A moment of rest

Our traverse of the Marañon valley represents some 3600m of ascent. In addition, we have been cold, molten and bitten. We are utterly zonked and Alain is coughing seriously. So we settle at the Hotel Madrid, the best in Celendin, pay for two nights (110 sols/night, i.e. 27€) and conscientiously proceed to rest. Celendin is a sleepy city, so it's a perfect setting.

We visit the market with amazing fruit, try some experimental dining out, and extract cough syrup from the pharmacy. We decide to stay a third night.

Finally, we are on the road to Cajamarca, climbing solidly until early afternoon. On the descent, our hoped for accommodation options fail, one by one.
It is late. We are left with a possible lead of iOverlander (an app) of a hotel/restaurant, 1km out of a little town along a tiny dirt road.

We find the place. A huge shut blue steel gate "welcomes" us. We knock, bang, yell, no answer. A neighbour confirms this is the right place, so we repeat, no answer again. Finally another neighbour calls with his mobile phone and an old man appears through the wire fence telling us to wait. Many minutes later an old smiling peruvian lady opens up with a large key. Joanna, she says, and offers her hand to shake.

This restaurant/hotel seems almost closed down and turned into a farm now. We can plant the tent and use water and basic facilities. This is a very safe place, evidently. We sleep well and wake up at dawn with geese, chickens, a rooster, and sheep... Adios and gracias, Joanna!Read more