Whistle-stopping

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Left on an overnight bus to Arequipa after watching Enlgand win their group and line up the next game with Ecuador. Lets see just how many south-american teams we can play in this cup. Bring on a game with Argentina I say, but we might become Scottish to the locals.

Anyway Isla and I divided each off with an Australian couple. Isla to Puno (and then very swiftly to Copacabana) and myself to Arequipa with hopes of seeing the worlds deepest canyon, condors and then catching up with her in a few days.

Well its been four days and I think we are now in different coutries! But we'll meet again, just don't know where, and I guess not when.

So for my part I arrived in Arequipa at 5am. Checked out this 'white city' which is so named due to the white stone that all the buildings are made of which came from the volcanoe that looms nearby. Unfortunately we must remember that it is peru where the tradition is generally to paint all but the most spectacular buildings, and normally every colour other than white. But the central plaza is at least a taste of a 'white city'!

Otherwise it is an extremely beasutiful city. Very grand and stone in comparison to the intricately carved wooden balconies of Cuzco. We had two breakfasts, a dreamy walk around the portifcoed streets and left for a bus to Cheval.

Just 100km north (ish) of Arequipa is the Colca Canyon. The second deepest in the world, and only pipped by its bottomless sister canyon in the neighbouring valley by another 100m. It is also the primary home of Peru's national bird, the condor.

We had decided to not take the easy option and join a tou group but instead do the trip ourselves with a mix of buses and hiking. Buses are not very reliable and it only just worked, but given a little extra hardship it was a success.

On the 23rd we hiked 1km down to the base of the canyon to swim in a tiny pool, only to have to walk the same back up, but at least there was a hot shower at the top. Australia drew with Croatia, enough to get them into the 8th finals for the first time ever in their history, so that night we joined the locals fiesta in the street, drinking Cañe (at 1$ per 500ml) mixed with Cola in true budget style! The festivites are winding up as part of the 24th celebrations for San Juan. So in Cabanaconde they had two bands playing simultaneously at the top of their brassy lungs around a huge fire in the central plaza. Everyone was out from old to young dancing in adhoc circles, the women wearing (as they always do) their traditional dress, which seems to vary with each region. Here each village has a particular hat, which is religiously worn by every female old enough to qualify for one. But anyway we danced and made daft conversation with the local drunks and breathed more fire using our left-over cañe to please the kids. All in all a bit of a giggle.

Next day we stopped of at Cruz Del Condor to catch a quick Condor sighting with breakfast at 7am from the top of the canyon. The day was slightly overcast and so the condors didn't make it very high up the canyon. but we saw about 10 swooping around in circles in the valley. But then about 5 mins before the next bus arrived one huge male caught a strong current and swept right over our heads at about 5m, coming up from underneath in the canyon. It was a majestic moment. And far to grand (not to mention quick) for Kodak!

Back in Arequipa after sitting for three hours on the floor of a rammed bus. Myself and the Aussie couple divide, them for Puno and myself four later for Cuzco (yet another overnighter). But leaving me just enough time to visit Juanita the 500 year old teenage sacrifice to one of the volcanoes nearby who has been frozen perfectly to the extent of still having skin, blood vessels and all her vital organs such that scientists know what she ate just prior to her death!

The expereince is something brooded over romantically by many visitors and seems to make little sense until you meet her, staring empty eyed back at you from her -20 degree casing.

Got to go and join in the praising of the Sun God.

Ciao

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