Day two of or trek started cloudy: I couldn't even see the other side of the canyon. But while we ate pancakes with banana and dulce de leche for breakfast, the sky cleared up. As we left, the weather was perfect once again to enjoy views of the agriculture in the canyon:
During the hike, our guide pointed out another cactus: Tunal.
This cactus is important for two reasons. First, it has a delicious fruit called tuna (which doesn't taste like the fish, just in case you were wondering). And second, look at the white stuff in the picture. These are cochineal insects. One kilo of them can be sold for about 250 US dollars.Why? Well, look at what happens when you squash one of the insects on your hand:
Ever heard of cochineal red, usable for example as dye or lipstick coloring? This is exactly what these insects produce. Nature never fails to amaze me, over and over again :-)
Around halfway through the hike, this beautiful view of the canyon opened up:
And a little later, our goal for the day came into view: the oasis of Sangalle. See the path snaking upward from the oasis? That's a preview of our ascent on the following day.
Having arrived at the oasis, everyone jumped into the lodge's swimming pool - the perfect refreshment after two days of hiking!
Later, it being Good Friday, we got to eat a typically Peruvian Good Friday soup. From what I could see, it contained fish, fish eggs, egg, rice, potatoes, vegetables, and an array of spices. I especially liked the hint of clove. Yum!
During the hike, our guide pointed out another cactus: Tunal.
This cactus is important for two reasons. First, it has a delicious fruit called tuna (which doesn't taste like the fish, just in case you were wondering). And second, look at the white stuff in the picture. These are cochineal insects. One kilo of them can be sold for about 250 US dollars.Why? Well, look at what happens when you squash one of the insects on your hand:
Ever heard of cochineal red, usable for example as dye or lipstick coloring? This is exactly what these insects produce. Nature never fails to amaze me, over and over again :-)
Around halfway through the hike, this beautiful view of the canyon opened up:
And a little later, our goal for the day came into view: the oasis of Sangalle. See the path snaking upward from the oasis? That's a preview of our ascent on the following day.
Having arrived at the oasis, everyone jumped into the lodge's swimming pool - the perfect refreshment after two days of hiking!
Later, it being Good Friday, we got to eat a typically Peruvian Good Friday soup. From what I could see, it contained fish, fish eggs, egg, rice, potatoes, vegetables, and an array of spices. I especially liked the hint of clove. Yum!
