Palccoyo- Day 9

We were grateful Sunday morning to not have to pack our bags again.  Presidential Election Day in Peru revealed a nation on edge, torn between two extreme and perhaps equally unappealing alternatives from an outsider’s perspective.  The daughter of a former multi-term president who is currently incarcerated for corruption or a populist/socialist teacher with no political experience who leans towards Hugo Chavez.  I guess the US isn’t the only nation without good candidates.  The front desk called at 5:50 to tell us they were making us an early breakfast so we weren’t ready to leave at 6:00 but were happy to have granola and juice to start the day.  There was still no sign of Oswaldo so we took our time.  By 6:30 I was beginning to wonder.  The hotel clerk stuck his head outside the gate that opens directly to the narrow street and finds our driver waiting on foot.  Where’s Oswaldo?  He beckoned us to follow so we rounded the corner below and climbed into the now familiar van.  He drove us to the home of a guy who had helped with our luggage from the airport and he explains that Oswaldo is missing in action and won’t answer his phone.  We drive through town to another residential area and pick up Gina who will be our fill in guide on no notice on an early Sunday morning.  We travel south and east out of town through the valley.  It is COLD in the morning at this altitude.  We learn the heater doesn’t work in the van when we ask them to turn it on so they pull over and distribute blankets to our cold sleepy clan.  We had arranged the night before for Marilyn to give mom a private tour of Cusco today while we are on our adventure.  

We pulled over at a little restaurant on the side of the highway called “La Cabana de Juan.”  It’s a bit rustic, but charming with dozens of potted flowers around the exterior and views of the Vilcanota across the fields.  We have a choice of pancake with dulce de leche or eggs to go with rolls.  We consume copious amounts of hot cocoa with each kid adding powdered milk, sugar, and even some coca leaves for some.  We are headed to the roof of the continent and Lisa is a bit nervous. 

After a couple of hours we turn left onto a 1 lane dirt road for an hour and twenty minute climb to our destination.  Shortly we meet an oncoming car.  As we back up to find space for it to pass, a large truck with dozens of people seated in the back appears behind the trail.  We’ll need a bit more room for this load of locals headed off to vote to pass.  We learn that voting is required and must be done physically where you are registered.  A fine of 200 soles or about $55 is motivation enough for the populace.  I could touch the passing truck by extending my fingers through the window.  The habitat changes as we climb, the sporadic eucalyptus groves thin as we approach the tree line.  Welcome to the rural Andes.  Llamas and alpacas appear on the hillsides.  Kate is in the midst of a full on anxiety attack with tears falling and difficulty breathing.  She wants to go home or at least pull over to use the bathroom.  I sit next to her and she holds my hand in a sign of her distress.  Kate wasn't the only one suffering on the drive.  Everyone was uncomfortable on some level.  We were cold, flighing out of our seats on some bumps and just bouncing around the rest of the time.  But Mack was awsome- keeping Lily distracted.  Anytime she started fussing he would point out more llama's and keep her mind off the horrendous drive.  We passed a tiny village in this remote hamlet and a corral we dub the nursery as it is filled with baby alpaca.  The mountain sides have terraces that must have been carved many hundreds of years ago to combat erosion and maximize the agricultural capabilities of the land.  The power line stops at the last village and it feels as though we are in wilderness.  What a contrast from the Andean highlands to the Amazon basin in temperature and vegetation.  The views go on and on down the valleys.  

 A few more switchbacks and we arrive at Palccoyo!  There are some makeshift bathrooms with ice in the toliets and a small parking lot with no other cars. We picked Palccoyo over Vinicunca because the hike was much shorter and it is much less visited.  We would soon learn that the views were still well worth the effort to get there.  We exited the vehicles at 16,000 feet, higher than I’ve ever been!  The wind bites and the temperature must be in the low to mid 30’s as there is ice where run off has puddled on the side of the trail.  We begin a low and steady walk because that’s all anyone can handle but I’m feeling much better than expected.  I pass on chewing coca leaves but others feel the need to combat the effects of the altitude.  There’s one “rainbow mountain” immediately in front of the parking lot and the view only gets better as we climb away from it across another hillside.  Above and to our left is a rocky promontory with jagged spires that is aptly named the forest of stone.  The sun is rising behind it with scattered clouds in a blue sky and we feel spoiled to be there.  At our feet we notice a few caterpillars and as we proceed their numbers increase until we are seeing hundreds of them and trying to avoid stepping on them as Emily named them Cecil and Mr. Fluffels.  There are several view points of 3 different “rainbow mountains” that are really exposed ridges or seams where the minerals have distinct colors that run in stripes.  Miles in the distance is a massive snow and glacier covered mass that is topped by Ausungate, a peak that reaches 20,954 feet, higher than any in North America.  Natali channels her inner Laurie and gives Bob a piggy back ride for much of the way.  Mack says his biggest mistake of the day was trying to run 3 steps at that altitude.  We struck out on vicunas and viscachas but were satisfied with the views.  

The drive back down put the kids to sleep despite the constant turns and jarring dirt road.  Exhaustion is the best natural sleep aid.  We stop at Juan’s Cabana for a huge buffet lunch and are shocked to see flocks of parakeets flying up the valley.  Of course the only other people at lunch is a couple from Boise, what a small world.  We stop in both our driver’s and guide’s neighborhoods so that they can vote while the polls are still open before we are dropped back at our hotel. 

Mom is still out with Marilyn when we arrive at 4:30 so we have 90 minutes of daylight that I don’t want to waste.  The Plaza de Armas is less than 3 blocks away.  As we walk we admire the many different styles and type of stone in the walls and structures, some colonial, and some dating back to Incan times.  At the Plaza edge we are met by a large contingent of well armed and protected police and soldiers who are making sure things stay calm during the election.  Access to the Plaza is forbidden.  I try not to hide my disappointment.  From the sidewalk we can still soak up the view of the cathedral, churches, and statues.  We decide to take the long way and walk around the plaza a few blocks further out from the perimeter.  The scenic route eventually takes us by the Sun Temple or Koricancha on the Avenida del Sol.  The museums and churches are mostly closed but that doesn’t deter us from enjoying the walk.  When we returned to the hotel at 6 Mom was in her bed trying to get warm. 

I vetoed Pizza for the 3^rd time so we picked the next closest restaurant which happened to be Pachpapa across from the San Blas Templo.  It was an upscale place with out door seating and heat lamps and blankets.  We ordered family style with a number of appetizers and entrees for everyone to share.  The mango passion fruit juice was deemed the best of the trip.  

The menu prompted Mack, "I'm fine cooking a guinea pig.  I just don't want to eat it."

I tried to spend some time in the evening planning for our last day but the internet in our room was only slighter better than the heater and wasn’t conducive to research and it was a bit chilly in the open courtyard where the signal was stronger.  Grandma surprised us with a fun llama hat for the kids and a sumptuous alpaca scarf for Lisa.