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AYAPATA - PACAMAYO - CHAQUICOCHA
We were woken up by the porters with coca tea at 5am. They also left in front of our tents our green bowls with hot water and small face towels for washing our faces. Breakfast started at 5:40am. It was the most delicious breakfast we had in Peru so far: really watery banana and cinnamon porridge, freshly made pancakes and toasted bread, marmolade, ham and I think, goats cheese. There were snacks as well, looking a bit like a sweet popcorn with seeds.
We set off at 6:30am. It was going to be the most challanging day of the trek: 16km but over steep ascends and descends. All of it over Inca steps, steps and more steps. Up and down but always on steps!
The camp at Ayapata was at 3300m a.s.l. (definitely more chilly than day 1) and during the course of the day we were going to climb to the highest point on the trek - The Dead Woman`s Pass at 4215m a.s.l., then come down steeply to approximately 3580m at Pacaymayo camp and climb again to the second pass at approximately 4000m and finally come down to 3600m at the Chaquicocha camp where we were going to spend the night... and we did!
On the way we saw two archeological sites. Some of the Inca trail steps were small, some were the size of Chinese road kerbs, some a few times larger than them. Walking poles definitely were useful!
The climb to the Dead´s Woman Pass was tough. I reached it after just over 3 hours of climb. I have to say my marathon training and hiking trips definitely helped - I reached it first from our group, which was a great feeling. I was welcomed by the applause of our porters who overtook us on the way up in order to prepare the lunch. From there the view towards the rest of the trek was stunning. It only stayed clear for a minute or two during which I took a few photos of the mountains and the sun hidden behing the fast moving clouds. And then all of it was quickly covered by the clouds, or rather maybe a dense mist. Now, I am not sure about the origins of the name of the Dead Woman's Pass. Our guide explained that from the distance the highest point on the pass looks a bit like dead/lying down woman's NIPPLE! Judge for yourself: one one of the pictures I am jumping up and the Pass is right behind me.. The nipple is underneath my arm on the right hand side.... Yes, I know, I am still not sure that's why it is called like this...
We all finished our sandwitches and started to descend. On the way down I was mainly talking to Holly and Graham, a pair of interesting and untypical Americans, so the time was passing quick. Only a few minutes down from the 4215m highest point when I was chatting to Graham about the projects he is involved into (some such as biodegradable plastic produced from mushroom) I felt the funny effect of the altitude. I felt I could basically do a projectile vomiting while not really stopping coming down or stopping the conversation. Graham suggested to stop, when I said laughing it is probably better we do NOT stop coming down. I was fine after that :)
The two archeological sites were located on the tops of steep climbs. First one was used by the Inca messangers, post man, as a place where the next Inca would collect and take over delivering a message. It was also a place where messangers would rest before setting off again. The niches in the walls of their rooms were for the offerings. there were also present water canals - so typical to the civilisations in Peru I would later discover. Inca believed they need to build in a way to prevent disasters, that is why buildings on the top of the mountains have sloping retaining walls and building walls are also not vertical but at approximately at 60 degrees to be more stable. When we climbed higher up we could see that the plan of the building reseambled a smiley face - just as Sabino scribled down on the mud.
The second site was a city with another complex of houses of important families further down the hill. The walls at the corners of the walls had circular holes in them to hold flowers. And in one of the bigger chambers there was a massive picture of Inca - we all nearly didn´t spot it as we just didn´t expect it at all! (refer to my photo album). But the most interesting for me were the fountains that supplied the complex with water through a system of canals brining it from the tops of the mountains further up in the background. Long way! Sabino pointed out to the thin lines running down at an angle barely visible on the hills above the complex.
As in the other Inca buildings we were able to recognise niches. Larger were to hold mummies in foetal positions and the smaller ones were to hold candles. Roofs of all the Inca buildings were build with wood and covered with straw that over time has been blown away leaving only the stone walls.
This site in translation was called "hard to reach". And it must have been if not the recently added for the tourists´ benefit stone steps. It was discovered by locals in 1915, late as it was very overgrown with vegetation and hence nicely camouflaged and no one was expecting it so high up the mountain.
We started to descent with 30 minutes left to the camp site but it took more as we have been asking Sabino lots of questions. After all his specialism is history and we should take this opportunity to find out as much as possible. So now I know about many of the early, pre Inca civilisations like Chavin, Moche, Nazca, Tiahuanaco, Wari, Chimu... All that before 1200, meaning before Inca times. 1531(1532 or 1535) is marked by the end of Inca Empire and beginning of the Spanish conquest.
Needless to say, we reached the camp when it was already almost dark. The dinner of potatoe cakes, beef, veg, rice and chicken soup + chocolate pudding was the last point of the day. Sabino shared with us funny stories of his guide work experience (helping on the trek really unfit and obese people, and one heavily pregnant lady, and witnessing a birth of a lama!). Then everyone slowly got back to their tents. 5am start tomorrow. I am so used to waking after 4am this should not be a problem.
Next 16km of the famous Inca Trail DONE!!!
PS: have I mentioned we spotted a baby tarantula on the trail? :))))
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