R. I. P. Tupac

Recent weather: sunny and 65 during the day, 30s-40s at night in the mountains.
Recent reads: Mark, "Marching Powder" by Rusty Young, "History of the Incas and the Execution of Inca Tupac Amaru" by Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa.

This week I left Mancora, Peru and backtracked south to go to Huaraz. It was not the easiest journey. I know I am taller than the average Peruvian, but when I sit down in the bus seat and already my knees are in the seat in front of me (and they haven't even reclined yet which they will inevitably do), I know it's going to be a long night.

Huaraz's town center was actually bigger than I expected considering the only reason anyone comes to Huaraz is to go trekking outside the city.
Day 1 I mentally prepared for doing something more than just laying on the beach and serving up cervezas to backpackers.

Day 2 I hiked to Pastoruri. At an altitude of 5,200 meters/17,000 feet, the 2 hour gradual hike up was far more taxing than you'd expect but the glacier made it all worth it. Yes, that's right. A glacier.

Just a stroll in the park...

Just me and the glacier hanging out...

Panoramic of the valley

Day 2 I hiked the well-known Laguna 69. This was a much steeper hike, 14 km/8.6 miles round trip, at an altitude of 4,600 meters/15,000 feet. Starting at the base of the trek, it was relatively warm as I got moving, but soon it started to rain. And then at Laguna 65 as we went higher, the rain turned to snow. And then at Laguna 69, the snow turned to hail. The hail cleared up for a couple of minutes, our photo-taking window. The water in Laguna 69 was an amazing array of crystal clear blue shades. As we went back down, the precipitation cleared up. It was amazing to experience such different micro-climates within just minutes.

Llanganuco

Let's do this!

Lots of horses and cows along the way.

Nice little waterfall at the bottom.

Laguna 65, a good rest point.

Evolution of weather: sun to rain to snow.

Made it to Laguna 69! 

Survived the rain, snow, and hail and still smiling! 

Day 3 I went hiked to Laguna Churup. This was the most difficult hike if you ask me. The lowest in altitude at 4,450 meters/14,600 feet, the most challenging portion was scaling the waterfall. I say "scaling" because most of the way up the waterfall was complete and total rock climbing. There were definitely a few scares where I lost my footing and/or holding and slid down some rocks before catching myself. Once at the top, Laguna Churup was breathtaking but still I was thinking there was no way I could go back down that waterfall. I eventually found a different path over a ridge that was less heart attack-inducing than the rock climbing wall and I made it back safe and sound.

How about some more hiking?

The path...

On the right you can see a waterfall that I climbed up. Looks more threatening in person.

Worth it!

Huaraz was my last stop in Peru before they kick me out (90 days already!) so I thought it fitting to read a book about Tupac. No, I'm not talking about East Coast meets West Coast gang wars. I am talking about the original Tupac: Tupac Amaru. Actually he was Tupac Amaru II, a well-educated mestizo Peruvian with Inca roots. Tupac saw how many indigenous people in what is now Bolivia and Ecuador were treated cruelly and unfairly by the Spanish, working grueling jobs like mining, farming, and textile manufacturing for unjustly low wages and under dangerous and tyrannical conditions. Tupac organized an indigenous revolt to end the Spanish exploitation and abuse of the natives and to bring about equality between the colonists and indigenous peoples. In the end, Tupac's revolt was unsuccessful and he and his native enforcement were surrounded in Cuzco where Tupac was captured and tortured. In the main plaza of Cuzco, the Spanish cut off Tupac's tongue and forced him to watch the execution of his wife and son among other relatives before a horse was tied to each of his limbs and directed to run in different directions. While his insurrection was technically an unsuccessful, it was the first organized revolt in a Spanish colony and gave local indigenous people a new found sense of nationalism. To native Peruvians and indigenous peoples of South America, Tupac is still held up as an almost mythical character and his legacy lives on.

On that note, Ecuador, here I come!