Cajamarca, Peru March 3rd 2008
Well the bus ride to Trujillo was a sucess, we left Lima about 9:00 on Saturday night aboard a bus-cama (bus-bed). I just want to go ahead and say that the South Americans know how to bus it, as this was the nicest bus I have ever been on in my entire life. The bus has two levels, and most of the passengers are on top, with our seats being in the very front of the bus, giving us a full panoramic view of the nightlife as we drove through Lima. The seats themselves are reminiscent of ¨1st Class¨ on international flights back when they had three classes, a first class, a buisness class, and a coach. Our wide leather seats reclined until you were almost horizontal (hence the name of the bus). We did however have to lower a protective screen in front of our window because the poorer neighborhoods of Lima have been known to throw rocks at the buses.
Our 20 dollar ticket got us into Trujillo, a small colonial town about 30 minutes off the coast, at 5:30 Sunday morning. We had to wait in the bus station for the sun to rise at 6:00 before it was safe to walk around Trujillo. Once we did, we meandered into town about 6 blocks from the bus station to the Plaza de Armas (a common name here for what would be the town square with courthouse in Alabama). As our ultimate goal is Chachapoyas, and Kuelep ruins buried deep in the northern Andes, we were itching to get inland to our first stop, Cajamarca. Eventually (after driving around town to 4 different bus companies) we found an 11:30 5 hour bus up into the western Andean city of Cajamarca, where we arrived last night.
Well the bus ride to Trujillo was a sucess, we left Lima about 9:00 on Saturday night aboard a bus-cama (bus-bed). I just want to go ahead and say that the South Americans know how to bus it, as this was the nicest bus I have ever been on in my entire life. The bus has two levels, and most of the passengers are on top, with our seats being in the very front of the bus, giving us a full panoramic view of the nightlife as we drove through Lima. The seats themselves are reminiscent of ¨1st Class¨ on international flights back when they had three classes, a first class, a buisness class, and a coach. Our wide leather seats reclined until you were almost horizontal (hence the name of the bus). We did however have to lower a protective screen in front of our window because the poorer neighborhoods of Lima have been known to throw rocks at the buses.
Our 20 dollar ticket got us into Trujillo, a small colonial town about 30 minutes off the coast, at 5:30 Sunday morning. We had to wait in the bus station for the sun to rise at 6:00 before it was safe to walk around Trujillo. Once we did, we meandered into town about 6 blocks from the bus station to the Plaza de Armas (a common name here for what would be the town square with courthouse in Alabama). As our ultimate goal is Chachapoyas, and Kuelep ruins buried deep in the northern Andes, we were itching to get inland to our first stop, Cajamarca. Eventually (after driving around town to 4 different bus companies) we found an 11:30 5 hour bus up into the western Andean city of Cajamarca, where we arrived last night.
Trujillo has the origins of a classical spanish town, with 2-3 story colonial archtitecture. The streets were dusted with a layer of sand and dirt, and 20 foot high trees lined some of the major walkways. You could feel the desert heat, mixed with salt from the pacific ocean as it rose with the sun. What is neat about Trujillo is that many of the older colonial buildings are painted with bright blues, oranges, and yellows that make them stand out from the other tarnished finishes. I suppose this is a tribute to the coastal origins of this 500 year old town.
Our 5 hours in Trujillo were great, beginning with the walk to the Plaza de Armas at 6 in the morning on a Sunday, with a big backpack on. I was acosted by no less than 15 taxi drivers offering rides, some twice. We actually explained to one we were just walking 5 blocks, and sure enough, 4 blocks later there he was again asking to give us a ride. I suppose there really is just not a lot going on in Trujillo at 6 in the morning on a Sunday.
We got to witness the raising of the flag at 730 in the Plaza de Armas. This was a huge spectacle, where all of the soliders posted in Cajamarca (about 500) march into the square in full regalia, and go through this long (about an hour) ceremony of pomp and grandure to the background of a drum and brass band. We were one of maybe 100 or so spectators to watch this elaborate ordeal, and we asked another guy how often they did this. Every Sunday. Can you imagine? Stewart was talking to the guy next to us who had been in Cajamarca his whole life and this was his first time to see it, and why now? He lost his cell phone the night before at a party and he was there to pick a new one up, but the store hadn´t opened yet so he figured he would hang around and watch the parade.
In the middle of the ceremony as they were walking out to bring the flag to the flagpole there was this awkward pause for about 15 minutes. 15 minutes and 500 soliders at attention with all the city officials there too! There was a podium set up for some speach the mayor was going to give. The reason for the pause? They forgot one of the flags! They have been doing this for years every Sunday and they forgot one of the flags! I will never ceased to be amazed by the nonchalance down here.
The 5 hour bus ride to Cajamarca was incredible, but I dont have time to talk about it now since we are trying to get into Celendin (5 hours away) by nightfall. This is a small town probably without internet so I wont be able to update from their either. From Celendin we are hoping to hitch a ride along the notoriously rough 14 hour 90 mile ride to Chachapoyas. The buses arent running because the rainfall at 8,000 feet up in the Andes has put this road in bad shape, and it hugs 2,000 foot cliffs at times. We are hoping to get a ride with a local truck or car that still travel on this road... It could take several days to make this journey, so if you dont hear from me this is why. Wish us luck
Merrill
We got to witness the raising of the flag at 730 in the Plaza de Armas. This was a huge spectacle, where all of the soliders posted in Cajamarca (about 500) march into the square in full regalia, and go through this long (about an hour) ceremony of pomp and grandure to the background of a drum and brass band. We were one of maybe 100 or so spectators to watch this elaborate ordeal, and we asked another guy how often they did this. Every Sunday. Can you imagine? Stewart was talking to the guy next to us who had been in Cajamarca his whole life and this was his first time to see it, and why now? He lost his cell phone the night before at a party and he was there to pick a new one up, but the store hadn´t opened yet so he figured he would hang around and watch the parade.
In the middle of the ceremony as they were walking out to bring the flag to the flagpole there was this awkward pause for about 15 minutes. 15 minutes and 500 soliders at attention with all the city officials there too! There was a podium set up for some speach the mayor was going to give. The reason for the pause? They forgot one of the flags! They have been doing this for years every Sunday and they forgot one of the flags! I will never ceased to be amazed by the nonchalance down here.
The 5 hour bus ride to Cajamarca was incredible, but I dont have time to talk about it now since we are trying to get into Celendin (5 hours away) by nightfall. This is a small town probably without internet so I wont be able to update from their either. From Celendin we are hoping to hitch a ride along the notoriously rough 14 hour 90 mile ride to Chachapoyas. The buses arent running because the rainfall at 8,000 feet up in the Andes has put this road in bad shape, and it hugs 2,000 foot cliffs at times. We are hoping to get a ride with a local truck or car that still travel on this road... It could take several days to make this journey, so if you dont hear from me this is why. Wish us luck
Merrill
1 comment:
Yipes! Perhaps you should take a sturdy-footed pack animal instead!
Stay safe...
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