Colca Canyon Part #2

A monument on the way. Llamas (or related) hanging out in the field.

I asked about water, was told there are a lot of springs. I did see a lot of springs later -- and there must be a high water table or something as houses and corrals were almost never located next to a spring. 

Eddy must have been ahead of me -- as there are stacked rocks pretty much anywhere people stop along the high (and there is no shortage of rocks out here).

That's me! The canyon kept getting bigger -- so we took pictures. Just to the left is a vendor. A vendor at every stop...

Got to the main town in Colca Canyon, Chivay -- and stopped at this place for a buffet lunch. Every mean with the tour was a buffet. I remember the lunch to cost S/20 -- which is 20 Sol, 2.76 Sol to the dollar. 

Here's the inside of the restaurant. 

My first plate. Banana, then clockwise alpaca, ceviche, bread, some kind of a stuffed pepper, potatoe in the center. 

This is the hotel I stayed. Nice, simple but all you needed. It is S/80 and included breakfast. 

Next stop is a natural hot springs. The springs are natural -- but a big resort has been built around the springs. 

This must be the heat exchanger so that they can regulate the tempurature of the water.  

And here are the pools. I mentioned that I had altitude sickness once, it was here. We were warned not to stay too long in the water. We did. Also had a Pisco Sour. Then walked downhill to a bridge, then back up. I was filling out of sorts and had a headache for some time. Four of us did this -- and three suffered. 

This is the damn bridge. Walking down was not bad -- going uphill is!

OK -- we drive about a hour to stop at the spot were Andean condors can be found. It is a point on the edge of a canyon, and the condors rise right past on the up winds. We were warned that the season to see them is getting late, and also we are about an hour late. 

Let's see what happens in the next post.