19/6/2013 Huanta to Ayacucho
D50, T3.44/4.5, Av 13, max57, Tot15612, 5547
Fine and mild,sandals shorts and long sleeved shirt.
Low and behold there was water in the taps, though my shower was not functional. My hair still felt like steel wool .
Bread was bought at the bakery on the corner. This place makes the best bread I've had so far here in Peru.
A jugo especial was enjoyed from a cart on the corner whilst chatting with people doing the same.
This kind of early morning experience is something not found in my country. It is so relaxed on plastic stools, dogs just starting their day were cruising and hanging, all the while the guy making the juices was busy blending the freshest of fruit.
This fruit had not been through the supermarket supply chain.
From here a steady climb out of the town began, it was quite enjoyable on such a lovely fresh morning.
Some 5km out of town,pulling over the fresh bread, tobasco and tuna were enjoy, six rolls were devoured. I have decantered the Tabasco into a plastic vinegar bottle with a pull cap dispenser, the glass tobasco bottle are so heavy.
Still climbing though, again the views kept pulling me onwards and upwards.
To my right across the vast valley were the ranges I had just ridden out of, their aridness was revealed in their whiteness and a haze.
On one corner a couple of guys about my age stopped me, they were in black 60’s VW beetle, a classic. We chatted and they kindly offered me some home grown passionfruit.
A few km from the top of the range, a tractor with discs on the three point linkage pulled out on to the road. Not long after we were moving alongside each other. After asking, he allowed me to hang on.
It was a nice ride to the top of the range, some 4km at about 12km/hr.
He was wrapped when we parted company, giving him a couple of strips of American gum, one was rapidly deposited in his mouth.
Kate had told me the ride down to the valley before climb into Ayacucho was a highlight of this passage. Never a truer word was spoken.
Putting my helmet on, the descent began, the road was reliably smooth with gentle corners. Those that were tight, had good camber and offered views to oncoming traffic.
It was sheer pleasure just letting the weight of the gear and gravity propel me to speeds in the 50’s.
One minute you are a tad cool, then in no time you are on a valley floor, the descent was some 10km. Ten km of wind in my face and warm thoughts floating about within.
They valley floor again contained a river with vegetable crops growing on the silt flood plains.
A slow climb began into Ayacucho. It was only about 1200 so much energy was still available. Most of the way into town had car washs on the right side of the road. They were set ups where gravity fed water was used. They had cut into the slope to get vehicles off the road.
Arriviving in the built up area.,Three chichas were enjoyed at a street dealer, this is refreshing stuff, made from the black maize.
Once in town the search for the elusive ground level room started. Moving away from the Plaza de Armas. A couple of upmarket places were unsuitable.
Bumping into the VW guys again they directed me to a place. It too was ground level but probably the best place in town, the Santa Rosa.
Soon I found the Le Mason.
A great place with a tranquil court yard and huge room with 3 beds, plenty of room to spread my meagre belongings. Sometimes when they are spread out you wonder how they all fit on a pushbike. Crushed together, thats how!
This city of 160,00 has the second most important uni in Peru, offering med, dent, law, accounting among other professions.
Young people are everywhere.
Some of the young Peruana girls are absolutely, stunningly attractive.
I don’t mind admitting standing to on a corner of the Plaza de Armas, just chewing on sugar coated peanuts, watching the younger gen wonder on by.
It was so relaxing in the courtyard at the hotel outside writing and enjoying soup from the restaurant next door delivered to my table.
The afternoon was spent doing this, while dinner was enjoyed at one of the seemingly dozens of chifa restaurants here, which get cheaper and more rustic as you move away from the central area. Though quality of the food stays the same, only the surrounds change.
Back at the hotel, the owners daughter came and had a chat with me, she is trying to learn English and has a pretty good command of it. Like me she is largely teaching herself. We spoke for sometime. We decided to get together tomorrow for more practice.
She has the problem of not being able to converse with other English speakers and took this opportunity, it should be a symbiotic experience tomorrow.
D50, T3.44/4.5, Av 13, max57, Tot15612, 5547
Fine and mild,sandals shorts and long sleeved shirt.
Low and behold there was water in the taps, though my shower was not functional. My hair still felt like steel wool .
Bread was bought at the bakery on the corner. This place makes the best bread I've had so far here in Peru.
A jugo especial was enjoyed from a cart on the corner whilst chatting with people doing the same.
This kind of early morning experience is something not found in my country. It is so relaxed on plastic stools, dogs just starting their day were cruising and hanging, all the while the guy making the juices was busy blending the freshest of fruit.
This fruit had not been through the supermarket supply chain.
From here a steady climb out of the town began, it was quite enjoyable on such a lovely fresh morning.
Some 5km out of town,pulling over the fresh bread, tobasco and tuna were enjoy, six rolls were devoured. I have decantered the Tabasco into a plastic vinegar bottle with a pull cap dispenser, the glass tobasco bottle are so heavy.
Still climbing though, again the views kept pulling me onwards and upwards.
To my right across the vast valley were the ranges I had just ridden out of, their aridness was revealed in their whiteness and a haze.
On one corner a couple of guys about my age stopped me, they were in black 60’s VW beetle, a classic. We chatted and they kindly offered me some home grown passionfruit.
A few km from the top of the range, a tractor with discs on the three point linkage pulled out on to the road. Not long after we were moving alongside each other. After asking, he allowed me to hang on.
It was a nice ride to the top of the range, some 4km at about 12km/hr.
He was wrapped when we parted company, giving him a couple of strips of American gum, one was rapidly deposited in his mouth.
Kate had told me the ride down to the valley before climb into Ayacucho was a highlight of this passage. Never a truer word was spoken.
Putting my helmet on, the descent began, the road was reliably smooth with gentle corners. Those that were tight, had good camber and offered views to oncoming traffic.
It was sheer pleasure just letting the weight of the gear and gravity propel me to speeds in the 50’s.
One minute you are a tad cool, then in no time you are on a valley floor, the descent was some 10km. Ten km of wind in my face and warm thoughts floating about within.
They valley floor again contained a river with vegetable crops growing on the silt flood plains.
A slow climb began into Ayacucho. It was only about 1200 so much energy was still available. Most of the way into town had car washs on the right side of the road. They were set ups where gravity fed water was used. They had cut into the slope to get vehicles off the road.
Arriviving in the built up area.,Three chichas were enjoyed at a street dealer, this is refreshing stuff, made from the black maize.
Once in town the search for the elusive ground level room started. Moving away from the Plaza de Armas. A couple of upmarket places were unsuitable.
Bumping into the VW guys again they directed me to a place. It too was ground level but probably the best place in town, the Santa Rosa.
Soon I found the Le Mason.
A great place with a tranquil court yard and huge room with 3 beds, plenty of room to spread my meagre belongings. Sometimes when they are spread out you wonder how they all fit on a pushbike. Crushed together, thats how!
This city of 160,00 has the second most important uni in Peru, offering med, dent, law, accounting among other professions.
Young people are everywhere.
Some of the young Peruana girls are absolutely, stunningly attractive.
I don’t mind admitting standing to on a corner of the Plaza de Armas, just chewing on sugar coated peanuts, watching the younger gen wonder on by.
It was so relaxing in the courtyard at the hotel outside writing and enjoying soup from the restaurant next door delivered to my table.
The afternoon was spent doing this, while dinner was enjoyed at one of the seemingly dozens of chifa restaurants here, which get cheaper and more rustic as you move away from the central area. Though quality of the food stays the same, only the surrounds change.
Back at the hotel, the owners daughter came and had a chat with me, she is trying to learn English and has a pretty good command of it. Like me she is largely teaching herself. We spoke for sometime. We decided to get together tomorrow for more practice.
She has the problem of not being able to converse with other English speakers and took this opportunity, it should be a symbiotic experience tomorrow.
downtown Ayachuco
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