Tag Archives: Antioquia

The Road to Antioquia, Peru

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Okay it’s late and I’m tired, but I need to mention the hidden little gem of Antioquia which is just outside of Lima; bug bites and all.  Or better still, let me tell you about the road you take to get up there.  Foreign Service life is about exploring new places anyhow.

Curving Roadway

Curving Roadway

Antioquia is a quaint little village located 64 kilometers east of Lima in the Lurin river valley.  Like most little towns in Peru it counts with a tiny church, a plaza de armas (i.e., a main square), bodegas, and the occasional B&B.  Unlike other towns Diplomonkey has so far visited, Antioquia’s buildings are decorated with whimsical painted motifs and biblical passages.  The town is set along the Lurin river, where there is enough water to permit agriculture despite the desiccated surroundings – ah so many quinces, apples, peppers, and a plethora of mangos that just make the month water.

Putin River Valley

Upper Lurin River Valley

But for today let’s not focus on the destination but on the road to Antioquia.  I guess this post is really about a case of the means to an end sort of scenario.  Diplomonkey, true to form, again is losing focus; bad monkey, focus!

Church at Sisicaya

Church at Sisicaya, Halfway Mark

Right!  So the drive up into the Andes takes a leisurely two hours each way, which reminds me that I need to get new tires for the Jeep.  Focus Diplomonkey, focus!

Antioquia Road 2

Truck parked on the Cliff

Okay so we leave La Molina and head east towards Cieneguilla and beyond. The kilometers slowly click by as we traverse badly eroded roads along cliff sides.  Huge boulders, precariously balanced on smaller slabs of rock give way eventually to a series rickety bridges and packs of wild dogs.  Begone ye beasties, away from my Nikon D2.  From my FCS buddy, I know that most of these bridges might be American made ones; the Chinese ones on the other hand tend to fall into the crevasses. Oh what fun!

Bridge on the road to Antioquia

Bridge on the road to Antioquia

Anyhow, tonight I will let the pictures speak for themselves.  Once the weather improves, I will head out again and get some pictures of the town.  And surely next time  I will take some industrial strength bug spray; off to the MED Unit tomorrow for antihistamines.

It’s Always Sunny in Lima, Peru

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Okay, I will admit the blog’s title today is a tongue in check play on words; and no it is not a comparison with the television program “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.” But I will admit this piece has a bit of snarky humor and probably is a tad persnickety (used two SAT words in one sentence, wow).

We have been in throes of the southern hemisphere’s winter since May 1, when the fog rolled in and decided to stay. Do not despair, I am told, spring is just around the corner and the fog should burn off quickly. Come to think of it, we arrived here the day after Thanksgiving and had fog and chilly weather through mid-December – that’s when the sun finally broke through and stuck around.

The sun does break through on occasion during this time of year, but though not too often. On those rare occasions that it does, you know who the real gringos are; these are the ones that run out of the chancery and annex buildings and squint at the sun. Think of Clint Eastwood with a tie and lanyard with an embassy badge.

Usually, and all of us being the highly educated and extremely well trained professionals that we are, we will mutter something eloquent on the day’s atmospheric conditions. Normally along the lines of “now look at that, (pause for theatrical effect) it’s, it’s the sun.” Followed by an, “I’m not quite sure, its been a while” and for certain followed by a couple of “Oos and Ahhs, that’s good, feels real good.” Yes, the troglodytes have broken free and are running around the field in circles photosynthesizing! Of course only during the lunch break or a fire drill.

Granted the fog that rolls in from the (South) Pacific obscuring sometimes the 400-500 meter hills behind the Embassy is a bit of a drag. But think of it this way – above 2000 feet it’s a beautiful bright sunny day in Lima without a cloud in sky. I guess it’s just a case of perspective, getting above the fog bank that is, and maintaining a positive mental attitude for eight months on end. That blasted Humboldt Current and all.

Heck, that’s it. Tomorrow we are heading for the hills – that already range 600 to 1000 meters around the corner from my place. Maybe even climb the road to Cieneguilla (at 300 meters/1000 feet elevation) and go have some cuy (guinea pig) crocante at Mesa de Piedra (kilometer 34) or if we are even more adventurous we’ll take the Jeep further up the Lurin river valley to Antioquia (kilometer 65) and at some 1,526 meters (5,007 feet) elevation – guaranteed blue skies and sunshine.  Let’s breakout the Nikon.

Cheers!

Um good, cuy for lunch!

Um good, cuy for lunch!

Sisicaya and the Lurin River.

Sisicaya and the Lurin River.