Huaraz and the Cordillera Blanca

We ended up spending about 5 days in Huaraz; we completed 3 day hikes, spent time hanging out and cooking at our hostel (Hostel Akilpo, where we met lots of great people and got lots of good advice on our hikes), and sampled some seriously delicious street food (chochos, roasted suckling pig and papas rellenas, yum!) and craft beer. In short: we loved Huaraz.

Our first day we did a rather lackluster  acclimatization hike to Lake Wilkacocha. Huaraz is at an elevation of 10,000 feet/ 3,052 meters, in the valley of surrounding mountains, so its necessary to go on a moderate hike and see that you're ready/ that you're not going to get altitude sickness, before you go one one of the big ones.  On the second day we set out on our own via public transportation to hike to Laguna Churup, and on our fourth day we joined a larger group to complete the trek to Laguna 69, which was 3 hours from Huaraz. The color of the glacier-fed lakes, the snow-capped peaks, and the unbelievable 360 degree landscapes had us in awe. Well worth the altitude induced shortness of breath and the never-ending switch backs.

On our return from Laguna Churup, we had one of my favorite cross cultural travel moments this far. We shared a combi/collectivo with a group of 5 French hikers, who spoke varying levels of English and Spanish (in addition to French, of course). Our Peruvian driver spoke very little English but was eager to talk music with us when one of the French guys joined him on the bench seat up front and plugged in his iPod - somehow this guy had a combination of music with him that included Edith Piaf, Jurassic 5, Manu Chao, The Soggy Bottom Boys, The Bee-Gees, Jimmy Cliff and Mozart. As we rambled down the mountain sampling and discussing all of the above we were joined by a few locals speaking Quechua who started teaching us some common phrases. In much of our travel, we kind of worry that we're always these gringo travelers, unable to speak enough Spanish to a Peruvian local. It was great to feel a truly international experience. French people trying to speak Spanish, an Indigenous villager playfully teaching us Quechua and a Peruvian bus driver telling us about Huayno music https://youtu.be/YaVZIyZ1xgo
We got off the combi bus elated with all of the scenery, laughter and shared novel experience. Its cheeseball, but this is what we're travelling for.

I'm just going to let the photos do the rest of the talking

On the ascent to Laguna Churup

There were only 2 other people at the Laguna at the same time as us! 

View from the start of the hike to Churup

Rest stop! We loved Sierra Andina beer

Lake Llanganuco, a pit stop on the way to hike to Laguna 69

Such lucky cows, living with these views

The water really is that color. REALLY

Can you spot the long tailed chinchilla in this photo?

After five days, we decided it was time to move on, in order to stick to our timeline of arriving in Cuzco on the 5th or 6th. We took a day bus to Lima to spend a few days before heading east, back into the mountains.