In the early morning of March 10th we went to TarmaTambo, a little agrarian village perched on a mountainside outside of Tarma. It is the site of Inca ruins alongside colonial remains through which the Inca trail runs– leading to Columbia and Argentina in each different direction. There we met a farmer who was very proud of his organic potatoes and posed for photos with the potato. We also saw Inca warehouses and administrative buildings (since it was an administrative center of the Inca in the region). We were told they used to put mummies in the rectangular holes in the walls, then drink chicha (an alcoholic beverage made from corn), take some mate de cocoa and fall asleep next to the mummies to induce dreams in which the ancestors can speak to them. There were also still intact and functioning waterways built by the Inca and a secret underground road with numerous false passageways. Now the passages are collapsed but we could go inside the entryway for a ways and look around. Inside our guide pointed out bones and ceramics left and offerings. The view from TarmaTambo was breathtaking and we could see the still in use Inca terraces on the surrounding mountains. The guide also pointed out a cross on top of a mountain above TarmaTambo that people make pilgrimages to once a year on February 20th (some sort of holy day, it wasn’t quite clear).
Next we entered the town of Tarma for the second time and went inside the impressive Cathedral in the Plaza de Armas, which housed beautiful stained glass windows. Then we went to the Sanctuary Muruhuay, which is sort of the special patron for the taxi, combi and bus drivers. It started as an image of Jesus painted on a rock and turned into a popular cult that not only drivers but everyone prays to. After the sanctuary we had our first taste of pachamanca – chunks of pork, potatoes, humitas, these big beans in pods, and salad with lemon. The rest of the day was spent on the bus, a large part of it driving through misty clouds so thick you couldn’t see more than 15 ft or so. It was quite an adventurous 5 days but I have to admit it feels good to be back in Lima.
