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Published: March 16th 2013
My trip to the Colca Canyon and Cruz del Condor was so large that I wanted to write about the city of Arequipa in a separate blog. This actually includes the final day in Puno as well as the time in spent in the White City.
taracloud had done some research and found an interesting day trip to do before I had to leave at 2:30. Not far from Puno is Sillustani, pre-Incan ruins on a hill overlooking Lake Umayo. I wasn't sure what to expect, but since it was something that Tara and I could do together, I was up for it. First we had to negotiate with a taxi driver to take us to the site, wait for us and then bring us back to Puno. Now, when I say we had to negotiate, I mean that I stood there and tried to look fierce while Tara negotiated in Spanish and whittled the price down to a manageable sum. It was a beautiful day as we sped out of Puno on a taxi death trip to Sillustani. I know Tara had mentioned that we were in a hurry, but it seemed as if the driver misunderstood hurry as
mission to narrowly avoid a head on collision. This driver was insane. Apparently I must have looked calm on the outside because Tara later asked if I was concerned. Anyhow, I think you get the point. Along the way we stopped at a small stone house complex to take some photos of llamas that were tied up beside the road. The lady of the house came out, so we gave here some soles and became her new best friends. She even took us back into the complex to show us her guinea pig house. For animals that are soon to become dinner, guinea pigs are always housed in cute little complexes with small houses and a main open area. Each one I have seen has been very elaborate. The lady tossed in some grass (alfalfa I think it was) to entice the little buggers to come out for us to see. Although I have a feeling we were not the first tourists to stop, this felt so authentic that it didn't seem staged like so many other places I have seen this trip.
When we arrived at Sillustani, it was hot and there was a lot of confusion as
to what to do. The taxi driver pointed at a parking lot, but did not drive in, rather leaving us to walk up the hill hoping that he was going to stay. I had left my coat in the car, so I really hoped he was going to be there when we returned. The place was almost deserted. It was apparent that in the busy season it must have hoards of visitors, but today it was quiet. It was a perfect day for us to take our time and walk up the hill savoring the views. The large towers are not for storing grain or anything, but are rather funeral towers called chullpas. As I said, these predate the Incas. From a distance the towers seemed large, but up close they were huge, standing over 39 feet tall. The dead were encased in these towers along with food, jewelry and other possessions. Obviously they were for the elite of the tribe, but wow were they impressive. Some of the towers were still under construction. Large rocks were scattered around the site and had been carved for placement in the towers. There wasn't too much information given at the site, but
Taracloud and bvchef
Another great TB friendshipthe whole experience of simply being there, feeling dwarfed by ancient funeral towers and enjoying a gorgeous day was more than enough. I am very glad that Tara suggested it. As we walked down the hill, more visitors were arriving. It was nice to be there virtually alone to feel as if we were discovering these ruins ourselves. Thankfully the taxi driver was there waiting for us. After another roller coaster thrill ride back to Puno, we had enough time for a lunch of Pasta Alfredo before I had to meet my taxi to take me to the airport. My time in Puno was great for the day trips and for meeting Tara, but I have to say that the city was not a place I enjoyed. Still, I will always remember my time there as special.
At the airport in Juliaca I ran into a couple from Seattle that I had met on my tour of the Sacred Valley. It was nice to see them and talk a bit about our trips. The flight to Arequipa was quick and uneventful except for the beautiful views of mountains and volcanoes. Once again, I was met at the airport by
Guinea pig habitat
All of this for dinner? a taxi driver standing there with my name on a sign. From what I have read, taxi companies are a bit iffy in Peru, so it was worth the peace of mind to arrange transport through my hotel. My hotel was a restored 18th century mansion where the bishop of Arequipa used to live. It was a sprawling complex with thick stone walls, beautiful courtyards, flowers, exposed brick walls and gardens. I was only there to sleep as I had my trip to the Colca Canyon the following morning. Still, it was a beautiful place to spend the night.
After my trip to see the condors, I checked back into the same room at la Casa de Melgar. While arranging my trip, I took a day away from Lima and added it to Arequipa so that I could see more of this beautiful city. Arequipa is built on the foothills of the Misti volcano. While walking, I could look up and see snow covered volcanoes peeking between buildings. The walls of the hotel were so thick that the internet did not reach all of the rooms, so I spent time in a courtyard writing my Colca Canyon blog. While
there, I met some Americans who invited me to dinner with some of their friends. We went to a crepe restaurant for the most delicious chicken curry and then Nutella crepes.
The next day I had to check out of the hotel and spend the day homeless. One reason I added the day to this city was to visit the Convento de Santa Catalina, a Dominican order convent founded in 1579. Although it once housed more than 200 sequestered nuns, it currently has about 19. In the past, nuns would live there with their servants, spending up to 7 hours a day praying. The second daughter of wealthy families would be taken to the convent at age 12 along with a dowry to the convent. Today, the convent offers tours of the winding streets. I had a guide tour me through the complex and afterwards, stayed to have lunch in a little cafe. It was blissfully peaceful sitting there enjoying the most incredible antipasto plate. I find that often it is the small things that really make a trip special. The rest of the day I spent wandering the town, sitting with a cup of coffee, people watching and
the such. I did visit the Museo Santuarios Andinos (Juanita museum) for a video and tour. Juanita is what they call the frozen body of the 12 to 14 year old girl that was sacrificed to the gods and frozen on a volcano more than 500 years ago. Although Juanita is off site for preservation, we were able to see many artifacts found with her as well as with several other bodies uncovered on the volcanoes. It was very surreal to look at the fabric cloths and grass sandals worn by these ancient people before they were killed. They did have the frozen body of another girl on display. When I say frozen body, I mean that these are not mummies, but they have all of their organs intact. After death, they were placed into either the fetal position, or the lotus position in the case of the body on display, and left on the volcano for the gods. At such high altitude, the bodies froze quickly, preserving them in ice. It was both unique and eerie to see this small girl, still frozen, and to know that she was sacrificed so long ago. I had gone into the museum
viewing it as something to do and see. I came out with a newly found respect for how real these artifacts and bodies were.
The rest of my afternoon was spent doing a whole lot of people watching. As much as I enjoyed Arequipa, I was ready for new adventures. When it came time for dinner, I chose a Moroccan restaurant. This city reminded me so much of Southern Spain that at times I had to remind myself that I was in Peru, not Seville. With that being said, I was in the mood for some different food. Finally it was time to board my overnight bus to Nazca.
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Jackie in YVR
non-member comment
Over-stimulated!
Brendan, impossible to share all my thoughts and questions dreamily floating in my head. Thanks for 'packing us in your suitcase' with a writing style that puts the reader there with you. Awesome pics! Thank you!