Asia Omas
Asia Omas
Asia Omas
al 7
Hola cicloturistas:
En los días de Semana Santa fuimos en bicicleta por el Valle de Asia hasta
Omas, la experiencia fue ciclistícamente exigente, paisajísticamente un tanto
seca, árida y desolada pero emocional y espiritualmente muy grata y
extraordinaria.
Como casi siempre, salimos tarde de Lima, eran las 11:30 am y en el terminal
de bus Soyuz la cola de pasajeros medía 200 metros y avanzaba lentamente a
medida que salían los buses llenos cada 5 minutos con destino al sur de Lima.
Nos cobraron abusivamente S/. 30.00 por cada uno y S/. 10.00 por las
bicicletas. Partimos a las 2:30, llegamos a Asia a las 4:00, compramos algunas
cosas que faltaban y antes de partir almorzamos un buen y rico menú en el
restaurante de la señora “charapa” que está justo en la esquina donde empieza
el camino hacia Coayllo, frente al local llamado La Huaca, junto a la carretera.
Aquí pasamos la noche, había habitaciones, pero no había luz, ni agua. Lo del
agua era comprensible por la escasez crónica que padece el pueblo, lo de la
luz era por un defecto en las instalaciones eléctricas del hotel. Bajo esa
perspectiva y sin otra opción de alojamiento por los alrededores, no quedaba
sino resignarse. Sin embargo la intolerancia de María Elena y mi curiosidad
pudieron más que la resignación. Le preguntamos al dueño qué problema
tenía con la luz, a lo cual respondió que algo estaba mal, pues los fusibles se
quemaban, los cables recalentaban en el tablero de interruptores y el medidor
giraba loco marcando un gran consumo aún teniendo solo 1 foco encendido.
Supuse que el problema sería algún cable cruzado o conexión defectuosa, así
es que me aventuré a decirle al dueño que me dejara revisar las instalaciones,
cosa que no resulta ser muy complicada si se tiene una idea básica de cómo es
una instalación doméstica.
En la parte alta del valle cerca a Omas hay más agua y el verdor de los cultivos
contrasta con la sequedad de los cerros que flanquean el valle. El camino que
recorre el valle es una trocha carrozable en buenas condiciones.
A las 06:00 reanudamos la marcha, muy cerca del pueblo pasamos por el sitio
arqueológico Sequillao, en abandono y un tanto degradado, a 2 km. nos
encontramos con el río Asia en crecida, había llovido en la sierra alta y el agua
venía color barro. No hay puente, así que la cruzada fue a pie cargando las
bicis, con el agua por encima de las rodillas, sin zapatos las piedras en el lecho
del río hacen doler los pies y las que arrastra la corriente golpean, una
verdadera tortura.
Viernes Santo, 6 de abril del año 2007, 3:00 pm. la hora a la que murió nuestro
Señor Jesucristo nos encuentra en plena trepada, paramos a persignarnos y
recordar en silencio durante unos minutos los momentos más solemnes de la
historia de la humanidad.
En Callangas, cuando la
voluntad de seguir avanzando
por la subida parece quebrarse
y el cuerpo no da más, hallar un
ranchito con gaseosas y frutas a
la venta al lado del camino
parece casi onírico.
El tramo desde Esquina de Omas hasta Omas es el más fuerte, las empinadas
cuestas nos obligaron a culminarlas caminando algunas. Aquí cuando Omas
ya se divisaba recibimos el mejor premio y regalo al esfuerzo invertido: el Arco
Iris en el cielo frente a nosotros, nacía en Omas y terminaba en el fondo del
valle, persistente e intenso en sus colores, silencioso, sutil, puro, diáfano,
hermoso. Varios minutos después se desvaneció y los prismas de agua que lo
formaron cayeron
sobre nosotros en forma de ligeras gotas de lluvia bendita. Momentos
sensiblemente extraordinarios, mágicos, sublimes e inolvidables que
llevaremos puestos el resto de nuestras vidas.
A las 21:00 pm nos fuimos a la cama, a la misma hora que una banda
empezaba a entonar acordes de procesión, desde la puerta de la iglesia
vecina. El cansancio y el sueño fueron más que los decibeles nocturnos de la
banda procesional que pasó por nuestra ventana y se escuchaba por todo el
pueblo. 6 horas después, a las 03:00 am volvió a pasar delante del hotel, esta
vez nos levantamos a ver los últimos pasos de la procesión antes de ingresar a
la iglesia portando la imagen del Cristo Yacente.
Para nosotros amaneció como a las 08:00. Alistar las cosas. Desayuno:
sándwich de bisteck a S/ 1.00 y jugo surtido. Aquí la espontánea generosidad
de los omasinos nos invitó un bocadillo único del lugar: “masa conservada”,
una especie de bolillo color caramelo, hecho a base del requesón que queda
cuando hacen quesos y azúcar, rico, nunca antes visto ni probado por
nosotros.
Planeamos retornar hasta Mala en las combis que hacen la ruta a Coayllo,
esperamos casi 2 horas, pasaron 2 o 3 todas llenas y no quisieron llevarnos
con las bicis, toda la gente se estaba regresando de pasar los días feriados. A
las 17:00 enrumbamos a Asia por el mismo camino que vinimos.
Transporte.
Bus Soyuz. Lima – Asia, buen servicio pero cobran sobreprecio en días
feriados.
Hospedaje.
En Coayllo: el único hotel del pueblo a 1 cuadra de la plaza, básico, ahora
despues de nuestra visita tiene luz, el agua es muy limitada con baldes y
jarras, económico. 6 habitaciones, 2 baños.
Alimentación:
En Asia: restaurante de la señora “charapa” que está justo en la esquina donde
empieza el camino hacia Coayllo, frente al local llamado La Huaca, junto a la
carretera.
Aníbal Paredes
TRIP REPORT
April 5th – 7th, 2007
Hi all:
On the Easter days mi wife and me went on our bikes by the Asia valley up until
Omas, the cycling experience was demanding, the landscape a kind of dry, arid
and desolated but emotionally and spiritually pleasing and extraordinary.
As always, we left Lima late, it was 11:30 am, the line of people in the Soyuz
bus station was 200 m. long and slowly advancing as the buses were departing
full every 5 minutes. They
abused charging S/. 30.00 for
each and S/. 10.00 for the
bikes. Departed at 14:30 pm,
arrived Asia at 16:00, here
bought some supplies and
before start cycling had a nice
lunch at the little restaurant
owned by the “charapa” (from
Iquitos) lady, located just by
the corner from where the road
to Coayllo begins, besides the
Panamericana highway, in
front of La Huaca facility.
At 17:00 pm begun the bike ride to Coayllo by a varied texture trail that passes
through a rubbish dump at the beginning, a desert and the languishing village
called Santa Rosa de Asia and gets up to Coayllo. On the way it became dark,
so our headlights facilitated us the short night bike ride. Those were full moon
days, we spected to have moonlight backup but the cloudy sky kept the route
dark.
Coayllo, at 18 km. from Asia, is a town rather small and quiet, with a halfway
weakened old church. There is electricity, water is very little and available only
for few hours. There is a well supplied store and two restaurants. We found a
little hotel (with no sign), one block from the main plaza.
Here we spent the night. Rooms were available, but the hotel didn’t have light
and water. The lack of water was understandable due to the cronic water
shortage in the town, but the lack of light was due to a defect in the electric
wiring of the hotel. Under those circumstances and with no other option for
accomodation nearby, resignation was the choice. María Elena’s tolerance was
at its minimum and my love for her at its maximum, so my curiosity. So I
decided to ask the owner what was the problem with the light, he said
something wrong with the electric system that causes the fuses to blow, the
wires in the electric cabinet to heat up and the meter to run crazy fast recording
high electricity consumption even with just one bulb turned on. I supposed the
problem would be a short circuited wire or defective connection, so venture
myself to check the electric wirings with the owners permission, something that
is not too complicated if one knows how a basic domestic installation would be.
Then started checking all switches and power outlets (six or eight). Found
nothing wrong. After thinking for a while decided to identify the circuits and the
wires leading electricty to the second floor where the rooms are, to isolate them
from the rest. When did so, tested and…. Yahoooo!!!! It worked fine. Now fuses
don’t blow, wires don’t heat up and the meter runs slowly and normal. To spend
the night in this hotel became more atractive and acceptable, despite we had
the shower with a bucket and a jar, better than nothing.
As payment for the improvised electric repair service we had the hotel night for
free. Went to bed early in order to start cycling very early in the morning before
the sun shines and heats.
At 06:00 am restarted the bike ride, not far from the town we passed by the
Sequillao archaeological site, a bit destroyed, 2 km further found the Asia river
at its highest level, it rained in the highlands last night, so water was mud
coloured. There is no bridge, so crossing the river is on your naked feet
carrying the bikes, with the water above the knees. Without shoes it is a painful
torture due to the stones of the bottom and the hitting ones carried by the
stream.
3 km. further found the extensive and interesting archaeoogical site named
Uquira, after a brief visit and few pictures, continued to the present town with
the same name where had bananas and bread as breakfast and refilled water
to prepare rehydration liquid.
6 km. further ahead passed by the desolated and arid village La Yesera. Here
we were asked where we go, to Omas we answered, there is still a long way
ahead they said. 1 km, further we found another extense archaeological site:
Los Gentiles. Under the shining sun the lonely chappel and abandoned houses
besides the road remarks the desolation feeling.
At Huañañabe, 5 km. ahead on a curve of the road there is a well wooden and
straw cottage, putted there to protect adventurous travellers like us crossing the
valley from the extreme shining sun.
The next town is called Cata, 5 km. ahead, where we found a good place to
rest and refill food and water. Mrs. Lidia, the
owner of the well supplied store from her
spontaneous generosity and hospitality
invited us cheese and boied “yucas”,
delicious, and the typical meal for Easter days
along the valley: “colado” (beans pudding).
Here we were told that the hardest part of the
journey was right ahead of us, just passing
the river: the ascents of Unchor, Callangas
and Esquina de Omas.
At Callangas, when the will to continue ahead uphill seems to break and the
body says no more, to find the rustic store selling sodas and fruits besides the
way seems to be a mirage.
Checked the map one more time to confirm that there was even less left ahead
to arrive Omas. Muralla and esquina de Omas were seen not too far away from
here. Reanimated, continued, arrived and passed by those villages inhabitated
by kind and gentle people that seeing us and knowing about our journey were
surprised some them and others encouraged us to follow saying very little is left
ahead.
The section from Esquina de Omas to Omas is the hardest, the steep ascents
forced us to culminate them walking. Here, in the loneliness of the trail, when
Omas was already descryed we were granted with the best prize for the
invested effort: the Rainbow in the sky right in front of us, beginning at Omas
and ending at the bottom of the valley, persistent and intense colours, silent,
subtle, pure, diaphanous, simply beautiful. Several minutes later it vanished
and the water prisms that formed it in the air falled on us as holly rain droplets.
Sensibly extraordinary and magic moments so sublime and unforgetable that
we will keep inside the rest of our lives.
18:30 pm, arrived Omas, 12 hours after our journey started at Coayllo. The
readings in the cyclecomputer were: Odometer 55 km., Altimeter 1,430 m.a.s.l.,
Gained altitude along the trip 1,350 meters.
We found the town preparing for Easter Friday procession, with candles, palm
tree leaves, flower made carpets, etc., decorating the houses front doors and
streets.
The Hotel Municipal, at one of the corners of the plaza, basic, clean, wel kept
and cheap is the best option for accomodation.
Starving as we were, had a fish based dinner at the local restaurant, good cook
and service. Afterwards, a brief walking by the plaza, some pictures, muscle
stretchings, shower and rest were mandatory.
At 21:00 pm went to bed, at the same time a band started playing processional
music. Exhaustion and sleep were stronger than the noise of the band that
passed playing in front of our bedroom, the music was heard all over the town.
After 6 hours, at 03:00 they returned to the plaza, this time we awaken and went
out to observe the last steps of the procession before entering the church
carrying the image of Lie dead Christ
Back to bed we experimented something new: the peace and silence of the
night, broken evenly by the bark of a distant dog. Peace and sleep.
For us the day broke at 08:00. Gotten the things ready. Breakfast: meat
sandwich and juice, S/. 2.00 per person. here the spontaneous generosity of
the “omasinos” invited us a delicatessen found only in this town: “masa
conservada” a sort of bobbin, caramel colour, made of the remaining substance
left of making cheese and sugar, nice, never seen and tasted before.
14:00 pm., arrived Coayllo, starving, along the way we were thinking on having
the typical meal of the near southern towns of Lima: “sopa seca con
carapulcra”, asked everywhere in town, nothing was left, just a basic menu, no
way, had that, better than nothing again.
We had planed to go to Mala by colectivo to catch the bus back to Lima, but
colectivos were full and refused to take us with our bikes. So at 17:00 pm.,
went back to Asia, one hour after we were there besides the Panamericana
highway waiting for the bus to bring us back home after this great bike trip,
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for everyone.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Transport.
Bus Soyuz. Lima – Asia, good service but overpriced on hollidays.
Accomodation
Coayllo: the unique hotel in town one block from the plaza, basic, now after our
visit with light, water very restricted with bucket and jar. 6 rooms, 2 baths.
Omas: Hotel Municipal, basic, clean, web kept, 9 rooms with 1 good twin size
bed, 1 room with 2 twin size beds, 2 baths (men and women)
Food
Asia: the little restaurant owned by the “charapa” (from Iquitos) lady, located just
by the corner from where the road to Coayllo begins, besides the Panamericana
highway, in front of La Huaca facility.
Omas, the restaurant front of the plaza, good service, cook and prices. The
juice store on the left of the restaurant, nice fruit and juices.