Levanto
Trip Start
Feb 06, 2007
1
72
332
Trip End
Jan 14, 2008
Chachapoyas,
Peru
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Our 'perfect' hotel was not quite as we dreamed. Human pests kept up the noise till midnight, then from 4am bedroom doors slammed, TVs went on and there was a general ruckus. Just our luck, but we are not moving again.
The tourist office said there were colectivos to Levanto till 10am, but when we arrived at the departure spot a lady said there might be no more till 1pm, and she offered us chairs for our long wait. Anyway a fellow turned up in his decrepit station wagon and got us there. On the way he picked up 2 more passengers, including an indigenous lady complete with hat, shawl and numerous bags of stuff. The driver asked us about Australia, which he had seen on Discovery channel. Like others before him, he wanted to know if we ate kangaroos.
Levanto is a tiny village with a pretty square
A restored 1100 AD house
. There are 2 sets of very old ruins close by. The first group only seemed to have one reconstructed house but going past there we found a pleasant walk along a ridge. It was like home. Tasmanian blue gums everywhere. On the way a local family stopped to chat, and the grandfather asked Pete to take a photo of 2 of his grandchildren.We had a beer in the local pub, where the bar doubled up as laundry and kitchen with a huge clay oven for baking. The floor was uneven earth with embedded bottle tops, but it had a snazzy sound system. A disintegrating plastic curtain hid the loo. Lunch was in a local restaurant, cost $1 for soup, main course and drink. Pete gave it 3/10, but that was a bit harsh. We were lucky to find anywhere to eat in such a tiny town.
After lunch we walked uphill for an hour to the Yalape ruins, which have not been restored at all. You have to fight your way along a tiny track that needs a machete or whippersnapper. Brambles snatched our clothes and huge lupins and other bushes got in the way. We nearly gave up as time was running out, but perseverance paid off. We found at least 20 circular buildings, one with rhomboidal patterns in the stonework, sprawled up the hillside. Yalape is on the list for restoration when they have finished Keulap.
We had intended to walk back to Levanto to get a ride with this morning's driver, but a car came along with 2 spare seats so in we hopped. Transport is so erratic here it's best to accept when it is offered.
Tomorrow's plan for Celedin has changed. We are going to Karajia to see sarcophagi, Wednesday to Leymebamba where there is a museum and on Friday pick up the Celedin bus. To be safe, the tickets are bought.
A bit of bad news from home. The stroke that Pete's brother-in-law, John, had was severe, and he is very incapacitated at present. Thank goodness we have found good internet and phone services everywhere we have travelled. Pete was able to have a long yarn with his sister.
