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Cumbe Mayo

Tuesday, October 18th, 2005

17 October 2005 (Monday) – Cajamarca, Peru

I had signed up for a tour to Cumbe Mayo yesterday. As I waited for the bus, I was surprised that the rest of my group were signed up right in front of my eyes, merely 10 minutes before the tour was supposed to start. I guess, if these guys had not appeared just in time, I would be alone with the guide, wouldn’t I?

As we drove around the town a little to pick up another lady living quite a distance off the centre, we saw many campesinos in town today, carrying their usual load of cargo, tied to their back with colourful wraps. The guide explained that Monday is Cajamarca’s market day. Hence, these campesinos come from all over the villages in the mountains to buy and sell goods here in Cajamarca.

Woman from the surrounding villages of Cajamarca

The campesinos of this region have a very distinct hat. It is white, wide-brimmed and slightly curved at the ends. The centre bit is also taller than usual. Well, at least, the wide-brim made more sense in sheltering them from the sun at this altitude. Many of the women were seen spinning yarns.

As the van drove up the mountain towards Cumbe Mayo, the guide also pointed out the many criss-crossing paths used by the campesinos to walk to Cajamarca or other towns. They take about 2 to 3 hours each way. Children who have finished a certain level of school, also have to walk 2 to 3 hours each way to get to another town or Cajamarca for their next level of education. The campesino life is pretty much that of walking.

View of Cajamarca on the way up

The houses up here have a unique style of construction. They put a layer of rocks, then a layer of mud and straw, then, another layer of rocks and so on. This method apparently prevents the houses from collapsing during earthquakes as the round rocks in between the mud bricks kinda make the houses less rigid and soften the movement. Interesting, huh? Considering when you look at it, it looks really vulnerable with all the gaps between the round rocks.

Unique style of construction of the houses here

Cumbe Mayo is a region up at 3,500m above sea level where the Cajamarca culture from 3,000 years ago had built canals. But what was magical about this place was the surrounding naturally-formed mountains. These mountains were previously formed from lava, as eons ago, there must have been a volcano here. Through erosions by wind and water, the mountains are now shaped in many interesting designs. There is a group called the ‘Frailejons’ (Friars) because the structures look like the back view of a whole bunch of praying monks in their long, sombre robes.

Cumbe Mayo

'Frailejons' (Friars)

We were driven to the highest point and from there, we took a little walk down through the mountains. Gosh, this place is really incredible!! You seriously could spend hours wandering all over the rocks and mountains. I had not even seen the canals yet, but I knew for sure, this place must have had the same mystical impact on the pre-Columbian cultures, like the Cajamarca culture, for them to make the ritualistic canals in the mountains here. We just had to use our imagination to visualise all the different structures and formations.

This place felt like MAGIC to me!

When we finally saw the canals, we were surprised there were some carvings remaining on some of the rocks that used to be temples. The gradient at a certain point was flat. So, the Cajamarca people built canals with right angles, instead of canals in a straight line. These right angles in the canals interestingly served two purposes. Firstly, they actually SLOW down the water to reduce erosion of the canals. Secondly, they SPEED up the water as it hits the right-angled wall thereby moving the water through the flat ground. I clarified many times, so it is not my iffy Spanish.

Canals built by the Cajamarca culture

Interesting right-angles along the canals to slow down and speed up water flow

This place is just magical magical magical. We ended up visiting a rocky structure pretty much on its own, but which had a tiny tunnel through it. All of us took turns to squeeze right through in the dark. Gosh, this trip was just great.

A lone rocky structure with a tiny tunnel through

After lunch in Cajamarca, I took a local colectivo to view the Ventanillas de Otuzco. I found the colectivo leaving from the market area. Well, the rest of the campesinos were also trying to board the same colectivo. Now that they had done the shopping, they were trying to squeeze in with all their sacks tied to their backs. It was impossible, but they smiled and coaxed their way in. In the end, for my comfort and possibly my safety (to prevent death by asphyxiation), they got me to sit right in front with the driver.

The Ventanillas de Otuzco is a rocky area with interesting little windows carved into the rock. This area was studied and concluded to be a funerary complex due to the remains found near this region. At first, I thought the windows were really deep, allowing a sort-of coffin to fit in. But they were not, they all looked pretty shallow. Perhaps, the remains were wrapped in bundles and shoved right in. Anyway, there had been thousands of years of erosion on the rocks as well.

Ventanillas de Otuzco

A funerary complex with little windows carved into the rocks

Baños del Inca

Monday, October 17th, 2005

16 October 2005 (Monday) – Cajamarca, Peru

The bus arrived at 3:40am. At the first hostel where the taxi left me, I woke the night-watch person up only to discover it was full. The next hostel I went to was full as well. Argh… Here I was, walking around the city centre at 4am, carrying my entire house and all my money. Perfect target for robbery. But by the third hostel, thank goodness, there was a room available, where I collapsed down right away to sleep.

Cajamarca has an important part to play in the history of the collapse of the Inca empire. The ‘last’ Inca emperor of northern Inca was Atahualpa, based in Quito. He had broken away from the other Inca empire, run by his brother, Huáscar, who was based in Cuzco. So, there was already internal civil strife then. The Spanish tricked Atahualpa to come over to Cajamarca and then, they sprung a surprise attack on Atahualpa and his army and captured him. Naturally, thousands and thousands of Incas were killed. Although they were more in terms of numbers, they were overpowered by cannons and horses which they had never seen before.

Atahualpa tried to pay off Pizarro and the Spaniards by offering gold and silver in return for his release. The Spaniards agreed to this arrangement, although they had no intention of releasing Atahualpa. The scum-bags!! They were paid with up to 6,000kg of gold and 12,000kg of silver which were just melted down into bars for easy distribution amongst the troops. But, gosh… think of the artistic value of the intricate implements and over-the-top ornaments!!

Anyway, Atahualpa soon guessed what was happening (he was SO not getting released) and tried to arrange his own rescue. In the end, the Spaniards hanged Atahualpa in the Cajamarca plaza. With Atahualpa’s death, the Incas down south in Cuzco actually regarded the Spaniards as liberators and rejoiced at the news. So, with this, the Spaniards easily marched into Cuzco and conquered the Incas.

Main plaza of Cajamarca

 Steps up the hill near Cajamarca

Not far from Cajamarca is Baños del Inca, an area with thermal water which even during the Incas’ days, the medicinal water was used for relaxation and cures. Atahualpa was said to have nursed a festering wound there. I took a colectivo (van) there.

Well, the colectivos to get to the outskirts of town deserve some small mention. In these colectivos, children DO NOT EXIST. But of course, they DO EXIST. Oftentimes, the adult could only afford to pay for 1 seat. If there was no one else sitting, the children could lounge anywhere. But the minute a fare-paying adult climbs onboard, the children go to the laps of the parents. I, a fare-paying adult, thus climbed onto the colectivo and a campesina shooed her two children off the seat. I sat down. But as the mother was already laden with a basket and a sleeping baby, these two children were transferred to my lap for the rest of the journey. You would think the bus was already full, but the fare-collecting guy would still shout the destination and gather more folks into the colectivos and we just do not breathe in there.

The entrance for Baños del Inca was 3 soles, 4 soles or 5 soles. I was confused and bought the 3 soles ticket. It turned out that the baths here in Baños del Inca were mostly private baths, not public baths that I had been to in other such facilities. The 3 soles ticket was for certain types of private baths and only for half an hour. I had a number ‘206’ and it was now at ‘180’! So, with more than 20 numbers to go, and half an hour each, I might have to wait for 2 hours just to get a chance for a bath. But the guy working there told me if I upgraded to the 4 soles bath (I just need to pay 1 sol more) which were located further down the facility, there were some private baths there available now. That was what I did.

Wow, my own private bath. The water was emptied each time the users leave the bath. I filled it entirely with hot water first just to kill off any germs, and then, I refilled the tub up with water of a temperature that I adjusted right to my liking. Perfect! The best place to sit and meditate good positive thoughts. Here, we were given about 1.5 hours before some guy came over to knock on the door to shoo you off. 1.5 hours was just fine.

The ancient bath used by Atahualpa

I had a massage done as well, but the masseuse’s light fingers were too ticklish for me and I think I tensed up more than before. But when I left, a middle-aged guy who had just completed his massage stopped to talk to me. He is Jorge, from Lima, but now works in Cajamarca. He said his friends were in his car and offered me a ride back to Cajamarca. That was great! Later, he even drove all of us up to Hacienda San Vicente, which is a hotel located right on top of a hill. The way to the hotel was on horrible bumpy rocky road. But what was unique about the hotel was that the entire hotel was built on the side of a mountain and the rooms were all incorporated with the rocky surfaces. So, each little cave-room was uniquely shaped and styled. The location was fantastic and all the rooms and bathrooms were really lovely and cute. At US$45, it was expensive… and empty. I guess there was not much publicity, and gosh, just imagine to return to your hotel, you have to go through that horrid road each time. Purely for group tourists who never leave the hotel.

Well, it was very nice of Jorge and his friends, David and Martha, to show me a little bit of Cajamarca.

Security Alert!

Sunday, October 16th, 2005
15 October 2005 (Saturday) - Chiclayo, Peru I took a colectivo to Sipan, the site of the actual tomb of Lord of Sipan, called Huaca Rajada. All the good stuff are found in the Museo Tumbas Reales in Lambayeque as I ... [Continue reading this entry]

Tombs and Ruins

Saturday, October 15th, 2005
14 October 2005 (Friday) - Piura to Chiclayo, Peru Although I was very sleepy, I found it very difficult to fall asleep on the bus to Peru. Used to the short 2- to 4-hour bus rides so far taken in tiny ... [Continue reading this entry]

Leticia & Pastora

Friday, October 14th, 2005
13 October 2005 (Thursday) - Vilcabamba, Ecuador to Piura, Peru I could not see the two elderly ladies outside their house and I was afraid to wake them. So, I left it as it is, and headed towards the path to ... [Continue reading this entry]

Valley of Longevity

Thursday, October 13th, 2005
12 October 2005 (Wednesday) - Vilcabamba, Ecuador I woke up and looked out at the view from my room's balcony... Wow, lovely mountains and a grazing horse, no less. For US$5 a night, with breakfast included, this hotel is really great. ... [Continue reading this entry]

Chakra, Balanced

Wednesday, October 12th, 2005
11 October 2005 (Tuesday) - Cuenca to Vilcabamba, Ecuador My second Reiki session today was very different. Rene placed crystals on all my 7 chakra points. Then, I basically just lay there as he passed on his energies to ... [Continue reading this entry]

The Colour of Your Aura

Wednesday, October 12th, 2005
10 October 2005 (Monday) - Cuenca, Ecuador Rene is a Reiki therapist. Actually, Rene has the natural gifts of healing. Even when he was a child, he was healing animals and plants with his energy. He is a very special ... [Continue reading this entry]

More Movies

Monday, October 10th, 2005
9 October 2005 (Sunday) - Cuenca, Ecuador As expected, today being a Sunday, nearly all the shops except for the pirate CDs shops and some shops run by Chinese proprietors, were closed. After a walk around, and getting a chance to ... [Continue reading this entry]

Primero En Mi Corazon

Monday, October 10th, 2005
8 October 2005 (Saturday) - Cuenca to Ingapirca to Cuenca, Ecuador Ingapirca is a Cañar-Incan ruin about 2.5 hours away from Cuenca. The Cañars had previously built their site here, using rocks brought in from the rivers. The rocks by ... [Continue reading this entry]