Arequipa

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At 10 PM yesterday we boarded a Cruz del Sol bud destined for the 12 hour trip to Arequipa. We opted for the Cruzero class... which basically means you get a foot rest and the seat reclines to about 15 degrees...curiously the bus had its own stewardess and we got dinner and breakfast on board.

Though it was dark.. I could tell the trip was one hell of a drive through various valleys and multiple switch backs, thankfully the road was paved the full way.

We arrived a half hour early.

Alessandra did not travel well and seems to have caught a bug of some sort... probably from the questionable street food we ate the day before.
We grabbed a cab to our Hotel Lluvia del Oro. Older than God, but nice accommodations... no complaints at $17 USD per night.

Will Aless rested I took a stroll through Arequipa center, It has beautiful cathedral made of sillar or white volcanic stone which makes the buildings seem timeless.... if it weren't for the fact they seem to get destroyed every 150 years or so from the exceptionally violent earthquakes in this area.

I was strolling back up towards our hotel when I noticed substantial commotion coming down the street. It seemed to be a protest of sorts, then locals started running in the opposite direction.... from years of gut instinct I figured when in Arequipa do as the Arequipians do ... I ran chasing them back down the street, all the store fronts were simultaneously shutting their metal storm gates, I spotted an Internet cafe in the process of shutting its rolling metal door, I seized the opportunity... liken to Indiana Jones and slid under the slamming gate. The owner locked me and his other patrons inside as the stampede of taxi cab strikers swarmed down the street. The noise of the strikers hitting the metal doors was unbearable, the noise passed, (what is this... France?!) The owner recommended we stay a little while longer.... conveniently for him the Internet was working ...so here I am now...

I expect to be out of here shortly and will try to pick up some soup for Alessandra.

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