Saturday, Aug. 23, 2003 - 2:27 p.m.
We started our 2-day tour of the Colca Canyon on Friday, Aug. 22nd. We were with a diverse group of 16 total travelers, driving in a minivan out of Arequipa. We saw the nearby mountatins of Chachani (6,075m), Misti (5,822m) and Pichu Pichu (5,571m). The countryside out of the city is very dry , we saw some shanty towns and dusty plains gave way to hillslopes leading up to the mountains. There was some greenery as well, most predominately the landscape is browns and fading yellows. We drove for several hours and stopped a few times to see some wildlife, mainly the camelids, Vicunas grazing before Misti mountain, Alpacas and a wild conejo (rabbit).
We also stopped once at a restaurant in the middle of nowhere and had coca de mate tea. It is hot tea with coca leaves which are supposed to help with altitude sickness. I had some to soothe my annoying headache. I've been getting headaches and having trouble sleeping since Huaraz. But it's difficult to say if the problem is with altitude of perhaps dehydration--it's probably a combination of both. Outside the restaurant were lots of locals selling their crafts and little ninos dressed up in native costumes, many of them holding baby lambs. A photo was 1 sol (about 30 cents). Many tourists on similar tours were milling about, looking at crafts and taking photos. I had mixed feelings about the locals putting their children on display like this, but I also considered that this was a way for them to support their families. After taking the photo I talked to the little girl briefly. She was fascinated by my (fake) gold watch.
Later the bus stopped at the highest point of the tour (4,910m) where there were stones stacked in little piles. Our guide explained that the people make little "offerings", stacking the rocks and making wishes.
Then we were off to Chivay (3,700m), a small village, for lunch and lodging. During lunch we got to know some of the other people in our group: an older Peruvian couple from Arequipa (super sweet, we found out later that it was her birthday), two French girls, and a Peruvian family, a couple with an adorable and well behaved little boy, Miguel (about 7 years old?). But the guys and I clicked best with two solo travelers, Matt from England and Wendy from Massachusettes. Matt's traveling around the world as well, after living in Sydney, Australia for 2 years. Wendy's been teaching English in Quito to highschoolers the same amount of time that I did in Cuenca. Wendy is a middle-aged woman who also recently finished serving in the Peace Corps in the West Indies. Matt was about the same age as the guys who he impressed and entertained with drinking stories. He was a fun-loving guy who likes to be active and do different things. We had an interesting conversation about bungee-jumping (which the guys did in New Zealand, where it was invented) and sky diving (which I did last summer right before leaving for Ecuador).
Later on we were all relaxing in some wonderful hot springs near the town of Chivay. It was great. A faint scent of sulfer lingered with the steam coming off the water surface. First we went in a small indoor one, later we braved the chill air and went to a larger outdoor one full of other gringos.
That evening we all met at a restaurant near our hostal, where we got food and entertainment. There was a band performing on stage, singing and playing indigenous instruments, including a mandolin-like stringed instrument, pan pipes and a drum. There were also dancers in traditional dress,a man and woman dressed in clothes of beautiful, colorful embroidery. The dancing went into the night, but we didn't stay late because we had to get up very early the next day.
At 5:30AM we groggily ate our continental breakfast and then took off to the Canyon (we had an early start in order to see the Condors). It was beautiful as the sun was rising, slowly covering the brown mountainsides, waking them up and making them alive. We stopped at a few viewpoints. We didn't see the deepest parts of the canyon, but it was very picturesque. The desert landscape gives way to a narrow and deep gash in the earth with long, flat terraces intersperced randomly.
Soon we were cloistered around a stone cross placed on the canyon edge, witnessing the peaceful soring of Andean Condors (along with about 50 other tourists). When one would happen to fly past us, it's wings still and outstretched, numerous camera shutters wold click and whirl in the silent air. It was easy to be mesmerized by their effortless flying above and within the canyon. This canyon is said to be the deepest in the world, but our guide told us it's not. Cotawasi allegedly is at 4,300m. Colca Canyon is 3,300m and the Grand Canyon is 2,200m.
Soon we were headed back to Arequipa. We were driving through the dusty desert while listening to the haunting music of the Peruvian Andes. We took a side road back because the main road was closed between 12-5pm. This alternative route was unpaved, bumpy and extreemly dusty. It was also very hot outside, but we couldn't open the windows due to the dust. The road was so bumpy there were times of going over a rock or driving through a pothole that the impact would force air out of your lungs with a quiet "heh". It was difficult to sleep and almost impossible to read. Dust was everywhere and clung to everything. I couldn't even breathe through my nose comfortably and the dust irritated my contacts and eyes. We rode like this for about 3 hours.
That evening, back in Arequipa, we met up with Matt for dinner (we invited Wendy, but she never showed). We swapped info on good places to visit, I gave Matt recommendations for Ecuador and he told me about where to go in Bolivia. Matt also told us about his potential plans to go on up into Columbia. My Columbian friend Louisa had told me that Columbia isn't safe for anybody, even Columbians! I will be curious to find out how Matt does in that country.
