Northern High Sierra

We left Cajamarca to begin an endless series of 1000-2000 meter ascents and descents - into the high sierra down into a river valley to a small city/town. The highlands are a patchwork of small scale farming climbing the hill sides in crazy quilt squares of corn, potatoes, wheat, eucalyptus, stitched together with stone walls and irrigation ditches descending from the mountains . . . standing at the valley edge cows low, sheep call, a distant radio plays. Northern Peru may be remote but it is not empty with rough herd paths weaving together small farms. I have been traveling without a guidebook since the beginning of the trip (too heavy) and they have been unnecessary. Descriptions of towns are often written on the basis of a 3 day visit and it is not that hard to find the center of a Latin American city or town. Nearly all are built around a central plaza de armas with church and administrative buildings clustered around a square. Look up for the church spire, that is the center where you will find what hotels exist, restaurants, and services. If you want the best/safest place to eat choose the one that is busy - near the bus station is usually a good choice. Just ask Dylan he could not get a seat at a busy restaurant so went next door and got food poisoning. . . guess it was slow for a reason. Not sure about a hotel choice, then ask a taxi/mototaxi driver. . . but with 2 or 3 to choose from it does not take long. Few of the places I stop are in the guidebook. Locals are usually eager to tell you the sights in their city. In San Marcos we were directed to the swinging bridge which was fun. We made a little girl scream, her mother giggle, and it was a good spot for a headstand. Other than than that watched people wash their mototaxis and laundry. Small towns are slow but typically friendly - people are curious about the only gringos in town.

Peru appears to be under continual small scale construction. Perhaps a reflection of a 9.8% growth rate last year that was largely fueled by rising commodity prices and demand from Asia for its abundant raw resources of minerals and energy. . . but that is another discussion. I have gotten in the habit of taking night photos from hotel roof tops - they are almost always open, poised to add another floor but meanwhile used for drying laundry. The view is often similar with people coming out shortly after dark to go about their business and socialize on the streets below while the sky line is a rebar jungle reaching for the sky ready to leap another floor . . . or perhaps just wishful thinking. A skyline of possibility and positive thinking. I can look over the monolithic street front walls to see the inner courtyards that fill blocks.