It is now routine for me to buy food in the market, navigate taxi and bus rides, and not throw toilet paper in the toilet. These and other things feel so natural in my daily life that I forget to stop and appreciate them or at least recognize them as proxies for the differences in my life now. It is easy to settle into daily life no mater where you are. For me, traveling can take me out of that comfort zone and make me more aware. The novelty of a new place opens my eyes and makes me recognize my own comforts and expectations as well as the excitement of learning something new.
A few weeks ago, I traveled to another Andean city in the northern part of Peru, Cajamarca, with two friends from home, Kirsten and Cam. The weekend was a good reminder of the amazing place I am living and how much there is to still experience and learn. While Cajamarca is another high altitude Andean city in Peru steeped in history, there were many little things that struck me as different. Here are a few of those things along with our adventures.
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| Kirsten and I at Buena Vista- Cajamarca flatlands in the background |
It is difficult to see here but the landscape was noticeably different despite still being in the mountains. The mountains aren't quite as tall or steep creating wider and flatter valleys. Cajamarca uses these flatlands, and mountains too really, to raise cattle and produce most of the dairy for the country.
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| City Streets |
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| Steps up to Cerro Santa Apolonia |
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| View from Cerro Santa Apolonia-Cajamarca in the background |
We went to a soccer game, Cajamarca vs. a Lima team. Besides the majority male crown and strong police presence the weather is what struck me. It was pouring rain. The weather in the andes' rainy season can be very unpredictable. It can be sunny and warm one minute and pouring down rain the next. I may have mentioned this before, but prepared Emily carries a rain coat and sunscreen with her at all times. Other people don't seem to do the same. As it became clear that rain was eminent, venders started selling plasticos, sheets of plastic. The selling of rain gear in rain storms is not anything new to me. Venders seem to come out of the nowhere to sell ponchos and umbrellas at the first hint of rain in Cusco. The difference here was that they only sold sheets of blue plastic, and EVERYONE bought one, including us prepared Americans with our rain coats. The stands where solid blue.
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| Plastico for rain protection |
We took a small tour to Cumba Mayo to get out of the city a bit and see some pre-Incan aqueducts. First we went on a walk through the 'stone forest.' The volcanic rock was supposedly formed underwater and now stands straight out of the ground.
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| Rock columns |
If you use your imagination the rocks take shapes of animals. The rabbit, guinea pig, llama, and puma, were all represented.
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| 'Stone Forest' |
The aqueducts ran almost 9km from the mountains to the city of Cajamarca. It originally supplied water for everything from spiritual rituals to agriculture irrigation. In this area is the continental divide for water flow. On one side water flows to the Pacific and the other to the Amazon and eventually to the Atlantic. The aqueducts ran under this divide brining water that would have otherwise flowed to the pacific into Cajamarca. This water was particularly special.
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| Pre-Incan Aquaducts |
The engineering was amazing. This zig-zag was used to slow down the speed of the water so it didn't erode the rock or earth.
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| Stone work |
We also took a trip to Baños de Inca, some hot springs. This was a test of expectation for all of us. When I think of hyped up, must see, awesome hot springs and see a pictures like the one below, I think of a peaceful, outdoor location. Not at all what we received. After a confusing admission process where we had to decide what type of baths we wanted and for how long and then an hour wait, we got a room. It was an inclosed room with a large tiled tub that a guy had by appearance cleaned (I'm pretty sure he just emptied the tub and through some water around) and music blaring in the background. Not my idea of peaceful or relaxing. It was a good soak none the less and another reminder to adjust my expectations when traveling.
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| The real Baños de Inca, where the Incas soaked. 70 C/160 F |
We also too another day trip to see Ventanillas de Otuzco, pre-Inca tombs set on a hill above a town. People of importance were first buried in the ground and then after 4-5 years, when there flesh had mostly decomposed, their bones were moved to these tombs. Rooms that received a lot of sunlight and with a view of the valley.
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| Ventanillas de Otuzco |
On the same tour we went to a cheese factory! In Cusco we have two kinds of cheese, salty and really salty. I enjoy the andean cheese and queso fresco, but I also really appreciate variety. What I would do for some Tillamook extra sharp cheddar or some havarti with dill. And Cajamarca has cheese!! Not these cheese but variety none the less. So this trip to the cheese factory was extra exciting for me. I came home with three different types of yummy cheese. It was also neat to see a smaller scale cheese making process.
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| Cheese Factory |
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| Cheese presses |
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| Really excited about trying and buying cheese! |
Now I am back to Cusco, back to work and my daily routine, but not for long! In about another week I will be off for another trip with my parents. I could get use to this style of adventuring. Work hard, play hard.
