June 5 - Trip from Barranca to Huaraz

Today we took our same taxista from Barranca up the mountain to Hauraz. It was a 4 hour ride and cost us 300 soles (US$120). The alternative was beat up bus. The road had been recently paved and was excellent, so good that we had to constantly remind our driver that there was no need to race.
The day started with the typical coastal overcast and chill. We drove for at least an hour through sugar cane fields owned by the Patavilca Sugar Cooperative. Finally, we came out of the overcast and found ourselves with a verdant and fertile river valley on one side of the road and absolutely stark stone and sand mountains on the other side. For another hour, we traveled through this scenery as the road climbed little by little and the power of our car began to weaken as the altitude took its toll on it´s motor.
The gray stark mountains began to turn green. We began to see little houses high up on the mountainsides on both sides of the road. Along the road, people, especially the women, seemed to be dressed up for election day.
By now, we began to see the highland influence with high clowned hats and flaired out skirts of the women.

Before long we reached 4000 meters and the topography turned to a high intermountain plain (altiplano) with the impressive line of snow capped mountains stretching on to the north.

A lonely monolith along the road.

The above is a photo of chili peppers drying in the sun along the road to Hauraz.

Hauraz came into view shortly. The earth quake of 1970 had pretty much knocked down the city so it had been rebuilt in a faux colonial style. It not too bad but not as charming as a real highland colonial town. The views from town of the snow capped mountains are spectacular.

Hauraz in a hiking and mountain climbing town so it is filled with foreigners from all over looking especially fit.

We had an excelent aji de pollo at the Cafe Andina.

BTW, Ollanta Humala won the presidential elections in a ballotage against Keiko Fujimori. Some worry that he will represent another Chavista toe hold in the Andes. He has promised to be a nationalista without following the Chavista line. Time will tell.