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Haphazard Travels, Tribulations, and Triumphs
Oh boy, where to begin? Allrighty, I arrived in Arequipa and made my way from the bus statiuon to the plaza des Armas. This is the best Plaza Des Armas yet. Gorgeous white bricks that are distinctive to this city and absolutely massive and beautiful buildings. Very safe, far more so than Lima. I toured around Arequipa much of the first day, saw some churches including this INSANE nunnery called the Monasterio Santa Catalina. It is over a city block in size and was built as a rich nuns retreat where they could party it up away fro the eyes of the church. It has three plazas within it and more alleys, nooks, and crannies you can imagine. It took me over three hours to get through it and it turns out I missed some rooms! It was a maze! Then I went and booked my tour for the Canon Del Colca for the next day.
That night I met up with an Albertan, two Brits, and a peruvian guide. We ended up doing rounds of Chilcanos at 2 for 8 soles. (that is like a rum and coke for 1.30 US each). While it was fun, I was very, very hungover when I got on the bus the next morning. Which, it turns out, is not that helpful when you are gaining another 1500 metres and more in elevation. We drank coca tea, made from the same leaves that they can make cocaine out of. It is sort of a miracle tea here, used for helping acclimitize to altitude and as a stimulant. It does not have any hallucenagenic properties.
The canyon tour consisted of basically a hike in Chivay at well over 3,400 meteres elevation (murder) to a pre incan village site. The terraces in this valley, the second deepest in the world, are amazing. Then it was to some natural hot springs, which was a lot of fun and very much needed by me at that point. Then we went out for dinner for more peruvian food (oh, tried cuy= guinea pig. Not that good, boney and oily. Alpalca is much better. Alpalca is like a skinny llama.) They had "traditional" dancing and music. I was very conflicted. I dont have a problem with the music, but the dancing seemed like they were kinda pimping themselves for the tourists. This feeling was reconfirmed the next morning when in one village the townspéople continually danced in the square in "traditional" dress. Riiiiight... because they did that every morning before the tourists arrived.
Which brings me to the worst tourists I have ever seen. Sweet jesus. Everyone on the tour was loathing these two, especially the Oregonians. Husband and wife, they were obnoxious! They fed wildlife. Belittled the Peruvians and their dress. Were constantly condesecnding. Paid to have their pictures taken with endangered birds and, I kid you not, tried to find out where they could buy "authentic" (ie it belonfs in a museum) pottery! Which our guide toild them was illegal. And then, get this, he tried to justify it by saying well at leat that way the relics would be perserved rather than just being destroyed down here! WAAAAGH! I had a huge hate on for them.
Back on task, this morning it was to the end of the canon to see the condors fly, which we did. They are big, but rather ugly birds. It was like watching bald eagles soar but minus the bald eagles and with giant chickens. Amazing canyon though. Oh, and we did a bit of hiking there as well. Then it was back for some lunch and out of the canon back to Arequipa. Tomorrow I leave for Puno!
Chris
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