globetrottingmamita-Telemanagement: From Calca to Lares – A scenic drive to the Eden of the Incas

On Wednesday morning around 8:30am, we set out from Calca to Lares in our rented Toyota Yaris. Our friends in Calca warned us not to eat to much before leaving, as we would be going from about 3,500 meters up to about 4,500 meters, and back down again. We had a light breakfast, and took snacks with us for the two-hour drive to Lares.

I was excited to go to Lares and relax in the hot springs, but had no idea the drive there would be so spectacular. There is public transportation to Lares – a small bus that runs once or twice a day – but we decided to drive as we knew the road was reasonably well-maintained, even though about 35 kilometers of it is unpaved.

Raymi and Soraya holding a lamb

We stopped frequently on the way up to avoid altitude sickness. Our first stop was at an overlook where we saw a herd of sheep. My children rushed to try and catch a lamb so that they could hold it. There was no one around to ask if that was okay, so I told them they could. As soon as they picked up a lamb, however, a little girl began to cry from a house up on a hill. Soon, two children rushed down. I asked the boy why the child was crying. At first he said he didn’t know. Then, he said it was because my kids had held her lamb. We apologized and left the kids tending to their herd of sheep.

The road was paved until we reached a turnoff point for Lares. The 30 kilometers along that road were filled with awesome scenery, but driving along a one-lane dirt road alongside a cliff was a harrowing experience. The views of animals, mountains, nevados, rivers, and boulders, however, made up for the tense drive.

Soon after turning off, we came upon a group of children who flagged us down. When we stopped, they asked us if we had any bread. Fortunately, we did, and we handed a piece of bread to each of the children. The children were aged between about 4 and 11, so I asked them if they went to school. It was a school day after all. One of the girls replied that there is no school close enough for them to attend. These children live in hamlets of one to ten houses, and it is true that we did not see a school in the 30 kilometer drive from the turn-off point to Lares. Their families seem to be mostly sheep, alpaca, goat, and llama herders. From that point to the Abra de Lares – the point at which you begin to descend the mountain – we saw several children who pulled us over to ask for bread. When we ran out of bread, we gave crackers to the kids.

Children by the side of the road asking for bread

Children from small villages along the way

For much of the way to Lares, we were able to see two snow-capped peaks – sitting majestically above golden and gray mountain peaks. We also saw plenty of animal herds, some of which were tended by people, and others of which seemed to be alone. There seemed to be more animals than people out here. Animals can live outside, eating the grass and drinking the plentiful water. Life seemed to bit a bit harder for the people, who live miles away from any stores and must travel far to sell their animal wool and other products. The Quechua people who live here make their own clothes and continue to dress in the traditional way.

A lagoon among the peaks

We stopped at the Abra to Lares to build a mound of stones - said to protect you on the journey

Cloud-soaked mountains

Raymi - happy to have made it to the top

About two and a half hours and many stops after leaving Calca, we made it to Lares, where we had a lunch of soup and fried fish in one of the restaurants near the Plaza. We stocked up with bread, fruit, and water, and got back in the car for the five-minute drive from the town of Lares to the hot springs.

After the long drive from Calca, we decided we would stay the night at the hot springs, and got a room in the hotel that belongs to the hot springs. The hot springs are community-built and owned, and the townspeople take turns working there. The hotel room was clean and comfortable, and reasonably priced at 50 soles ($20) a night. The room does not include entry to the hot springs, which is 10 soles ($4) for adults, and 4 soles for children.

Lares Hot Springs

The Springs are on beautiful grounds

We spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing in the hot spring pools. The pools are brown in color because of the minerals, and range in temperature from very hot to quite cool. I first got in the very hot pool, as I was looking forward to experiencing some serious heat after being cold for much of the time we have spent in the Andes. Then, we spent some time relaxing in the largest pool, which is warm, but certainly not hot.

We ate dinner in a small restaurant run by a local man and his wife. They also have rooms for rent for a bit cheaper, but they don’t have electricity. For dinner, they made rice, fried bananas, and an omelet with eggs from their chickens. The next morning for breakfast, they slaughtered one of their hens to make chicken soup for us.

We went up to Lares with our friends from Calca – Doris, Jose, Isa, Fernando, and their daughter, Yari. At breakfast, I chatted with Isa and Fernando about my work on racism in Peru. Fernando owns a hotel in Cusco, and Isa, who makes clothing for a living, is from Cusco. They suggested I do a study that focuses on more specifically on racial discrimination in Cusco. That is an idea to think about, as, while doing some work here, I have noticed that things are changing in Cusco. Peru is experiencing economic growth, and it seems more indigenous people are prospering. Of course, there is still poverty, but it seems that increasing numbers of indigenous people are able to send their children to university and to purchase expensive homes and cars. It would be interesting to see how this plays out in terms of overcoming racial barriers, which, in Latin America, are closely intertwined with class status.

It is encouraging to return to Peru after several years and see that many people are doing better financially. These changes also raise many questions about what the future holds for Peru.

The drive back from Lares to Calca took less time, but still was filled with awesome scenery, beautiful people, and interesting sights.