THE NOISY, POLLUTED, CONGESTION MEGAPOLIS OF LIMA IS LOCATED ON THE COAST.

TO ESCAPE IT WE JUMP ON A TRAIN TO THE DISTANT HIGHLANDS CROSSING A PASS AT NEARLY 16,000 FEET TO WHERE PERUVIANS HAVE LIVED THROUGHOUT HISTORY AND RETAINED MANY OF THEIR ANCIENT TRADITIONS.

FUNDING FOR IN THE AMERICAS WITH DAVID YETMAN WAS PROVIDED BY AGNES HAURY.

[MUSIC] THIS IS NOT THE CITY OF BAGHDAD.

THIS IS LIMA, THE CAPITAL OF PERU AND BY FAR ITS BIGGEST CITY, MORE THAN EIGHT MILLION PEOPLE AND GROWING FAST.

IT'S THE COSMOPOLITAN CULTURAL CENTER OF THE COUNTRY BUT THERE ARE REALLY TWO PERUS.

THERE'S LIMA AND THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.

BUT IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE PERU OF MYSTERY, OF ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS, OF INDIANS, OF THE ANDES, YOU HAVE TO GO INLAND AND UP.

THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT IS TO GET ON THE TRAIN.

BUENOS DIAS.

YOU WOULD THINK ON A TRAIN THAT YOU COULD TAKE MAYBE A LITTLE SUITCASE BUT THIS IS NOT YOUR ORDINARY TRAIN.

IT'S ALSO BEEN RESURRECTED FROM THE DEAD BY A COMPANY THAT THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE INCLUDING TOURISTS.

PEOPLE COME FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.

A LOT OF PEOPLE COME FROM EUROPE JUST TO TAKE THE TRAIN AND GET TO HUANCAYO.

YOU KNOW IT'S THE HIGHEST TRAIN IN THE WORLD, IT'S GOES UP TO 16,000 FEET, AND THAT IN ITSELF IS AN ADVENTURE.

BECAUSE 1991 THE TRAIN COLLAPSED BECAUSE THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH TOURISM AND ONE OF THE BRIDGES BLEW UP AND THIS WAS THE REASON FOR STOPPING THE TRAIN SERVICE FROM LIMA TO HUANCAYO BY THE PASSENGER SERVICE BECAUSE SUPPOSED TO BE FOR SECURITY REASONS.

AND IT WAS NOT UNTIL 1998 THAT WE GOT THE TRAIN STARTING TO COME BACK AGAIN BECAUSE OF A CONTRACT THAT NEW CONTRACTORS, IT IS PRIVATIZED AT THE MOMENT, GOT WITH THE STATE.

I'M GLAD TO SEE THERE ARE PEOPLE IN HERE.

IT'S A BAD SIGN WHEN THERE'S NOBODY.

THIS'LL DO.

I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY USED TO PUT LUGGAGE BACK IN THE 1940S.

HEY, WE'RE ACTUALLY MOVING AND THE TIME IS 7:00.

MY CONGRATULATIONS TO THE ENGINEER.

THIS SAYS "DARE TO CROSS THE ANDES IN A TRAIN" AND IT IS A LITTLE BIT OF A RISK BECAUSE ONLY A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT WITH THE TRAIN.

I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WAS KILLED BUT I THINK THERE WERE SOME HURT FEELINGS AND SOME HURT SKIN.

THE NUMBER OF BRIDGES AND TUNNELS THAT THE TRAIN HAS TO GO THROUGH MAKE FOR NOT ONLY AN EXCITING TRIP BUT ONE WITH A FEW POTENTIAL HAZARDS.

50 YEARS AGO THE TRAIN RAN DAILY OR AT LEAST TWO OR THREE TIMES A WEEK.

NOW IT USUALLY RUNS ONCE A MONTH, SOMETIMES TWICE, SO IT'S QUITE AN OCCASION WHEN IT DOES LEAVE.

THE BOOKINGS HAVE TO BE MADE IN ADVANCE AND I MADE MINE WELL IN ADVANCE BECAUSE I FEARED THAT THE TRAIN WOULD FILL UP REAL QUICKLY.

I ALWAYS THOUGHT CONDUCTORS ON TRAINS WORE THESE KIND OF SUITS WITH, THEY HAD A WATCH THEY CARRIED AND THEY HAD A LITTLE CAP AND THEY HAD A PUNCH BUT TIMES HAVE CHANGED.

THE CHILEANS STARTED WITH A RAILROAD SYSTEM IN SOUTH AMERICA AND THEY HAD A GREAT BUILDER WHO HAD ESCAPED FROM THE DEPRESSION IN EUROPE AND CAME TO SOUTH AMERICA KIND OF ESCAPING HIS DEBTS.

HIS NAME WAS HENRY MAYS.

HE WAS AN AMAZING PERSON WITH A LOT OF IDEAS AND AN INCREDIBLE ENERGY TO TRY TO GET THIS THING GOING AND THEY HAVE DONE THAT WORK IN CHILE.

WHEN THE SPANIARDS FIRST CAME TO THE AMERICAS, THEY APPROPRIATED ALL THE POSSIBLE LAND TO RAISE THE PRICKLY PEARS FOR THE COCHINEAL FOR THE RED DYE.

NOW PERU IS THE LARGEST PRODUCER IN THE WORLD BECAUSE IT'S IDEAL COUNTRY FOR RAISING THE PRICKLY PEAR.

WE'RE AT THE FIRST STOP ON THE TRIP FROM LIMA TO HUANCAYO.

IT'S A LITTLE TOWN CALLED SAN BARTOLOMÉ, SAN BARTHOLOMEW.

THE TRAIN HERE HAS TO CHANGE ENGINE FOR THE TRIP ON UP.

I DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND WHY BUT IT'S CLEARLY IMPORTANT.

THE DELAY GIVES ME A CHANCE TO LOOK AT PRICKLY PEARS AND COCHINEAL UP CLOSE.

THE COCHINEAL IS A LITTLE LARVAE THAT LIVES INSIDE THIS WHITE SPIDERY CASE AND IF WE PRESS IT HARD WE SEE THE BRILLIANT DYE THAT COMES OUT OF IT.

PERU IS NOW THE WORLD'S LEADING EXPORTER OF COCHINEAL IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT THE PRICKLY PEARS PROBABLY CAME FROM MEXICO.

IT'S ODD, WE'RE AT ABOUT 5,000 FEET HERE AND IT'S ACTUALLY WARMER THAN IT IS IN LIMA, DOWN THERE IN THAT DRIZZLY COLD GARUA.

YOU CAN TELL THAT THIS TRAIN DOESN'T OPERATE VERY OFTEN BECAUSE THE VEGETATION GROWS RIGHT OUT INTO THE ROAD BED AND YOU HAVE TO KEEP YOUR HEAD AND YOUR HANDS INSIDE WHILE YOU HIT A TUNNEL.

WE'RE APPROACHING 7,000 FEET NOW AND YOU CAN SEE UP ON THE HILLSIDE WHERE YOU SEE ACTUAL GREEN, THAT MEANS PLANTS.

THEY DO GET RAINFALL HERE, NOT A LOT BUT ENOUGH TO IRRIGATE SOME OF THESE FIELDS.

WE'RE PROBABLY SEEING A LITTLE BIT OF WHEAT HERE.

MY GUESS IS WE'RE SEEING CORN.

AND THESE... ANOTHER TUNNEL.

WE'RE GETTING HIGHER AND HIGHER.

NOW WE'LL BE SEEING GRASSES.

WITH THIS KIND OF GRASS WE KNOW THAT SOME OF THE LLAMA FAMILY CAN LIVE UP HERE SO WE SHOULD SOON BE SEEING LLAMAS AND ALPACAS.

NOW WE'RE ABOUT 8,000 FEET AND IT'S GETTING MORE AND MORE LUSH.

PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY EKE OUT A LIVING FROM THE SOIL.

THERE'S WATER COMING DOWN THE MOUNTAINS.

THEY PROBABLY GET A FEW INCHES OF RAIN A YEAR.

SO SMALL COMMUNITIES CAN MAKE IT UP HERE.

AFTER THIS BRIDGE THAT IS THE HIGHEST AND THE LONGEST AND IT WAS ALSO VERY MUCH A RECORD IN THE WORLD, THE TRAIN STARTED TO CLIMB UP AND IT WAS THROUGH THE DESIGN OF ERNEST MALINOVSKY, A POLISH GUY WHO CAME TO PERU AND FELL IN LOVE WITH THE COUNTRY AND ACTUALLY WAS THE BEGINNER OF THE SCIENTIFIC UNIVERSITIES IN PERU.

SO IT WAS THANKS ALSO TO THE TRAIN THAT WE HAVE NOW ENGINEERS IN PERU.

AT THIS POINT ON THE LIMA-HUANCAYO RAILROAD WE'VE REACHED THE HIGHEST POINT, 15,700 FEET, HIGH ENOUGH TO WHERE IT MAKES WALKING A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT.

IT MAKES ME OUT OF BREATH.

AND THE ONLY CREATURES THAT CAN LIVE UP HERE ARE LLAMAS AND ALPACAS, THE CAMELOIDS, AND THAT'S BECAUSE THERE ARE PERFECT GRASSES FOR IT.

IT'S COLD.

THE TEMPERATURE IS ABOUT 42 DEGREES.

AT ONE POINT BELOW IT'S ABOUT 81.

THIS IS THE HIGHEST RAILROAD IN ALL THE AMERICAS AND THE HIGHWAY IS ONE OF THE VERY HIGHEST IN THE WORLD, HIGHER THAN ANYTHING IN EUROPE.

YOU CAN FEEL IT IN THE AIR.

THE OXYGEN LEVEL HERE IS A LOT LOWER THAN MOST ATHLETES WOULD LIKE.

YOU'LL NOTICE I'M NOT RUNNING AND I'M A LITTLE OUT OF BREATH, BUT IT'S ALL RIGHT.

WHEN MINERS SEE THIS ROCK UP HERE THEY GO CRAZY AND THEY SHOULD.

IT'S BEEN FORCED UP BY THE TECTONICS THAT BUILT THE ANDES.

BUT THERE IS MINERALIZATION ALL OVER THE PLACE, NOT JUST GOLD AND SILVER BUT THERE'S COPPER AND THERE'S POLYGONUM AND IN SOME PLACES THEY TELL ME THERE'S ACTUALLY TIN.

11 HOURS LATER, NEARLY AT DUSK, WE FINALLY PULL INTO HUANCAYO.

IT'S A BUSTLING CITY BUT IT'S SURROUNDED BY PERU'S MOST PRODUCTIVE FIELDS.

MY FRIEND LUCIO ORTADO SHOWS ME AROUND.

ON THE TOP OF THIS MOUNTAIN THAT YOU WERE JUST CROSSING WITH THE TRAIN THERE WAS TWO RIVERS.

ONE THAT WAS FLOWING DOWN TO THE SITE OF THE PACIFIC.

IT'S A COUPLE A HUNDRED MILES LONG.

YES, IT GOES TO THE PACIFIC AND IT FINISHES THERE.

WE SAW THAT IN LIMA.

YES, EXACTLY.

AS YOU WERE GOING UP YOU WERE GOING PARALLEL TO THE RIVER.

WHEN YOU GOT TO THE TOP THEN YOU MEET THIS OTHER RIVER, THE BEGINNING OF THIS RIVER THAT IS ALSO A TRIBUTARY OF THE AMAZON AND IT GOES ALL THE WAY THROUGH PERU AND BRAZIL AND GETS ALL THE WAY TO THE FRONT OF THE RIVER.

THAT'S 4,000 MILES AWAY.

A TREAT THAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IN A CANOE.

IT MIGHT TAKE MORE THAN 24 HOURS THOUGH.

I THINK SO.

BUT IT BRINGS REALLY LIFE AND PROSPERITY TO HUANCAYO, IS THAT NOT RIGHT?

YES, IT MAKES ALL THESE FIELDS PRODUCTIVE WHICH IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST VALLEYS IN PERU.

AND IT'S ONE OF THE LOVELIEST.

HUANCAYO HAS FOR AT LEAST 1,000 YEARS BEEN AN IMPORTANT REGIONAL CENTER IN PERU.

IT'S GROWN A LOT IN RECENT YEARS AND THIS MARKET IS A GOOD INDICATOR.

THE POPULATION IS NOW OVER 300,000 AND I THINK ALL OF THEM HAVE COME TO THE MARKET THIS SUNDAY MORNING TO EITHER CHECK IT OUT OR TO BUY PRODUCE, TO BUY HERBS, TO BUY WHATEVER IT IS.

IT'S A GREAT SOCIAL OCCASION.

WHEN THE EUROPEANS COME TO PERUHEY DON'T WANT TO ADAPT TO THE FOOD THAT WE HAVE SO THEY INTRODUCED FOR INSTANCE WHEAT... SURE.

THEY WANT WHITE BREAD.

THEY BRING SEED.

THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT HERE WE HAVE A GENETIC VARIETY IN TERMS OF ROOTS, IN TERMS OF ANIMALS.

MEATS FOR INSTANCE, ALPACA MUCH BETTER MEAT THAN SHEEP OR PIG.

IN THE ANDES WE HAVE ABOUT 4,000 VARIETIES OF POTATO.

WE LIKE COLORS, WE LIKE SMELLS, WE LIKE SHAPES.

WE HAVE TO TRY TO GET VARIETY IN EVERYTHING.

PAPA HUAYRO IS A SPECIAL TYPE OF POTATO THAT IS VERY EASY TO BOIL.

IT HAS A BIG AMOUNT OF STARCH AND IT'S CRISPY AND REALLY NICE.

INSTEAD OF FRENCH FRIES HERE YOU HAVE HUANCAYO FRIES.

OH, WE HAVE I WOULD SAY ANDEAN FRIES.

IN THE TIME OF THE PRE-INCA CULTURES IN THE ANDES WE DON'T HAVE MANY HARVESTS AND WE HAVE TO PRESERVE FOOD.

SO WITH THIS ONE WE HAVE THE POSSIBILITY TO HAVE THESE POTATOES ONE YEAR, TWO YEARS, THREE YEARS LATER YOU STILL HAVE FOOD.

OKAY, THEY'RE COMING TO GET THEIR BAGS WEIGHED.

YEAH, AND THEY GO TO THE TRUCK.

199 KILOS.

215 POUNDS, HE WEIGHS 100, THAT WEIGHS TWICE AS MUCH AS HE DOES.

YES, YES, YES.

LOOK HOW HE CARRIES IT.

THEY START ABOUT 5:00 IN THE MORNING AND THEY END UP ABOUT 10:00 IN THE MORNING.

THIS IS A KIND OF LIKE THING THAT STARTS ABOUT 18 AND THEY KEEP GOING UNTIL 45, 48 AND THEY HAVE TO LOAD THAT BIG TRUCK THERE.

THIS IS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF THE WORK.

OH, IT'S GOT TO BE.

I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY DO IT.

BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO HAVE BALANCE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE WEIGHT AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE FULL CONTROL OF THE WHOLE THING AND THESE GUYS HERE, THEY WILL HAVE IN THE MORNING A BIG BOWL OF SOUP... WITH POTATOES.

WITH ALSO POTATOES AND LOTS OF MEAT, A REALLY HEAVY BREAKFAST AND THEN THEY WILL WEAR IT OUT THROUGH THE MORNING.

OH, MY.

SO THIS TRUCK IS GOING TO LEAVE HERE TODAY AND WILL MAKE THE TRIP TO LIMA.

IT WILL TAKE ABOUT 10 HOURS.

ABOUT 10 HOURS.

YES.

IN ADDITION TO THE HUGE VARIETY OF POTATOES, BEWILDERING VARIETY OF POTATOES, THEY ALSO HAVE A VARIETY OF CORN.

THEY CALL CORN HERE CHOCLOS.

THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL.

THIS HAS BOTH YELLOW AND WHITE KERNELS.

THERE'S OTHER HERE THAT HAVE PURPLE KERNELS AND THEY HAVE OVER 100 DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF CORN CELLS AND EACH HAS A DIFFERENT TASTE, A DIFFERENT AMOUNT OF SWEETNESS, A DIFFERENT AMOUNT OF STARCH, A DIFFERENT AMOUNT OF PROTEIN.

IT'S A BEWILDERING AND FASCINATING WORLD OF ANDEAN CROPS.

THIS IS NORMAL PUMPKINS.

IF YOU DRINK THAT ONE IN KIND OF LIKE A JUICE, FOR CLEANING THE KIDNEYS.

THE CONCEPT OF FOOD OF THE ANDEAN PEOPLE AND THE INCA PEOPLE AND THE PRE-INCA PEOPLE IS THAT YOUR FOOD SHOULD BE YOUR MEDICINE, YOUR MEDICINE SHOULD BE YOUR FOOD.

THIS WAS A GUINEA PIG.

IT STILL IS.

IT STILL IS.

IT'S GOING TO BE BETTER IN A DISH.

OKAY, SO YOU CALL THIS CUY.

CUY, YES.

CUY IS A DELICACY.

IT'S A FESTIVITY DISH.

THE PEOPLE RAISE THESE SORT OF LIKE THEY WOULD RAISE CHICKENS.

FROM A PET BECOMES A DELICACY.

YOU KNOW THE MONTERO VALLEY OF THE CENTRAL ANDES PRODUCES THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF KILOS OF TROUT.

SO YOU EXPORT TROUT.

WE EXPORT TROUT.

BECAUSE THE AMERICANS BRING THE RAINBOW TROUT... THAT'S RAINBOW RIGHT HERE.

AND THEN WE HAVE THE SALMON TROUT.

SEE?

HERE'S THE PIRANHAS.

OH, MY GOSH, YEAH, LOOK AT THOSE TEETH.

LOOK AT THOSE TEETH!

INSTEAD OF THEM EATING US WE'RE EATING THEM.

YOU'RE EATING THEM, THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.

IT'S KIND OF A WEIRD SENSATION.

I'M AVERAGE HEIGHT, ABOUT 5'11" BUT HERE IN THE MARKET IN HUANCAYO AT 11,000 FEET I'M TALLER THAN ALMOST EVERYBODY HERE.

AT THIS ELEVATION PEOPLE ARE PUTTING SO MUCH ENERGY INTO BASICALLY SURVIVING AT A LOW OXYGEN ENVIRONMENT THAT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN'S HEIGHT IS GREATLY DECREASED.

SO MEN AND WOMEN ARE ABOUT THE SAME HEIGHT.

BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE YOUNGER MEN WHO HAVE GOTTEN A HIGHER PROTEIN DIET IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DECADES, YOU'LL SEE THEY'RE GETTING TALLER AND TALLER.

IT'S A PHENOMENON THAT'S HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

I STILL FEEL VERY TALL HERE.

THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE WHO COME TO THIS MARKET, THIS CRAZY MARKET, COME BY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

THERE'S NO PLACE TO PARK EVEN IF YOU DID OWN A CAR AND MOST OF THEM DON'T.

SO TAXIS COME IN HERE BY THE DOZENS AND THESE SMALL BUSES AND THERE WILL BE GUYS LEANING OUT OF THE BUSES YELLING.

AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS THEY'RE TELLING PEOPLE WHO STREETS THEY'RE GOING TO.

THAT'S HOW YOU KNOW WHICH BUS YOU WANT.

IT'S ACTUALLY A VERY EFFICIENT SYSTEM.

HUANCAYO IS SURROUNDED BY VILLAGES EACH KNOWN FOR ARTISAN PRODUCTION.

IN SAN JERONIMO, 20 MILES AWAY, VILLAGERS PRODUCE SILVER JEWELRY.

IT'S A SPECIAL TYPE OF SILVER.

SO ACTUALLY THE SPANIARDS BROUGHT IT.

YES.

SO IT'S ONLY BEEN HERE FOR 500 YEARS OR SO.

YES.

AND THE FAMILIES HAVE BEEN DOING IT FOR MANY GENERATIONS.

YES, YES, YES.

WELL, THIS IS FROM FATHER TO SON.

THEY HAVE TO GET THE WIRE IN CHUNKS AND THEN THEY GET THEM MELTED AND THEN THEY GIVE THEM WIRES AND THEN THEY GET THESE LITTLE BASIC MACHINES.

WELL, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE PRODUCTION OF THE FAMILY THAT ALSO GOES TO THE SUNDAY MARKET.

SO SHE TAKES THESE ONES EVERY SUNDAY.

LOOK AT THESE BEAUTIFUL PIECES, HOW THEY HANG AROUND.

YOU CAN SEE NECKLACES, YOU CAN SEE BRACELETS, EARRINGS, ALL DONE BY HAND.

BUT THE MOST INTERESTING THING IS THAT THIS SILVER, IT IS PRODUCED HERE, IT HAS INCREASED THE VALUE BECAUSE OF THE HAND WORK THAT IS DONE BY THE FAMILIES.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE SPANISH PRIESTS ENCOURAGED IN LOCAL VILLAGES WAS AN INDUSTRY FOR EACH VILLAGE AND THEY TOOK ALREADY EXISTING NATIVE TALENT AND BROUGHT IN EUROPEAN DESIGNS AND CUSTOMS.

THE PRE-COLUMBIAN PEOPLES OF PERU MADE THE BEST GOLD AND SILVER JEWELRY IN THE WORLD, EVER, AND THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF THAT TRADITION.

10 MILES FARTHER DOWN THE ROAD IN COCHAS IT'S INTRICATELY CARVED GOURDS.

THE PEOPLE HERE WHO ARE CARVING THE GOURDS USE A TECHNIQUE CALLED BURILADO AND THEY ACTUALLY ARE FREE-HAND CARVING DRAWINGS OR SKETCHES INTO THE GOURDS THEMSELVES.

THE BLACK ON HERE IS PRODUCED BY BURNING A NATIVE STRAW, A VERY TOUGH GRASS THAT GROWS HIGH UP IN THE MOUNTAINS AND INSTEAD OF GETTING WHITE WHEN IT BURNS IT GETS BLACK.

AND SO THEY WASH THE ENTIRE ENGRAVED PART WITH THE BLACK AND THEN RINSE OFF THE EXTERIOR AND WHAT'S LEFT BEHIND IS THE BLACK IN THE ENGRAVED PORTION.

EVERY FAMILY USES WHAT THEY MAKE AND HERE'S ONE, A BOWL FOR SOUP PERHAPS.

THIS HAS BEEN USED FOR YEARS AND YEARS.

THEN IF YOU WANT SOME PARCHED TOASTED CORN, HERE YOU HAVE A GOOD CHANCE TO GET AT IT.

I'LL EVEN STEAL A COUPLE.

MM, VERY GOOD, DON'T TELL THEM.

THEN SOMETHING BIGGER, IF YOU WANT TO PUT BREAD OR SOMETHING BIGGER.

LOOK AT THE FIT.

AND THESE ARE VERY STRONG, THEY LAST FOREVER.

YOU SHOULD NOT THROW THEM BUT THEY ARE PART OF THE DAILY LIFE OF THE PEOPLE HERE.

NEXT STOP, LUNCH, ALTIPLANO STYLE.

THIS IS THE PACHAMANCA PLACE.

PACHAMANCA.

A GOOD PLACE TO HAVE THE BEST PACHAMANCA IN THE WHOLE ENTIRE VALLEY.

SO THIS IS A PACHAMANCA.

WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THAT WORD?

PACHA IS EARTH.

LIKE THE PACHAMAMA IS THE LADY OF THE EARTH.

YES, YES, YES.

MOTHER EARTH IS PACHAMAMA AND PACHAMANCA, MANCA MEANS SPOT, EARTH SPOT.

THE MONTERO VALLEY IS NOTED FOR ITS MANY FESTIVALS.

ON ANY GIVEN DAY WE'RE BOUND TO RUN ACROSS ONE ON OUR WAY UP TO THE TOP OF THE WORLD, THIS TIME BY VEHICLE.

BEGINNING OF THE HARVESTING SEASON SO THE CHURCH TRIES TO REPLACE THAT ONE WITH THE CELEBRATION OF THE CRUZ OF MAY WHICH IS THAT ONE HERE, YOU SEE THE IMAGE HERE.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEING OVER HERE THEN?

YES.

AND THE PEOPLE ARE DOING ALL THESE DANCES AND THEY HAVE ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF IMAGES.

YOU CAN SEE THIS MAN HERE DANCING, HE HAS A WHITE FACE WITH A BEARD.

HE REPRESENTS THE EUROPEAN.

EUROPEAN, RIGHT.

BUT HE HAS A WHIP SO HE'S AN ORDINARY ONE, HE WEEPS AND HE DOES ALL THE WAILS AND ALL THAT.

THEN YOU HAVE ALSO THE ONE THAT IS A WOMAN, IS LIKE HIS WIFE, BUT IT'S A MALE DANCING LIKE A WOMAN.

OH, IT'S A MALE.

WELL, YOU CAN TELL IT'S A MALE, RIGHT, OKAY.

AND ALSO THERE IS THE LADIES THAT ARE DANCING WITH ALL THESE FANCY STEPS THAT LOOKS LIKE STEPS FROM THE COURT, FROM THE FRENCH COURTS, LIKE THE MINUET.

REMEMBER THE MINUET FROM FRANCE?

OH, YEAH.

SO THIS IS AN IMITATION WITH ALL THE EMBROIDERY AND ALL THAT.

YOU SEE ALL THE... AND IT'S MAKING FUN OF EVERYTHING EUROPEAN.

EXACTLY.

SO THEY'RE SAYING, WE ARE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, YOU FORCED YOUR CULTURE ON US BUT WE'LL GET BACK AT YOU THE WAY WE CAN.

FARTHER STILL UP THE ROAD THE ALTITUDE IS TOO HIGH FOR VILLAGES.

ONLY A FEW PASTORALISTS CAN MAKE A LIVING HERE.

WE ARE GETTING TO THESE AREAS OF THE MOUNTAINS WHERE PEOPLE HAVE A VERY DIFFERENT LIFE.

THIS IS THE PUNA AREA, THE AREA WHERE THE GRASSLAND IS AND IT IS ALSO BECAUSE OF THE GRASS THAT WE CAN HAVE CATTLE.

FOR THEM IT'S NOT NATURAL TO BE ONE LAMB OR TWO LLAMAS.

WITH THEM THEY HAVE TO BE IN A GROUP.

IF I TAKE A GROUP OF LLAMAS ON MY TRIPS, I WILL TAKE AT LEAST SIX OR EIGHT LLAMAS.

IF I TAKE ONE OR TWO, THEY WILL ESCAPE IN THE NIGHT AND COME BACK TO THE GROUP.

GO BACK TO THE GROUP, OKAY.

SO THEY ARE VERY GREGARIOUS.

YES.

THIS LOOKS LIKE AN IGLOO, AN IGLOO WITH ICHU GRASS.

YES, IT IS BASICALLY AN IGLOO BECAUSE IT'S SO LITTLE BUT SO WARM INSIDE.

THIS IS THE KITCHEN.

SO WHAT DO THEY COOK WITH?

WHAT DO THEY USE FOR HEAT?

WELL, THE NATURAL IS THIS ICHU.

THE GRASS.

YES, THE ICHU GRASS THAT GROWS HERE IN THE ANDES OVER 3,500 FEET.

CAUSE THERE'S NO FIREWOOD, JUST IT WOULD HAVE TO BE THE GRASS?

YES, THIS ONE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT IS GOOD TO MAKE THE HOUSES, TO MAKE THE FIRE AND TO HAVE THE FOOD FOR THE ANIMALS, EVEN TO MAKE BRITCHES THAT'S MADE LIKE THAT.

SO THEY HAVE A SUPPLY OF ICHU THEY JUST KEEP FEEDING IN THERE TO HEAT, HUH?

YES, THEY HAVE A LITTLE SUPPLY OF FUEL AND ALSO THEY HAVE THE LLAMA DUNG AND THEY ALSO HAVE THE COW DUNG.

THE COW DUNG.

EVERYTHING IS IN ONE LITTLE STOP.

THIS IS OUR LUNCH, A LITTLE RICE AND NOODLES.

SO THEY TRADE FOR THE RICE DOWN BELOW.

THEY TAKE THE CHEESE, THEY SELL THE CHEESE AND THEY BUY THE NOODLES AND RICE.

THEY LIVE FROM THE LAND LIKE SOME PEOPLE SAY.

THAT'S RIGHT.

WELL, NOW WE'VE GOT TO GO UP EVEN HIGHER TO SEE WHERE THIS WONDERFUL WATER COMES FROM.

YOU JUST HAVE TO FOLLOW THE COURSE OF THE RIVER.

YEAH, THAT'D BE EASY ENOUGH.

WE'RE AT 15,084 FEET, 4,500 METERS AND IT'S COLD.

WE'RE AT THE TOP OF THE WORLD HERE AT THE TOURISTIC RESTAURANT.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS BUT... LOOK HOW THEY'VE GOT THEIR FEATHERS FLUFFED UP.

MAN, THEY KNOW IT'S COLD TOO.

WHEREVER WE GO THERE'S ALWAYS NICE DOGS.

THEY WAIT AROUND WHERE PEOPLE ARE CAUSE THEY KNOW THAT'S WHERE THE FOOD IS.

WELL, THIS IS ALSO THE THING, YOU CAN GET A CAT AND A DOG TOGETHER AND THEY DON'T CHASE EACH OTHER.

IT'S ALL KIND OF LIKE A PART OF THE TEAM.

LOOK, A CAT AND A DOG TOGETHER, SEE.

HELLO, MAN.

HOW ARE YOU DOING?

GOOD.

YOU GOT ANY FOOD?

YES.

DO THEY HAVE THE IMPORTANT STUFF?

OF COURSE.

MATA DE COCA.

OKAY, COCA LEAF TEA.

WE'VE GOT TO HAVE IT.

OH, I LOVE THE SOUND.

I HEAR THE HEAT.

WE WILL HAVE COCA LEAF TEA.

YES, WE WILL HAVE IT.

YOU GUARANTEE ME THEY HAVE IT HERE.

FOR SURE, FOR SURE.

EVERYWHERE WOULD HAVE IT, YEAH.

YEAH, BECAUSE THEY ALWAYS KNOW THAT COCA TEA WILL PUT YOU IN GOOD CONDITION.

OH.

IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE THIS IS CORN STORAGE AS WELL AS A RESTAURANT.

YES, IT IS BECAUSE THESE ARE FOR THE FOOD AND ALSO TO MAKE CANCHA, YES.

THEY HAVE ALL THE COLORS HERE, TOO.

THAT'S WONDERFUL.

ARE THESE REAL DRUMS?

YES, THEY ARE FOR THE CEREMONY OF THE SANTIAGO.

IT DOESN'T HAVE MUCH OF A TONE.

THESE ARE HERE LIKE THIS AND BECAUSE THIS ONE HAS THE STRING IN THE BACK IT WILL BE A LITTLE BIT BETTER.

AND LOOK, THE CEILING HERE IS OF THE ICHU, HUH?

THE ICHU, YES, THE STRAW THE SAME, THE SAME.

ICHU IS VERY GOOD BECAUSE IT ISOLATES YOU FROM THE OUTER COLD AND KEEPS YOU WARM.

OKAY, HERE HE COMES.

AS YOU REQUESTED.

OH, JUST IN TIME TO SAVE ME.

OH, THIS IS THE FABLED TERE MATA DE COCA.

OOH, NICE AND HOT, MAN.

SO THESE COCA LEAVES ARE NOT FROM HERE UP AT 15,000 FEET.

NO, NO, NO, NO.

WE HAVE TO GET IT IN THE CLOUD FOREST.

SO THAT'S PROBABLY ABOUT 2,000 METERS BELOW WHERE WE ARE NOW, HUH?

YES, YES.

BUT YOU TOLD ME THAT IT'S NOT ONLY THE NORMAL THINGS, IT GIVES YOU ENERGY, YOU DON'T FEEL AS MUCH PAIN, IT'S GOOD FOR YOUR STOMACH, IT'S GOOD FOR ELEVATION SICKNESS AND IT TASTES GREAT.

AND IT JUST WILL GIVE YOU A GOOD KICK, MAN.

WE CAN GO OUT AND CLIMB THE MOUNTAIN NOW.

THIS IS WHAT MY MOTHER WOULD HAVE CALLED A COMFORT TEA.

YES.

IT JUST...

IT'S GOOD FOR WHAT AILS YOU, MAKES YOU FEEL BETTER.

THIS IS THE REAL HISTORIC PERU, THE HOME OF PERU'S INDIAN CULTURES.

LIMA AND THE TRAIN STATION THERE SEEM A CONTINENT OR A WORLD AWAY.

FOR MANY THOUSANDS OF WINTER WEARY AMERICANS THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS ARE A REFUGE, A TROPICAL PARADISE WITH PALM STREWN BEACHES, COFFEE PLANTATIONS, UNDERWATER MARINE LIFE AND VOLCANOES WHERE THEY CAN WATCH NEW LAND BEING CREATED BEFORE THEIR VERY EYES.

JOIN US NEXT TIME IN THE AMERICAS WITH ME, DAVID YETMAN.

IT'S LIKE THIS THAT LOOKS LIKE A PREHISTORIC FISH.

FEEL THIS ONE.

OH, IT'S LIKE VERY ROUGH, VERY ROUGH, YEAH.

YES.

LIKE THIS ONE, IF YOU MAKE A BROTH AND YOU MAKE A SOUP YOU'D HAVE A BEAUTIFUL FLAVOR AND THE ONLY THING TO DO IS TO PEEL IT AGAIN AGAINST THE SCALES...

THE WHOLE THING COMPLETE.

YOU PULL THE WHOLE THING OFF.

AND THEN THERE IS A CHUNK OF MEAT THAT COMES OFF REALLY NICE.

THIS ONE IS CALLED KARACHAMA/ KARACHAMA.

NOW THAT MUST BE A BOTTOM FEEDER SOMEHOW.

FUNDING FOR IN THE AMERICAS WITH DAVID YETMAN WAS PROVIDED BY AGNES HAURY.

COPIES OF THIS AND OTHER EPISODES OF IN THE AMERICAS WITH DAVID YETMAN ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE SOUTHWEST CENTER.

TO ORDER CALL 1-800-937-8632.

PLEASE MENTION THE EPISODE NUMBER AND PROGRAM TITLE.

PLEASE BE SURE TO VISIT US AT INTHEAMERICAS.COM OR INTHEAMERICAS.ORG.