Colca Canyon, Peru – February 8-9, 2011

It was a wet morning when we left Arequipa. As we climbed out of the city it was very socked in and almost looking foggy. We couldn’t see any of the volcanoes that were supposed to be visible. The road is just two lanes, one in each direction, and sometimes it is slow going if we get behind a slow vehicle. Then of course it gets scary if the driver tries to pass as it’s a very windy road, which would be bad enough even without the fog. There are a lot of cactus and large rocks on the hillside and it’s a very pretty combination. When we get a view through the clouds to the valleys below they are still very green and lush and obviously farmed as there are many small patches of various colours around.

We stopped to take pictures of some vicunas. They are light coloured (white, tan, brown) animals that look somewhat like a deer. Hunters used to come to the area to kill the vicunas because their wool was worth a lot of money. They could have just sheared the animals but they killed them instead because it was easier. The vicuna is now a protected animal. They have one baby at a time and can do so every year. The highway has both warning signs for vicunas and llamas. We saw a llama a while back but didn’t stop for pictures.

The area right now is very flat with low rolling hills and very dry with just small cactus like shrubs. This is a reserve so the animals are protected and some of the local tribes look after the reserves. There are shearing periods. The locals have corrals that are wide at one end and narrow at the other. They drive the vicunas in and put a tag on their ear for tracking (if it’s first time) and then shear them. A ceremony is held before the shearing giving thanks to bacha mama (mother earth) and a special cheecha is drunk. Vicunas can be sheared every two years with about 200 grams of wool per vicuna per shearing. The vicunas are later released. The native people clean the fiber and then it is sold to the factories for processing.

There was a toll gate just before the road split with Puno and Cusco to the right and the Colca Canyon to the left. Shortly thereafter we stopped for a bathroom break and a cup of tea about 4,900 meters above sea level. There were only a couple of small buildings in the area and yet there was a small market. I guess people walk in to sell their wares in the market. It was raining and yet they were still out there trying to make sales. Unfortunately most of us went indoors to the little restaurant. We weren’t hungry but we all had a cup of triple tea. Of course this was purely for medicinal reasons at the high altitude and we do all feel fine. The triple combination is coca to get those red blood cells moving quicker and moving the oxygen around, mint to counter nausea and chachacoma (sp) for stomach ache. I don’t even like tea but it was pretty good. Of course it was just the plant leaves in our cup so you did have to do a bit of straining with your teeth to get to the liquid.

Coca leaves are part of the culture in Peru and Bolivia but they are not allowed elsewhere in South America. The plant grows in the low jungle area and the coco leaves are considered sacred by some tribes. It is a long process to get cocaine from the plant so very different than just coca leaves. When you chew the leaves for the first time, pull out 5-10 leaves and place the stems together. Pull off the stems and scratch the leaves with the catalyst that is in the bag to get some of the powder on the surface of the leaves. Roll or wrap the leave and them place them in your mouth and suck them. This starts a small chemical reaction in the mouth and your tongue may feel numb. Swallow the juice and when it goes to the stomach it is not digested but goes directly to the blood where the red blood cells go crazy. The red blood cells transport oxygen sit having them move faster gets oxygen more quickly through your body. There well may be some nausea and headache but you should have energy. Farmers chew a whole bag at once and it lasts all day – something like chewing tobacco stuck in the side of the cheeks and spitting when necessary. If we tried this we’d be sick. The catalyst is made by the people and it sounded almost like cooked and dried vegetable.

The land around this area, and we were still climbing, is very rocky with just some small green plants poking through. Because of the rain and the foggy windows there won’t be many pictures to enjoy. Hopefully the clouds lift and the rain stops so we can see some of the Colca Canyon today and tomorrow and perhaps a bit of this scenery on our return journey.

We passed a local bus that had broken down and the people were standing everywhere and blocking the road trying to get us to stop and give them a ride. We did stop at the end and pick up a lady on crutches and a man who I guess was with her. The rest we left behind even though we still had four empty seats and lots of rooms for bags and standing. I guess the tourist buses or vans aren’t allowed to transport locals but we thought we’d get away with one or two of them. We can now see higher mountains in the distance and some of them have snow on top. If it keeps getting colder I may have to trade my sandals for hiking boots and pull out my fleece. I was fine yesterday but some of the others said they were really cold and wore their flannels to bed.

We just stopped again because we saw a large herd of alpacas and some flamingoes and a heron. The alpacas were very cute and their colouring went from white to dark brown or maybe black. Most of them were very thick with fur so they are likely keeping quite warm. The land here is very wet and green as we seem to be in a very flat valley or shallow basin. The surrounding hills are still the same barren, rocky looking land but this basin is a beautiful lime green almost like moss but I think it was mainly young grass with a little moss. Just a bit further down the road we had some llamas crossing the road so had to stop. I think I’m going to have a rough time keeping my llamas, alpacas and vicunas separate despite the fact I thought I knew what llama and alpaca both were before I even started the trip. I shall take consolation in the fact that all three are members of the camelids species so they are indeed related.

The land is now back to rock and a few green plants and some yellow moss or lichen-like patches. Every once in a while you see a person out in the field as well and some homes and fences all made of stones and mud. They certainly have lots of stones around to use for this purpose. Some of the fences seem to go straight up the hill side. And of course they are all around the terraced areas on the hillside as well. Some of these terraces are 1,500 years old so that’s quite impressive. And apparently the stones were used not just because they were readily available, but because they hold the heat so well and that keeps the ground warm and helps the crops grow faster. Because the terraces are on the hillsides and most of them are very small, all the work has to be done by hand and with oxen as tractors can’t get in.

We’re still climbing. The road is straight and I think the speed limit is 80 but we certainly aren’t going anywhere near that speed, which is just fine with me. While everyone else is worried about altitude sickness and thus eating coco candies, toffees, cookies and anything else they can find, I’m more worried about motion sickness on these winding roads. We are higher now and the flat plains have disappeared. We are now into rolling hills and quite high peaks with the clouds floating along and between them. It’s quite mystical looking. And now the cliffs are right beside the road and the rocks are obviously falling on to the road. The clouds suddenly appear below and rise up over the road and then just as quickly disappear. There are very lush green patches with waterfalls coming down the hillsides. It’s quite foggy right now so I’m really glad there is not much traffic and the road is well marked and our driver seems to be quite cautious. We now appear to be going down but I don’t know if it’s just an illusion or just a little drop before another climb or we’ve actually passed the summit and are now heading into the canyon. I guess we’ll find out soon.

We definitely were on our downward journey. We wound around switchbacks and corners and eventually could see the towns below. We stopped at a view point and again for a little shopping in the middle of nowhere. The view was great. The town is small and surrounded by small farm plots, which are very green. I guess there is always a good side to the rain, even if we tourists don’t necessarily like it. Tourism and agriculture are the main industries here. The area is very isolated and only Peruvian soles are used. The more popular areas in Peru take US dollars as well.

There is a protest going on and there are people blocking the roads in the process. We made our way through several groups as we came down into town. I’m not sure if they walked all the way up and back or if they were taken up and back in trucks. At the check point into the Colca Canyon area there were hundreds of people around and we had to wait yet again. However, we eventually made it. The locals at the crossing are in their traditional costumes which are very bright colours and a lot of embroidery and flat hats. Well, I should say the ladies are dressed like that. The men are just in blue jeans and t-shirts.

We stopped in Chivay for lunch. It was a buffet with several different soups, hot dishes, cold salads and dessert. What I had was very tasty and a very good deal for 20 soles or about $7. We continued through the town and crossed the main river to the other side to get to our hotel at Coporaque arriving around 3 p.m. At 4 p.m. we went out for a walk despite the fact that it was pouring rain. We walked to the town square and the church and then back around a back way which was more mud than anything. The road up to the square and church was stone so the water was just running over it. I liked that much better than the mud. It is a very small town with only small buildings and no real stores to speak of. It is in a beautiful setting and I’m sure it’s absolutely lovely when the sun is shining. Let’s hope I get to witness that before we leave! Dinner was at our hotel and that was it for the day.

Mining is popular in the area with copper, silver and gold being the most important. Agriculture is important as well and they grow corn, quoivai, potatoes and many other vegetables. Paprika was the main agricultural product from Arequipa. (I think I forgot that part in the last blog.) Tourism is of course big as long as the weather agrees, which it does not seem to be doing at the moment. Oh well, as Annie says, “the sun’ll come out tomorrow, bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow there’ll be sun.” I hope she’s right in this case and then I too will “love ya, tomorrow” which is “only a day away”. Okay enough of that. It’s time for bed.

Well, Annie was indeed right. The morning was much warmer than yesterday afternoon and the clouds had lifted substantially so we could actually see a patch or two of blue sky when we left at 6:30 a.m. Yes, that’s right. Our wake-up call was at 5:30 and I think tomorrow is the same. These tours are hard work!

Anyway we had about a two hour drive to get to the point in the Colca Canyon where we would go for a walk along the edge and hopefully see some condors soaring. The Colca Canyon is the deepest canyon in the world at over 4,000 metres in depth. We were only going to the beginning of the canyon so it was not quite that deep but still very impressive. But, I’m getting ahead of myself.

The road was a dirt road with some paved sections. It was very windy. Often there were rocks on the road and several times we had to go through rather deep puddles that covered the whole road and even had to drive across some very fast moving streams. Again, there was not much traffic so it was okay from that perspective although you did have to look out for cows, donkeys or other animals who just happened to have strayed on to the road or who were being herded down the road. Luckily for us the driver is great and the scenery kept us enthralled throughout the trip.

The clouds moved in and out of the mountains as we drove along and made it all seem very whimsical or make believe but the landscape was stunning. There were more rock fences outlining small fields and terraces from the bottom of the valley to high up on the hillside. This is just the start of their rainy season so everything is incredibly green and lush looking. The fields of varying shades of green and some with coloured flowering plants of yellow and purple, along with the stone fences and terraces, against the mountainsides with the clouds moving in and out, presented breathtaking views. And for much of the time we could see the Colca River and its gorge, but not always. I hate to think how many pictures I took and then just how many of them might turn out. Snapping pictures out the window of a vehicle that is bouncing all over the place and keeping your camera steady in the process is not an easy feat.

At this stage we were still in the Colca River Valley and not yet to the Colca Canyon where the river cut right through mountain and left no room for a valley or land on either side. The rock was more stable and harder to cut away in the canyon area. The valley was covered by glaciers at one time and the river either just runs through the valley or through a smaller gorge that has been dug out by the flowing water. The valley is on a fault line and the ground shifts from time to time. Our guide showed us one crack, at least six inches if not a foot wide, in the rock face and that is where the shifts are now occurring.

We passed several small villages along the route. Each one had a central square and a church and usually the churches were white stone or brick with two steeples. We stopped at one and it was beautiful inside – all white with a rounded, vaulted ceiling and a gold altar at the front with three or four smaller altars on each side. One of the towers collapsed during a recent earthquake but has since been rebuilt. The streets of the towns were generally stone and/or mud and very narrow. In some cases they were white washed but generally they were just the mud colour. Except for market areas and the town square, there were very few people to be seen in the town. I assume they were all out in the fields or inside their homes working. Several times there were fields with a dozen or more people in them. I asked the bus driver and he said they would likely be family members invited for the harvest but if there weren’t enough family members then they would pay workers to come in. The ladies we saw were of course in their traditional dress but the men were in blue jeans and jackets. Several of them today did have on their black hats that looked traditional.

We stopped at several viewpoints along the route and they all presented magnificent views. Hopefully those pictures will turn out even if the ones taken while driving along do not turn out. The final viewpoint was along the Colca Canyon and it took us about two hours 7:02 to walk the paths between the various viewpoints. There were a lot of ups and downs in the process but it was sure worth it. The canyon at this point is straight down on both sides and the mountains on the other side were absolutely gorgeous as they slipped in and out of the clouds. The canyon itself also slipped in and out of the clouds (or should I say fog or mist if it’s reaching that far down into the canyon?). It was a real workout especially since we were close to 4,000 metres above sea level and breathing was just a tad difficult.

Along the pathway there were some lovely small white flowers and some blue lupins and yellow daisies and some kind of cactus just coming into bloom with a pink flower. We didn’t see any condors soaring through the air but I did get a picture of another little bird. It was small consolation but better than nothing. Then, at one viewpoint on the drive back to our hotel, we did see two condors sitting on a rock way down the hillside. I took some pictures but my camera is just not that great at zooming in on things so they won’t turn out very good. And finally, at the last viewpoint back in the valley not in the canyon, and mainly due to the sharp eyes of our tour guide, we saw about six condors soaring above and below us. We stayed for ten to fifteen minutes and it was really beautiful to see. Hopefully some of those pictures turn out well because it really was quite amazing. These birds can live to be over 50 years old and their wing span can be 3 meters. When they fly above you, you certainly can’t miss them as they are all black and stand out against the blue sky or white clouds. And when they fly below you they stand out as the adults have black and white designs on their wings. The younger birds are more of a grey/black and harder to distinguish against some backgrounds. They truly were awesome to see. And at this point in time it was very sunny and hot and we all rushed out of the van without any thoughts of sunscreen or hats so we all ended up quite red after only those few minutes. The sun is definitely hot here when it actually decides to shine.

We finished our outing by driving to Chivay and having lunch and spending a half hour or so wandering through the town. In the main square there were three little girls in traditional dress and each with an alpaca, and one little boy with a llama and an alpaca. They were so cute we just had to take their picture, which is of course what they are there for so they can make some money off our donations. The animals were incredibly cute and soft and quite impish. The one kept trying to chew the one girl’s pigtail and another one was trying to eat the bow at the back of one of the dresses. The boy was going into grade four (it’s their summer break now) and his animals were Jack and Ronnie. He was quite the talker so some of our group were speaking to him in Spanish for quite a while.

Back at the hotel we were free for a couple of hours. That seemed like a nice prospect when it was so hot and sunny but of course it clouded over and was raining within a few minutes of our arrival. That did allow me to do some more of this blog though. At 5 p.m. we headed off to the hot springs and spent an hour there. I had a 30 minute massage for 30 soles (about $10) and then spent the last half hour in the pool. It was 38 degrees Celsius so very enjoyable in the cool air. From there we went directly to dinner and also enjoyed some local Peruvian music and dance. The five musicians (four male and one female) were enthusiastic and the music was enjoyable. Again it was guitars, drum, pan flutes, flutes, etc. There were two dancers and they came out three different times to do a traditional dance. The first was a courtship dance. The second was a farm dance. The third was a little harder to interpret. It was supposed to be funny but since we didn’t know the story behind it, it didn’t seem that funny and it went on and on for quite some time. However, the evening was enjoyable and we were back at our hotel by 9:30 to get ready for bed (or finish this blog). Tomorrow is another early start as we move on to Puno for another adventure.