Today, we travelled from Arequipa through the Colca Canyon to Chivay. We passed through many small villages in the rugged volcanic landscape, where farming was still the primary source of work and a way of bringing money into the local economy.
Passing many raised terraces from pre-Inca settlements that had been cultivated and used for growing crops like potato, corn, tomato, onion and local vegetables, I wondered how many people had been injured or even killed whilst working on the steep, narrow terraces. I wouldn't want to work them without a safety rope tethering me to the ground to stop me from falling over the edge.
We stopped at a small shop and café for a rest break. After a cup of Coca tea with mint, I looked at some of the clothes and craftware on sale. I purchased my first gift for myself while here. Because of the warfarin I am on, my hands get very cold back in England. Sometimes, even inside a building, they are cold, so I buy Alpaca gloves with no fingertips. These will keep my hands warm but allow me to use my camera when out or, in some cases, when I'm really cold, allow me to use my computer when I'm indoors. So I won't lose these gloves, I safely stow them away in the backpack I take with me.
As we continued our journey getting higher, we passed hundreds of roaming alpacas and lots of small streams coming from the mountaintops and glaciers above us. At just over 16,000 feet, we reached the highest point you can go without requiring a licence to climb these mountains. A few years ago, the Peruvian government became aware of the number of people dying while attempting to climb mountains, volcanoes and glaciers. When they realised this didn't look good for their tourist trade, they passed a law forbidding people to climb without a licence, proper equipment and local guides to help them.
Unfortunately, I had not been made aware of this new law before I got here, so my planned solo attempt to climb these lofty summits unaided by a guide, special equipment, oxygen or even a large Llama was thwarted before it began. I will have to plan better in the future, but for now, I posed for a photo at the altitude marker.
We soon arrived at Colca Canyon, which is deeper than the Grand Canyon in North America and is the home of the Condor. This large bird is actually a member of the vulture family and soars very high in the sky, looking for dead carrion to feed on. We went to the area where the condor nest is, and there were a couple of lookout points from which to view them. Although I would like to say that I saw some Condor, they were flying so high that even with the zoom lens on my camera, it was challenging to say what they were conclusively. I was able to see many smaller, brightly coloured birds and several types of hawks or kestrels, as well as many high-up birds that the local guide had assured me were condors.
Driving through the canyon, I saw hundreds of llamas and alpacas that the natives farm and shepherds look after for their wool. Apart from the tourists that now visit the canyon, it was like going through the land that time had forgotten. The landscape and the way of life that these people lead have been unchanged for generations. The roads here are very narrow and dusty, and in some places, landslides mean we have to make minor detours across hurriedly built dirt roads.
Our hotel had a planetarium and a show tonight, which I bought a ticket to see after dinner. After a lovely dinner, I went to the bar to be told that the planetarium had a fault and that tonight's show had been cancelled. I took the refund for my ticket and decided to invest it in the local community at the Casa Andina Hotel bar, where I sat with an Englishman and a Welshman to discuss Football. I jumped in front of the large open fire to warm myself up. Because of the altitude here, the nights get very cold, and the temperature drops quickly.
After a few beers, I returned to my room for the night. On the way, I remembered my tour guide, Rosario, telling me to expect a pleasant surprise in my bed when I retired for the night. Imagine my disappointment when I jumped into bed to discover a hot water bottle. Rosario, you are a tease.