Sipe Sipe and the Inkarakay ruins

on our way in the trufi

Another day trip to a nearby town: Sipe Sipe. I had read that in the outskirts of the city lay aymara ruins, the Inkarakay ruins, where these days the aymara visit the site for the aymara New Year’s celebration on June 26^th. We began our day with the plan of finding the ruins. A couple trufis (shared taxis where they stuff 12 people like sardines in a van) and only 30 minutes later we arrived. Another pretty plaza, but the rest of the town wasn’t much of a sight.

Sipe Sipe's main plaza

town's main market

main road leading away from the plaza

I was scared for her life. her mother didn't even notice!

Luckily we asked some locals where the ruins were, or else we would’ve headed the wrong way, seeing as there were no signs whatsoever pointing us in the right direction. And talking with several people, we found out the ruins were a 3-hour hike up the mountains. One small detail I must have read somewhere but had forgotten. 

starting our trek

beautiful view of Sipe Sipe

some houses along the road

finally a sign of the ruins

worshiping spot along the road

Even at 10 AM when we started our hike the sun was beaming down. And no shade anywhere. Well we did find stumble upon the only tree along the path after an hour and sat down a while.

But not for long. Eventually a couple cars rolled by, not one offering us a ride to the top. Even a man on foot passed us.

old man that passed us

After two hours, without seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, we stopped and watched the last truck that passed us slowly ascend the mountain next to us, where our path was headed. After seeing it reach the top, and how long it took, we decided to abandon our mission to get to the ruins.

somewhere near the top is the white truck that we watched wind in and out

We returned to the city, and ended up returning to Restaurant Tunari for dinner. Alek ate lomo emborrachado (literally, “drowned beef”; a chunk of beef in a soup of wine and beer with onions, peppers, and fries) while I, since it was our last dinner in the city, decided to repeat the delicious chorizo criollo. 

always a nice, cold beer to accompany dinner (not for me though)

Alek's lomo emborrachado