Todays my birthday, tonight I will throw a party in the bar of my Spanish school. Here´s my coffee break with a real cake and some pisco offered by the two tourists in the back. [View Full Entry]

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This weekend I did a three day hike in the Colca Canyon. My guide, Maria Jesus picked me up in my apartment at 6 o´clock in de morning and we took a taxi to pick up two other girls. Annamaria from Italy and Pamela from Swiss. Stuffed in these tiny little cabs we set off for the terminal terrestre, where we took a local bus to Cobana Conde. From here the trek would start. It turned out that it was only the four of us, other groups had up to 8 people, mostly French and Belgium this time. We set off [View Full Entry]

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So yesterday, the 11th I decided to study after my Spanish lessons and not go into town with the teachers as it takes a lot of time and you can´t get to study anything when you´re finished with all the things they organise. Unfortenately they had also organised a cocktail making course in the Spanish cafe at 6 pm. So I studied from 1 till 4 on the highest roof terrace on the plaza de armas. Two German guys and two Belgiums from Ghent got talking to each other and exchanged stories about Peru, so I called my study a day [View Full Entry]

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So started on monday with the classes my teacher Renzo is sound. Learning to count was no problem as I was doing the bingo on sunday. Every day it is two hours of theory and then into the city with the teachers to learn you stuff in real life. Friday we do a reality tour and will go to the slumps and orphanages. Today (wednesday) a city walk, yesterday to the market, nice with all the chopped off animal heads and bulls dicks being prepared. Loads of little cute hamsters for the Peruvian dinner and dried lama embryos. On monday we [View Full Entry]

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So when I woke up this morning after a good nights rest I went into town to get a map of Arequipa. After I found one decided to get out of town as I wanted some nature. Took a cab to Molina de Sabandia, just outside Arequipa and wandered around in the surroundings and visited to Molina, which was built in the 17th century and totally restored into working order in 1973. Here I saw my first apalca who went bezerk in the mud, such cute looking animals! Apparently they taste quite good as well! There was also a lama who [View Full Entry]

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After another delayed flight from Lima I arrived in Arequipa, Saskia the owner of the Spanish girl was waiting for me and together we took a taxi to my new appartment, where I will be staying the next month. Quite a nice appertment, the two other unfortenately Dutch girls were not to arrive till saturday, So I was king for one day. But no water in the kitchen, no cooker and no fridge! So no nice cooking, no cold beers and no coca thea:( The cooker and water are supposed to be installed tomorrow, but I don´t believe it actually. So [View Full Entry]

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So onwards to Lima. Flight was delayed by 1 hour. So got myself a big bottle of water and a sandwhich. As the flight was at 12, I was quite amazed nobody was at the gate yet, I guessed something was wrong, two other peruvians were standing confused as well. But they said as it was another ora, it would be ok, yeah right I thought. So found the right gate, told the peruvians as well, but they didn´t believe me. Saw them at 12 rushing in, while were still waiting. So after boarding, some terrible food and a few hours [View Full Entry]

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So here I am just landed in Madrid, it´s 12.15 and have a full day ahead ofme. The first guy I met on my flight is a pensionado of 43 years of age and lives in Panama. He used to own a building company and was doing some real estate business, that kind of business you get killed for in Holland these days, I guess that´s why he lives in Panama now. Gave me some good tips though about travelling in South-America. Next onwards to the hostel cats, they can´t check me in straight away so I am heading for some [View Full Entry]

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So here I go, booked myself a nice little hostel in madrid and asked one of my friends if this was an ok area in Madrid. As I am not totally fluent in Spanish yet, I gathered that it was between the junkies and the hookers area, hé what's new! No e sel mejor sitio, esta un poco demasiado cercas ce la zona cutre de lavapies; la plaza de al lado ( Jacinot Benavente) es al plaza de las putas, y la otra, Tirso de Molina, solia ser la plaza de los yonquies... DE tidas formas esra calle no es de [View Full Entry]

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So the flight is booked. I am leaving the 29th of March for Madrid, where I will spent one night and have some nice wines and tapas. The next day I am flying to Lima only to fly the next day to Arequipa, Peru. Here I will spent one month to learn Spanish, which is well needed for my volentary work, which I will do in Cuzco. Here's my route more or less: Map [View Full Entry]

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