Diarios en Bicicleta

by Wilbert Bonné

Cerro de Pasco, September 5th, 2008

Up, up, up.

Huánuco is also known in Peru for its mild climate. For people as well for sand flies. The irritating little insects like your arms, feet and legs, result : hundreds of little itching red bites.

We were happy to leave the noisy town. Destination for the day : Cerro de Pasco; 120 kilometer south, and 2300 meter higher. Final altitude 4333 meter!! It is said that Cerro de Pasco is the highest town of this size ( 62.000 inhabitants ) in the world.

The road out of Huanuco goes up, up, up for 120 kilometer. Like a long, slow snake the road winds through the Peruvian mountains. Nowhere steep, but everywhere up, up, up. Gradients of 2, 3 and 4 percent, maybe 5. Not a single spot to let your bike role for a second. Demotivating.

Didier and Mient organised two welcoming lunch spots to let the legs run. The eucalyptus trees in the valley made place for rocks, dry bushes and yellow grass higher in the mountains. The temperature dropped significantly when we reached the 4000 meter mark. The alpaca’s ( family of the llama’s ) are grazing in the fields and look with their head full of wool very surprised when cyclists pass by in cycle shorts and short sleeve jerseys. This is an environment for warm clothes and wool, and not for thin lycra.

In the late afternoon I arrived with Georges in the old mining town. Everyone was walking with winter jackets, ponchos, warm shawls and gloves. It was bitterly cold and it was time to find the hotel to get warm. Our place, Hotel Wong, had a friendly owner, but no heating or hot water. The water which came out of the tap could compete with ice cubes. Not very tempting to warm up. Fortunately the Kirsten’s soup was hot and delicious. It is said ( at least in Peru ) that Cerro de Pasco has the highest pub in the world. For our Irish participants Mike and Sean of course a reason to check it out. Only warm drinks available. It was also necessary because outside it had started to snow. Tomorrow we need snow chains on our bike to leave Cerro de Pasco…

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Cerro de Pasco, September 5th, 2008

The Polleria

What to eat in Peru?

Peruvians like chicken ( “pollo” in Spanish ) and they call their restaurants “polleria”. About 80 percent of the restaurants in Peru is a polleria.

What’s on the menu?

Very simple : a quarter chicken, half a chicken or a full chicken. Nothing more, nothing less. That makes life easy.

How does a polleria look like in a cold Cerro de Pasco?

The restaurant is lighted with all colours of neon light, has a huge wide screen television in the corner ( of course loud ), the chickens are turning continuously on the grill, and the steam bumps against the front windows and the mirrors on the walls. And it’s busy. Very busy. Everyone is wearing warm sweaters, winter jackets and woollen hats ( also inside ) and one sweating waiter is helping out all clients.

And what do they eat ?

A quarter chicken, half a chicken or a full chicken.

But what to you get when you order it ?

First a soup; a chicken soup of course. Actually it’s hot water, a bit of noodle, a bit of carrot ( when you are lucky ), and the left-overs of the chicken. The left-overs mean : a chicken neck and a chicken paw ( with 4 toes ) are floating in your soup and smile at you.

Afterwards you get a piece of chicken depending on the size you have ordered. The chicken is normally very good and is served with papa’s ( fried potatoes ).

What do you drink with your chicken ?

Inka Cola. It’s a similar bottle as coca-cola but then filled with a yellow substance. It looks like lemon washing-up liquid and tastes like bumble gum. Not very tempting, but all Peruvians drink it. By the way : Inka Cola is bottled by the Coca-Cola Company.

And what to do if you can’t finish the plate ?

Take a doggy-bag and fill it with the bones of the chicken ( to make soup ) and the cold papa’s. What’s the bill like ?Depending on the size of your chicken it’s between 6, 12 or 24 sol ( 1 euro 50, 3 euro or 6 euro ), plus 2 sol ( 50 euro cents ) for the delicious Inka Cola.

Good appetite.