From Maya to Inca: Cajamarca

I don't know if it was because I arrived at night with my nerves shot to pieces but I didn't get a great first impression when I arrived in Cajamarca. People were staring at me and the novelty of being the only tourist was starting to wear off. Three people, including the taxi driver who I eventually accosted, gave me completely different directions to the main square (It's gradually sinking in that all of the main squares in Peru are called Plaza de Armas and that at least is helpful) but I eventually got there, found a hostel, ate a hamburger - where they were as unhelpful as could be, offering a menu to all the Peruvians who came in but not to me - and went to bed.

In the light of day, however, Cajamarca seemed much more pleasant. The sun was out, there was a fresh breeze and the square was indeed as beautiful as I had heard. People were out going about their own business - although I still got a few stares - and men in suits were having their shoes polished around the square. I could have stayed a while staring myself.

I was in Cajamarca for less than 12 hours but I did manage to wander around the Plaza de Armas, buy some cheese and chat with a taxi driver about the demonstrations that took place last year, against the expansion of the most important gold and copper mine in the area. Four people were killed, including a 16 year old boy, and this could well be the reason for the lack of tourists in this town. I knew nothing about it, and in this case, ignorance was certainly bliss. But now, I was interested. Mining is a highly contentious subject in Peru, for all the obvious reasons. It is the industry that generates the highest income in the country but brings with it the most problems. In the specific case of Cajamarca, the president, Ollanta Humala, had been accepting American investment to increase the mining activity in the area, in spite of danger of water contamination and drying-up of lakes, thereby destroying local water sources and reducing the amount of water available to the population of Cajamarca and the surrounding area. And in spite of the fact that one of his election promises had been to support the Cajamarcans on this topic.

Cajamarca is also famous for a totally unrelated reason. It was here that the Incan Emperor Atahualpa died at the hands of the Spanish in the Battle of Cajamarca during the Spanish conquest in 1532. Atahualpa was one of the last Incas and was unfortunately too involved in fighting with his brother, Huascar, over inheritance rights, to even notice the Spanish advancing. Which suited the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro down to the ground.

And as far as the cheese is concerned, Cajamarca is also known for its dairy products and it seemed like the perfect snack, along with some crackers, to take with me on my six hour bus ride to Trujillo.