16.03.2008 Arequipa

We landed in Arequipa, in the middle of nowhere! Just next to the famous volcanoes, that rise up around 6000m and have snowy tops. A taxi to our Hostal Casa de Tintin with a driver who thinks that M. Sarkozy is a bling bling president...The hostal was situated in a very nice and quiet neighbourhood, next to a river and gardens for 12.5€ / night with breakfast.. We left our bags and went to see the city center. At the main square Plaza del Armas there were plenty of people so we sticked around just to see what was going on. Since it is the Semana Santa (Holy Easter Week) they were all waiting for the Christ and the Virgin Mary procession. And maybe because of the Semana Santa, there were no people in the 2 bars we found and the restaurants were pretty empty too. We tasted the "Rocotto Relleno" a spicy speciality of the area made of stuffed hot peppers and potatoes with cheese and found it very good.

The next day we woke up (again!) way too early. Went to walk around and did even a tour in a museum with a guide! Ok, it was a museum about high altitude archeology including some Inka traditions and a mommy, Juanita. Found frozen above 5500m on the top of the Misti volcano after being sacrificed, skull crached. There we also learned that the DUCKS are the connecting force between humans and gods... they fly, they swim, they walk, air, water, earth... We continued our city tour, Jo got a alpaca sweater for 11€.. and we also visited Mundo Alpaca, to see the different types of cameloids and the process of turning their hair into yarn. We entered half of the travel agencies of the city trying to decide what we would like to do the following days.. and in one of them we got a flier for an Irish bar for St Patricks Day celebration! And of course we went there to drink Pisco sour, the local alcohol (2 for 8 soles = 2€) before tasting alpaca meat for dinner. We both agree, that we prefer the normal cow steak!