Where no tourists go...

Some days in Peru I am living a dream and experiencing magical things make me feel so fortunate, alive, blessed, amazed and at the same time, so small. My friend Vicky (you may remember from previous posts - she has a ridiculous amount of guinea pigs in her house) invited me to go with a small group of Peruvian tour guides to camp in Tantarica: pre-incan (caxamarcan culture) ruins that spread throughout the very top of one of the highest mountains I have seen in Peru. We traveled through some of the most uncomfortable combi's in the sleepy morning hours to arrive to our hiking destination. The mountain we climbed with our heavy supply of food and water was much like those we passed in the combi - no houses, no sign of human life, but filled with cactus and beautiful shades of brown, maroon and spots of green. No wonder this place isn't bustling with tourists - there is one combi car that travels from Cotumaza to Catan daily; we got off somewhere in between the two in the middle of a beautiful nowhere.

Tantarica reminded me a bit of Kuelap as it held that same magical mountain feel. With the group we explored the ruins that remained somewhat in-tack and found ourselves running up the mountain as if we were little kids in a playground. We set up our tents at the base of the ruins and watched the sunset while drinking coffee and eating toasted potatoes. We awoke to a brilliant sunrise that helped us find the strength to hike down the mountain.

We caught the only combi heading back to Cotumaza once we reached the dusty "highway" the next morning. If we would have missed the combi there was no way to get back into town but walking (or maybe if we got lucky, a donkey). On our way back, our combi passed a number of countryside women, men, kids waiting to get on, but we were full to the brim and there was no way to squeeze more, so our car kept moving, leaving them on the side of the road. Can you imagine having one chance a day to get into town - and if you miss it (or it is full), you have to wait another day?

The tour guide group that was so kind to take me on this trip was actually investigating if they should recommend this site to tourists passing through Cajamarca. We decided it is gorgeous, tell people about it - but bring your own car! Because if you miss the boat (or combi) you make your trip a lot longer than you may want it to be.

Campsite sunrise in Tantarica
Remaining ruins of Tantarica - legend has it this mountain was filled with water, but due to a tragic love story there is no longer water here.
So I am back in Cajamarca working away with a deep peace and regenerated strength that the mountain provided. Although, with this peace and strength it is hard to stay calm as I work through the night, plugging away at documents that yearn and plead for sustainability for our microcredit work here - I just got news that my dearest friend Trish is in labor. I am sitting among candles, saying prayers for health and safety and wellness. You would think being a world away I would be out of the loop, but thanks to technology my friend Lisa sent me a text (A TEXT ON MY PHONE!) and I am in the loop. This is the crazy time travel of Peruvian life - connecting to ancient pasts through a magical hiking adventure and still staying connected to a completely different world far away.