I have just returned from the center of the world. That´s the only way I can explain it.
6 days ago I think it was, at 10-o-clock at night, I found myself agreeing to a 4 day trek the following morning to check out some Chachapoyan ruins, Incan baths, and who knew what else, with a guy from Lima and a local guide. If you haven´t seen the movie, Journey to the Center of the World, it´s probably for the better--I saw it in Spanish with my Cajamarcan ¨enamorado¨ and even in a foreign language, I could tell it was a pretty terrible movie. Regardless, the center of the world in this movie looks remarkably like the remote areas around Leymebama, aka the cloudforest of northern Peru. The landscape is thick with green and lush with bromiliads and other brightly colored flowers. There are rocks plunked down and jutting out of everywhere--of all kinds, grey, black, white, volcanic, fossil-filled, smooth from water and pockmarked from erosion. Cliff faces--some displaying Chachapoyan pictographs from 600-1200 years ago and filled with little tombs which house or housed mummies, still preserved today. Potato farms, horses and cows wandering, medicinal plants everwhere you looks, waterfalls, and the occasional Chachapoyan town ruins, which consist of stone walls and crumbling circular stone homes... It´s all fantastically odd and beautiful.
We hardly saw any people, and no tourists. When we came upon someone herding their cattle or horses or walking to the next ¨town¨ for a supply, we´d stop and chat for awhile: ¨Where are you going? Where are you coming from? How are the roads?¨ and maybe share a little ¨aguardiente,¨ aka moonshine made from cane sugar.
We hiked up and around, through and down valleys and green mountains reminiscent of The Sound of Music (my apologies for my 2nd movie reference). 7 and 8 hour days of hiking in knee high rubber boots (it´s what everyone wears here), followed by 7 hour days of horseback riding--plunging down slippery muddy hills, stumbling up rocky inclines, and jumping creeks. Often our guide, Sinesio, was hacking our path for us with his trusty machete, as the tall pokey grass in some regions went up to my chest. Our walking sticks (also cut with his machete), came in handy when walking though the dense vegetation, feeling out holes and swampy parts in the earth. At some points our elevation got up to 1150 ft, which is pretty high for me, especially since we were ascending and descending over and over again and I was basically running to keep up with the 2 Peruvian guys. I´m not in great shape either after traveling for weeks--sitting in buses, cars, airplanes, spending hours sitting and chatting and oh my eating...milk and meat and carbs galore. And I´m not sure what was worse, the blisters and the saddle sore or the freezing nights. Regardless, I made it! And a hot meal never tasted so good!
I only intended to pass through Leymamba, but today marks one week that I´ve been in the area...still yet to reach the town of Chachapoyas. My plan though, is to hop a combi (little bus) at 5am tomorrow, and hopefully get some laundry done in the ¨big city¨and see Kuelap (the largest structure found of the Chachapoyan culture...though I should add, they just keep finding things!). Then on to Tarapoto, which is farther east and into the jungle, and then to Cuzco...we´ll see what happens though!
I really want to upload pictures because this place is simply indescribable (though of course even pictures can´t do it justice), but this computer is too slow to do such things...hopefully I can do that in Chachapoyas.
Other notes:
- I washed my face in a stone bath constructed by Incans hundreds of years ago, still preserved in the microscopic town of Atuen (where no roads reach and they communicate through radio).
- I learned to trust that the horse doesn´t want to die either, so when you´re balancing on the side of a narrow rocky path in the rain, just trust their instincts and close your eyes.
- Things I really miss: salsa dancing, yoga classes, good black coffee, indian food, my bicycle, hot showers, quality beds, a routine (seriously), and of course my friends and family!!!
- Also, one particularly frigid evening, I found myself rescued from a foul mood by Umberto´s ipod with familiar music like Bob Marley and Coldplay...I almost cried I was so nostalgic and relieved by it... And a note to anyone who thinks this adventure is a breeze for me and that I am ¨so strong¨ (in reference to some emails).....um it´s not, I´m not...anyone can throw themselves into a crazy situation! It is hard for me sometimes, and I have struggled, but ultimately I´m happy for the challenge I´ve given myself, and I am so grateful for the assortment of uncomfortable feelings this journey has conjoured up, as well as all the beauty.
Rachel
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