In Ancient Peru, a tambo (from Quechua tanpu, 'posta') was an enclosure located next to an important road used as a shelter and as a collection center. The Incas sent the quipus (messages of knots) with the chasquis, which were actually postmen of royalty, who were replenishing themselves in the tambos. The Inca Trail had tambos every 20 or 30 kms, equivalent to a day on foot. In Argentina it originally had the meaning of posta, and they had cows. In Colombia this is the name given to the corral where it is ordered. In Mexico tambo is synonymous with prison. Many towns in Bolivia, Peru, Chile, Panama, Colombia, and Ecuador are called, Tambo, El Tambo, or compound terms that include tambo. For obvious reasons these places are numerous in Peru.