A day spent in Huaraz is a day well spent. The local museum hosts one of the biggest collections of pre-Inca stone figures in South America, along with various other artifacts from that civilization.
Huaraz positively buzzes with energy, yes, it had a heartbeat. Two nights in a nice hotel a 10 minute walk from the center of town for $10 a night can't be beaten. The walk down to the center was a lot easier than the walk back up the hill. I really notice the reduced oxygen when exerting oneself.
Lines at ATM's and for the bank service counters are ubiquitous in South America, though seeing a couple of sleeping dogs in that ATM room was novel, for me at least.
The final crossing of the Cordillera was blessed with dry weather. The landscape was more varied as seen in the video.
The maximum altitude, 15,413ft, near the personal best from earlier in the Cordilleras. The rock formations were quite unusual in places. The area is billed as the 'Dinosaur Tour'.
Zinc, lead and copper are extracted from the Minera Santa Luisa a few miles south of Huallanca. Evidence of the heavy rain the region has experienced was apparent in the gushing watercourses and the washed out road.
The washout was downstream of the falls, the original road was about 50 feet below the line of cars. In fact the temporary road had itself been washed out. The cars at the front of the line had passed me some 30 miles before the stoppage. I only had about a 30 minute wait until they opened the new fill area to allow us to pass.
Huallanca has barely a pulse, let alone a heartbeat; though oddly I find myself in a 3 star hotel (and it is nice). The other places I tried were booked up, with mine workers/visitors I believe.
One day left in the saddle. Friday will see me in Huanuco, the interim destination and the close of part 1 of the journey on two wheels.
Cheers. T2
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