We spent our long Thanksgiving weekend with friends in Cajamarca, the dairy capital of Peru. It is also the site where Pizarro's small group of conquistadors easily overwhelmed a huge number of Inca soldiers and captured the emperor. This was the beginning of the end of the Incas. We visited the room where Atahualpa was held captive by Pizarro, and could see the mark on the wall where Atahualpa reached up and promised to fill the room twice with silver and once with gold up to that line if Pizarro would release him. It took about a year, but Atahualpa fulfilled his promise. Unfortunately for Atahualpa, Pizarro didn't hold up his end of the bargain. He took the ransom, and killed his prisoner.
We visited the main square, and many old buildings, We also walked up through the town to the hilltop overlooking the square. The area has lots of thermal activity, and our hotel had wonderful hot springs. We also found time for a horseback ride, a visit to a cheese museum, a farm where the cows line up at the stall with their name plate when their names are called, and a zoo with some amazing birds and animals. In the picture with all the women, they are putting a cover over a mountain lion's habitat. He is inside that little room having his lunch!
The town is up in the mountains, and so green from all the rain - quite the opposite of Lima. Aside from a canceled return flight due to fog that made us wonder if we would be able to get home in time for work the next day, it was a good trip. We ended up taking a scenic 7-hour bus ride out of the mountains, down to another town on the coast where we caught a flight back home. All in all, we had a great time.
We visited the main square, and many old buildings, We also walked up through the town to the hilltop overlooking the square. The area has lots of thermal activity, and our hotel had wonderful hot springs. We also found time for a horseback ride, a visit to a cheese museum, a farm where the cows line up at the stall with their name plate when their names are called, and a zoo with some amazing birds and animals. In the picture with all the women, they are putting a cover over a mountain lion's habitat. He is inside that little room having his lunch!
The town is up in the mountains, and so green from all the rain - quite the opposite of Lima. Aside from a canceled return flight due to fog that made us wonder if we would be able to get home in time for work the next day, it was a good trip. We ended up taking a scenic 7-hour bus ride out of the mountains, down to another town on the coast where we caught a flight back home. All in all, we had a great time.
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