Peru: Leimebamba and the road to Cajamarca

Today is all day on the road. Transfer from Leimebamba to Kahamarka. Only 280 kilometers, but drove 9 hours. The road is fucking! First rise from 2250 to 3700. Then descent into the gorge for three kilometers vertically - down to 800 meters. All along the edge of the dizzying abyss. The "Death Road" in Bolivia rests ... Then two more times the ascent to 3650 and the descents, but already smaller. Very beautiful, but tiring ...

The bus (from Chachapoyas) should arrive at 8.30, and while we have time to wander around Leimebamba for a bit, take a picture of the life of a mountain Indian village.

Here is the local Potemkin Stairs.

Striking cleanliness in the streets.

Many here ride horses. We ourselves repeatedly observed the picture: the horse piled up a heap, the owner immediately left, no, not the owner of the horse, but the owner of the house (store, tavern, etc.), before which this event took place, and then everything was cleaned up.

All residents of the village in the morning sweep the pavement in front of their houses, and then periodically go out - spray water to prevent dust.

It is evident that the inhabitants of this small village respect themselves and love the place where they live.

Here, a new part is attached to the old house.

It's funny, but at the houses only the facades facing the street are painted. Who is there behind what he sees ...)))

Also, the facades are decorated with different carved wooden balconies and shutters.

Selling threads.

The windows may not have glass, and between the frames of doors or windows and the walls there are cracks that you can stick your hand in, but the doors and windows are made of beautiful wood.

There are a lot of dogs on the streets, like everywhere else in South America. But we almost did not see cats.

Despite the decorated facades, the main face of the house is the courtyards. According to Spanish tradition, almost all the houses on the street are built with patios. From the street, when you enter the door, you do not enter the house, but the courtyard. And there is already a balcony around the perimeter of the whole house, windows also go there, there is the main facade.

Our hospedah.

Soon the bus arrived. At first he surprised us - some short one, as if half a bus. But when we went up, everything immediately became clear.

On such a road, and with such bends, something more authentic has every chance of going down ... It also became clear why the bus runs here only during daylight hours, and during rains the road is often closed ...

We understand that the "Road of Death" in Bolivia is not unique at all, but simply a well-advertised brand ...

The road from Leimebamba to Selendin through the Canyon of Maranion is one of the most impressive and beautiful in Peru. Canyon Marañon is one of the deepest in South America. From 3700 meters above sea level we went down to 800, in the village of Balsas.

In the village of Balsas, the bus makes a stop. He is immediately surrounded by fruit, pastry, juice, merchants ... Buses are rare here. The prices are ridiculous. For 1 salt we buy a large package of delicious little yellow mango, which you can eat with the skin. Then at the same price for a coconut with a straw - we drink juice. We have been on the road for a long time, I want to go to the toilet ... Local residents send us to the police station around the corner. The toilet there is good, clean.)))

We cross the river Maranion, and again the bus begins to climb the mountain. Now we look at the edge of the gorge where we rode half a day ago, on the other hand.

There are 2 drivers on the bus. During the journey, they changed 4 times - such a road is constantly in constant tension. And after especially protracted climbs, the bus was stopped near a house and the engine was cooled, the collected dust was washed off the bus and ventilation holes.