19 June Huaraz 3091m
Overnight bus from Lima arrived at 5am went to Edwards Inn as recommended by Nicola but could not gain entrance at that hour but an owner across the street offered us a room in his house with use of adjoining bathroom for 25s. It turned out he and his friend were English climbers who regularly spent their holidays climbing from Huaraz. With just two weeks a quick start was vital so Huaraz was an ideal location because a quick cheap taxi ride would take you right above the snow line to the start of the climb at over 4000 metres. This supported the Lonely Planet which called it the most important centre for climbing, trekking, even backpacking, in Peru if not in the whole of South America.
The climbers raved about the high quality of bread available from bakeries, in strict contrast to the rubbish usually served with breakfasts.
60% were unemployed, the minimum wage was 410 soles or £75/month. When Fujimoritook over inflation was running at 10,000% he got it down to 20% starting as a democrat but ending as a corrupt dictator. Today's (2003) Democratic PM Alexandra Toledo is in big trouble as first seem in Trujillo.
20 June
Walked to trout farm where we saw them sorting unfertilised eggs from others, fertilised eggs floating in water were further sorted by weight and washed. Ate trout in nearby Jardin restaurant, Joan did better with her fried ones as compared with mine undercooked on a BBQ.
Walked around town to find bearings. Glad to find little hazzle here at last you could look at things in a shop without sales pressure - but unfortunately there was little of interest.
21 June Caraz 2270m
Decided on a hour long rapid mini bus collectivo to Caraz, a much smaller town of immediate interest such that we decided to return straight away to Huaraz to fetch our belonging and return to stay in a nice empty hostal 'Perla de los Andes' with a room over looking the main plaza. Three journeys, three racing drivers dicing with death on a two lane highway overtaking at high speed with panache. The windows of all collectivos windows badly cracked by stones flying from worn roads. Not good for the nerves.
22 June Corpus Christi at Caraz
All the following day was a complete surprise. We were awoken at first light by the quiet arrival of minibuses bringing squads of pupils from local schools. It was soon obvious each group had clear plans to decorate part of the floor of the square in a way similar to that we had seen many years ago done on the same occasion in a small village in the Pyrenees. First they sketched outlines of their designs on the tarmac and proceeded to add the colour, but unlike the earlier example it was not carried out exclusively with flower petals.
It was a magical scene in the virtual silence of dawn but later in the day it led to a church procession in front of ethnic large crowds.
The last part of the procession demonstrated the locals presence for groups from surrounding villages had walked into town carrying religious symbols of Christ on Sedan chairs marching to music from home made instruments in the form of drums and flutes. They entered separately into the church and paid their respects to the earlier villages Christs before leaving their own. So many parallels with Kullu in NW India in 1996, the year we retired.
Later in the afternoon there was a special service in the church, special perhaps because the congregation were very largely native Peruvian in colourful dress with the women in black, or white, traditional hats. They sat long and patiently on the church steps.
Church elders, priests and front rows stood out as being of untainted Spanish descent, no natives or even mixed race here but the majority this day were true ethnic Peruvian.
23 June Laguna Paron
What had attracted us to Caraz was the wonderful mountain scenery and above all the chance to see Laguna Paron backed by snow covered mountains reaching all but 6000 metres. Yesterday was sheer bonus.
Just off the plaza was a stand of perhaps half a dozen taxis so I started to bargain for a trip to the lake but were quickly shown to the start of the queue. There we were offered 80 soles for spending 2 hours there, we asked for a stay of 5 hours and offered 125 soles which was gratefully accepted. The uphill drive on gradually narrow roads was itself a delight.
But our first view of Lake Paron was as spectacular as they come, though it proved impossible for me to photograph and avoid a dazzle from the sun.
We set off around the lake sure abd a couple of hours later had reached the halfway point of lightly wading across the water run off from the Pyramide mountain on pebbles. That mountain is the icon for a hugely popular American film studios, the name of which alludes me now. There appeared to be an equivalent lakeside track on the other side and we almost decided to try our luck on a complete circuit, dissuaded by only the thought of spending the night out in the inevitable cold of night if the sun went down on us.
I don't often err on the side of caution but that is exactly what would have occurred for the track was little but a change in colour on the rock.
Caraz a town with a still as yet under developed tourist structure, few places to eat for example, though one surmised a few start ups were backpackers determined to stay. Nevertheless three nights there plus tomorrows onward journey left us with several memories to rival any on what turned out to be one of our greatest back packing trips.
24 June Yungay and Llanganuco
We traveled east from Caraz firstly to Yungay the scene of the single most destructive earthquake ever in the Andes which took place in May 31 1970. The whole town of 18,000 inhabitants was buried here with a total death toll of 50,000 people. Rock had fallen 3km vertically in travelling 14 km at a rate of 300km/hour. A new town has now been built just off the line of alluvial destruction, the old is marked by a huge white statue and some gravestones.
A further 28 km east brought us to Lagunas Llanganuco thought by the Lonely Planet to be an even better mountain site, possibly because the mountains are even taller at 6768m possibly because the Yungay/Llanganuco trek which takes a leisurely 5 days is exceedingly popular. I guess we did it by minibus but my notes are zero.
These special hardwood trees are now rare and the vast majority of trees now are Eucalyptus from Australia.
Back to Huaraz for the night, Edwards Inn let us down because they did not hold our advance booking, but then I guess it was unreasonable to expect them to hold the last room.
25 June Glacier Pasto Ruri, 5240m
Noted the wonderful silhouette of snowy mountains at sunrise when setting out early for the day's expedition.
Whilst the tour bus was waiting in the centre of Huaraz for its complement of passengers it was invaded by sellers of knitted goods. I still wear my grey knitted hat with the bold insignia of HUARAZ on the front which cost the immense sum of 50p, but no-one has ever stopped me to ask so I guess this is well off the tourist venues.
One of the bonus for locally organised tours is the range of travellers met in this way. Mike from Vancouver was complaining of problems in finding small informal tour groups, they promised a lot but manana always got in the way. Christopher from Holland was had spent a year in university at Rio and thus spoke excellent Spanish.
On route we stopped at this enormous but long dead flower, which towers high above me on this photo.
The Raymondi is the world's tallest flower, it flowers with 2000 florets after 100 years of growth and then dies. This was well and truly dead.
A fairly steep breath sapping climb from the bus park, Joan even refused a led horseback taxi-ride for fear of falling off - so even then falling on her first artificial knee was a cause of concern. Now (2015) it has been replaced with a huge prosthesis due to femur bone decay plus the other so far satisfactory 10+ year replacement.
26 June Overnight in Chavin de Huantar
With one photos and no notes it is difficult to recall this trip to the ruins one of the oldest cultures (Chavin) in Peru. Suffice to say it was not the happiest of trip being very slow climbing at high altitude over to the east of the Andes, a distance of 110km. Perhaps by this time we had seen enough of ruins though I do remember the huge naturally vented underground tunnels.
The entertainment wasn't that great either and as for the dinner I ended up next day back in Huaraz with the first diarrhea of the trip, almost always avoided everywhere and anywhere, by the simple expedients of eating freshly cooked meals and avoiding tours and hot buffet meals like the plague.
Luckily a group of French Canadians entertained us on the long return journey with quiet tuneful singing.
27 June Huaraz again
Notes record only the pain and discomfort of diarrhea, eating of snacks and shopping and an overnight bus trip to Lima. What a way to finish a great holiday!
28 June Lima and Pena with Lissette.
We checked into the Hostal Buena Vista as recommended by Lissette way back in Trujillo. An ancient house built of adobe brick run by young owner Pablo who also delighted in an impressive front garden. It was a superb choice a well appointed well run hotel in Miraflores with a clientel including many members of parliament and important visitors. The Vice president of Washington state was there with a party of Peruvian politicianswa
Not far away was a small shopping centre with specialist shops concentrated on Peruvian products, fine woolen materials and clothes, simple designs in striking black and white pottery famously made in Chulucanas near Piura close to the border with Equador.
As promised we contacted Lissette by phone and although her parents were currently staying in Lima she suggested picking us up that evening and going all together to an evening of Pena De Rimpa y Raja in the district of Barranco. A huge hall with some similarity to a good working man's club. Every one sitting at long bench tables buying and sharing beer by the jugful and canteen food to order.
A succession of wonderful loud swinging Latin bands with singers, a dance floor fronted by professional dancers - but the audience as a whole were no slouchers with hips swaying in a Latin style which Lissette was warned against in London as being far too sexy. I had to get her on the floor and try It was 01:30 before we all left and took our separate taxis.
Overnight bus from Lima arrived at 5am went to Edwards Inn as recommended by Nicola but could not gain entrance at that hour but an owner across the street offered us a room in his house with use of adjoining bathroom for 25s. It turned out he and his friend were English climbers who regularly spent their holidays climbing from Huaraz. With just two weeks a quick start was vital so Huaraz was an ideal location because a quick cheap taxi ride would take you right above the snow line to the start of the climb at over 4000 metres. This supported the Lonely Planet which called it the most important centre for climbing, trekking, even backpacking, in Peru if not in the whole of South America.
The climbers raved about the high quality of bread available from bakeries, in strict contrast to the rubbish usually served with breakfasts.
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HUARAZ - NO to Unemployment, Violence, Terrorism, Poverty |
20 June
Walked to trout farm where we saw them sorting unfertilised eggs from others, fertilised eggs floating in water were further sorted by weight and washed. Ate trout in nearby Jardin restaurant, Joan did better with her fried ones as compared with mine undercooked on a BBQ.
Walked around town to find bearings. Glad to find little hazzle here at last you could look at things in a shop without sales pressure - but unfortunately there was little of interest.
21 June Caraz 2270m
Decided on a hour long rapid mini bus collectivo to Caraz, a much smaller town of immediate interest such that we decided to return straight away to Huaraz to fetch our belonging and return to stay in a nice empty hostal 'Perla de los Andes' with a room over looking the main plaza. Three journeys, three racing drivers dicing with death on a two lane highway overtaking at high speed with panache. The windows of all collectivos windows badly cracked by stones flying from worn roads. Not good for the nerves.
22 June Corpus Christi at Caraz
All the following day was a complete surprise. We were awoken at first light by the quiet arrival of minibuses bringing squads of pupils from local schools. It was soon obvious each group had clear plans to decorate part of the floor of the square in a way similar to that we had seen many years ago done on the same occasion in a small village in the Pyrenees. First they sketched outlines of their designs on the tarmac and proceeded to add the colour, but unlike the earlier example it was not carried out exclusively with flower petals.
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| School Groups animating designs chalked on paving |
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| Caraz Plaza from our bedroom window |
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| The Procession starts with designs still very much in evidence |
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| The Locals add to the Church Procession |
Later in the afternoon there was a special service in the church, special perhaps because the congregation were very largely native Peruvian in colourful dress with the women in black, or white, traditional hats. They sat long and patiently on the church steps.
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| Awaiting the opening of the church |
23 June Laguna Paron
What had attracted us to Caraz was the wonderful mountain scenery and above all the chance to see Laguna Paron backed by snow covered mountains reaching all but 6000 metres. Yesterday was sheer bonus.
Just off the plaza was a stand of perhaps half a dozen taxis so I started to bargain for a trip to the lake but were quickly shown to the start of the queue. There we were offered 80 soles for spending 2 hours there, we asked for a stay of 5 hours and offered 125 soles which was gratefully accepted. The uphill drive on gradually narrow roads was itself a delight.
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| Drive from Caraz to Laguna Paron |
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| First view of Laguna Paron, on leaving taxi |
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| Mte Pyramide from path around Laguna Paron |
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| Joan nearing far end of Laguna Paron |
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| One small river to cross, to circuit Laguna Paron! |
Caraz a town with a still as yet under developed tourist structure, few places to eat for example, though one surmised a few start ups were backpackers determined to stay. Nevertheless three nights there plus tomorrows onward journey left us with several memories to rival any on what turned out to be one of our greatest back packing trips.
24 June Yungay and Llanganuco
We traveled east from Caraz firstly to Yungay the scene of the single most destructive earthquake ever in the Andes which took place in May 31 1970. The whole town of 18,000 inhabitants was buried here with a total death toll of 50,000 people. Rock had fallen 3km vertically in travelling 14 km at a rate of 300km/hour. A new town has now been built just off the line of alluvial destruction, the old is marked by a huge white statue and some gravestones.
A further 28 km east brought us to Lagunas Llanganuco thought by the Lonely Planet to be an even better mountain site, possibly because the mountains are even taller at 6768m possibly because the Yungay/Llanganuco trek which takes a leisurely 5 days is exceedingly popular. I guess we did it by minibus but my notes are zero.
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| Pastural Llanganuco |
 | |||
| Llanganuco, special hardwood trees |
Back to Huaraz for the night, Edwards Inn let us down because they did not hold our advance booking, but then I guess it was unreasonable to expect them to hold the last room.
25 June Glacier Pasto Ruri, 5240m
Noted the wonderful silhouette of snowy mountains at sunrise when setting out early for the day's expedition.
Whilst the tour bus was waiting in the centre of Huaraz for its complement of passengers it was invaded by sellers of knitted goods. I still wear my grey knitted hat with the bold insignia of HUARAZ on the front which cost the immense sum of 50p, but no-one has ever stopped me to ask so I guess this is well off the tourist venues.
One of the bonus for locally organised tours is the range of travellers met in this way. Mike from Vancouver was complaining of problems in finding small informal tour groups, they promised a lot but manana always got in the way. Christopher from Holland was had spent a year in university at Rio and thus spoke excellent Spanish.
On route we stopped at this enormous but long dead flower, which towers high above me on this photo.
 | |||||
| Me beside this huge dead Raymondi |
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| Joan avoids crevasses at 5200metres, Glacier Pasto Ruri |
26 June Overnight in Chavin de Huantar
With one photos and no notes it is difficult to recall this trip to the ruins one of the oldest cultures (Chavin) in Peru. Suffice to say it was not the happiest of trip being very slow climbing at high altitude over to the east of the Andes, a distance of 110km. Perhaps by this time we had seen enough of ruins though I do remember the huge naturally vented underground tunnels.
 |
| Ruins at Chavin de Huantar |
Luckily a group of French Canadians entertained us on the long return journey with quiet tuneful singing.
27 June Huaraz again
Notes record only the pain and discomfort of diarrhea, eating of snacks and shopping and an overnight bus trip to Lima. What a way to finish a great holiday!
28 June Lima and Pena with Lissette.
We checked into the Hostal Buena Vista as recommended by Lissette way back in Trujillo. An ancient house built of adobe brick run by young owner Pablo who also delighted in an impressive front garden. It was a superb choice a well appointed well run hotel in Miraflores with a clientel including many members of parliament and important visitors. The Vice president of Washington state was there with a party of Peruvian politicianswa
Not far away was a small shopping centre with specialist shops concentrated on Peruvian products, fine woolen materials and clothes, simple designs in striking black and white pottery famously made in Chulucanas near Piura close to the border with Equador.
As promised we contacted Lissette by phone and although her parents were currently staying in Lima she suggested picking us up that evening and going all together to an evening of Pena De Rimpa y Raja in the district of Barranco. A huge hall with some similarity to a good working man's club. Every one sitting at long bench tables buying and sharing beer by the jugful and canteen food to order.
A succession of wonderful loud swinging Latin bands with singers, a dance floor fronted by professional dancers - but the audience as a whole were no slouchers with hips swaying in a Latin style which Lissette was warned against in London as being far too sexy. I had to get her on the floor and try It was 01:30 before we all left and took our separate taxis.
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