Arriving at CoporaqueNov 15, 2011
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Our room at the lodge.
Dining area.
View from the dining area.
TESTING OUT HOW WE ARE AT HIGH ALTITUDE!
We finally arrive late afternoon at our hotel in Coporaque, drop our bags in our room and we are off on a hike. We need to see how high altitude is affecting us and see if we are acclimatizing to it. We walked through this small town and up a hill to practice climbing. Our hearts raced and we were short of breath. But when we stopped for a few minutes, our hearts recovered quickly. We ended at a lookout and saw the Colca River and its valley. There were hundreds of terraces and some with crops starting. Farmers are planting now because the growing season is beginning since the rainy season is soon to start. The view is absolutely beautiful. And the sun is setting fast!
Our hotel incorporates part of the house of Mamayacchi. In the 14th century, Inca leader Mayta Capac sealed his victory by marrying the daughter of a local Collawa chief and built her this big house out of copper. Our hotel also has a pet Huarizo called Manchez. If you get too close to him and he does not like you he will spit at you. He is on a leash attached to a stake in the ground. But this does not keep him in one place. He uses his teeth to pull the stake out of the ground and roams where ever he pleases. Luckily there is a fence around the hotel. What a cleaver animal!
Our dinner was a buffet of all homemade dishes made by local women. They do not have a chef. And they certainly do not need one. It all tasted so good! And so much variety!
