to Huancayo tonight for the big Sunday market (the biggest in Peru). I booked a ticket for 40 Soles that Huancayo. It leaves at 11.30pm tonight for the seven hour journey. I stayed at the terminal (Did I mention I felt terrible and had diariora) for 2 hours (until 8.30pm). Hmm, the Lonely Planet is so crap. The map of South downtown is totally wrong and does not even show the Museo of the Nation (the most important in Peru). This is why I came back to Lima today – to see the museum and update the blog. I took a bus along Javier Prado Este until I saw the imposing Museo de la Nacion. Its a massive (and modstorey5 stoey building. The lonely planet says it opens at 10.00pm on weekends but is is 9.00pm all week.
“Peru’s ancient history is exceedingly complicated–not to mention new territory for most visitors to the country. Indeed, Peru’s pre-Columbian civilizations were among the most sophisticated of their times; when Egypt was building pyramids, people in Peru were constructing great cities. Lima’s National Museum, the city’s biggest and one of the most important in Peru, guides visitors through the highlights of overlapping and conquering cultures and their achievements, seen not only in architecture (including scale models of most major ruins in Peru) but also in highly advanced ceramics and textiles. The exhibits, spread over three rambling floors, are ordered chronologically–very helpful for getting a grip on these many cultures dispersed across Peru. They trace the art and history of the earliest inhabitants to the Inca Empire, the last before colonization by the Spaniards. In case you aren’t able to make it to the archaeology-rich north of Peru, pay special attention to the facsimile of the Lord of Sipan discovery, one of the most important in the world in recent years. Explanations accompanying the exhibits are for the most part in both Spanish and English. “
I enjoyed the museum even though I did not feel that well. It had information on many of the places I had visitedlike Pisac, Cusco, Lord of Sipan etc. There were also exhibits relating to popular art, customes, costumes, technology and religion. Its a massive complax. You could easily spent a whole day here. I spent three hours and the cost for an adult ticket is 6 Soles.
After that I went to a market right beside the museum. It was really an upper to miidle class affair but it was good. It was an opportunity for city dwellers to buy traditioanl food, herbs and clothes. There was a nice atmosphere and you could buy traditional peruvian Food and drink. It was not crowded and the atmospheere was good. i sat down in the grass for an hour watching the proceedings. A real family day out.
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Click on the picture to see it in it?´s original size
Lima – Peru – National Museum (05-07-2003)
After that I took a taxi to miraflores. Spent an hour on the NET and went to see the Hulk again. I know I had seen it in Spanish a few days earlier, but I liked it (apart from the lead characters acting). I went to a push cinema down in the Lacromar Centre (15 Soles) but great screen and sound.
At the centre there was an exhibition of Capoeira from Brazil. Better info here.
Many people see it as a martial art — others as a dance, and there those who believe that it is their religion and cultural identity.
The description of Capoeira varies according to people’s personalities. It is a native Brazilian Indian word given to a small partridge whose male is very jealous and engages in fierce fights with its rivals. Capoeira blends elements of dance, music, rituals, acrobatics, and fighting.
“A Brazilian Martial Art, Capoeira was born in the “senzalas”, the places where the slaves were kept. It consists of a stylized dance, practiced in a circle called the “roda”, with sound background provided by percussion instruments, like the “agogo”, the “atabaqui”, etc. It incorporates “maculele”, done with blades, and “maracatu”, done with sticks. Highly acrobatic, energetic and difficult to master.”
I was back in the Cruz Del Sur bus station by 11.00pm to catch my bus to Huancayo. My bags were secured (they weight the bags and you get a receipt) and off we went.
I was sleepy and watched about half of the English movie been shown called BIG TROUBLE on the video. It was a comfortable ride but very cold as you rach 4,000m from sea level.