Rub a dub dub, a hundred people in a tub

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We were picked up at our hotel by our guide Daniel and headed out of Arequipa with a group of other tourists for a two day tour of the Colca Canyon region. The Colca Canyon is the deepest canyon in the world, more than two and a half times the depth of the Grand Canyon.

We made various stops along the drive to the canyon town of Chivay. We saw beautiful mountains views, surrounding volcanoes, and took photos of volcano Ampato where Juanita was found. We stopped in Chivay for a buffet brunch of traditional Peruvian food (we both enjoyed the jello most). We met several Peruvians on the trip who all told us it was not good Peruvian cuisine. As it was the Peruvian independance holiday the trip consisted of primarily Peruvian residents on vacation. They were all very interesting to talk with, young students and a seismic engineer, and a family from Puno.

After we checked into our hotel, Casa de Lucille (run effectively by a twelve year old girl), our group visited hot spring baths further into the canyon. The setting was very beautiful but the baths consisted of large swimming pools full of people drinking beer out of glass bottles and enjoying a good sweat. Laura was revolted at the idea of joining these people in the bath as were several other people on our bus. Although it seemed distasteful, we decided while in Peru do as the Peruvians do....donned our bathing suits and hoped in. Once in the water, we were approached by a woman from Ireland who was very fun to chat with about her travels in Peru. We also spent a great deal of time chatting with a couple on our bus from Brazil. All of us agreed that it was not the most sanitary conditions but the good conversation helped the time fly by.

After returning to the hotel (and washing thoroughly), we ate dinner as a group and were entertained by local musicians and dancers who presented a traditional Andean show.

The next morning we had an early departure to the best viewpoints in the Colca Canyon to watch the condors fly. We saw many condors soaring above as they fly out of the Canyon with the warmth of the sun. We took some photos of them and found them to be terribly ugly birds, although the largest flying bird in the world. Laura was quite pleased that they flew quite high above us so as to not have to duck and scream.

We returned to Arequipa in the evening at which time we boarded a new bus, this time heading for Ica, Peru. This bus ride, a twelve hour journey, but we have now learnt to travel on Cruz del Sur, paying a little extra but having very first class service and comfort. Anne slept most of the trip, missing out on the onboard entertainment consisting of terribly directed travel shows on Peru, multiple movie previews, Spanish bingo and finally Pirates of the Caribbean film. Laura was restless and felt ill due to the swaying of the second storey of the bus.

We arrived in Ica at approximately 5 30 am.....

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