"I'll go get some bread" Patrick says. We've packed up and Rachel is cooking bacon and eggs in the hostel kitchen. Another big breakfast before starting the next section, about 8 days to the next bigger town, Huamachuco.
As we make our way through the town, we have beautiful view of the mountains. Clouds are forming so we enjoy the view while it lasts. The road is without much of a shoulder and we are thinking the traffic is lighter today because of Sunday. We had read in William Bennett's journal that this was the most dangerous road he had ridden in Peru https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?page_id=491170
As the day progresses so does the traffic of minivans, buses and cars, very few big trucks. We are losing elevation from about 3100 meters to 2400 meters, but it's not all downhill, there are a few hills. We struggle on these. Dogs seemed to be more aggressive on this stretch, giving chase.
As we go through small villages, many have beautiful parks creating a Plaza in front of the church. Churches are double spired and some beautifully painted. We stopped for a food break in a park front of one blue church. We hear music for awhile, people walking by stop to shake our hands, one father wanted a picture of his daughter with us. In another village, a band played along the side of the road, we stopped to listen for awhile. The road improves after Carhuaz, and traffic lessens after the junction to Huascaran National Park.
Near Yungay is Campo Santo, a memorial park on the site of old Yungay where 20,000 people were killed by a landslide off Huascaran Norte after an earthquake in 1970. We arrive in Yungay just after noon.
While looking for a hotel that was recommended in the LP guide we end up following a new "hostal" sign and end up at the Hostal Palacio Inca. The first question is whether we want the room by the hour or for the night..... Even though, for 30 soles we get a nice clean room with a TV and hot shower. We walk back to the Plaza for a very good lunch, the set lunch menu's are great value at 10 soles ($3) for soup, main dish of lomo or pollo saltado and a fruit juice. Then back to the room where we have some work to do weeding through the 400 photos we made at yesterday's carnival parade. At about three the daily rain storm hits, when we go out again for dinner it is still raining. We find the market and buy some fruit and drinks. We eat at a chifa (Chinese/Peruvian food). A mototaxi takes us back to our hotel for 2 sols. There is no need to bargain for prices, we are paying the same as locals.
Tomorrow we'll drop down even further, and the next day again to a low of only 500 meters. Then we'll have to go and climb back up to above 3000 meters. The canyons are supposed to be spectacular. It will be about a week until the next larger town, we are unsure if we will have internet access until then.
Leaving Huaraz, Huascaran the highest mountain in Peru is clearly visible. Not for long though, a couple of hours later the peak is shrouded in clouds.
The peaks of Huascaran. The South summit, closest to us is the tallest in Peru with 6,768 meters. The North summit slightly behind in this photo is 6,654 meters.
We visit the Yungay memorial. The old town site was buried under a rock and ice avalanche after a big earthquake in 1970. An estimated 18,000 people lay buried below the mount of dirt.
