Advertisement
Published: September 11th 2008
Edit Blog Post
Cuzco cathedral
last day in Cuzco having coffee! Sunday 31st August My last entry was Machu picchu and I explaind we had a few problems with our trip "Inkas golden" well they fobed us of the whole time we where there and the "Alfredo" never showed up again so we never got the bus money back. So whatever you do DO NOT BOOK WITH INKAS GOLDEN.
After leaving Cuzco we went onto Arequipa. We took an overnight bus 12hrs with a company called "Cromotex" they where originally more expencive as the day we arrived in Cuzco we asked around and they quoted us 80soles, where as some companies quoted us 25soles, but we have been advised to avoied the cheapest companies as last mounth alone 18 busses went over the side of the mountain due to drivers falling asleep at the weel. Also highjacking is common. So good companies charge more and emply more drivers and have safer busses and security. We where amazed at the security as they had a video camera as you got on the bus recording you as they took your details and fingerprints. The bus dident pick up or drop off anywhere along the way so we definatly felt safe. Will be looking for
this company for future journeys, plus it only cost us 40soles each as it was quite an empty bus so that was a bonus. When we arrived we headed of to find a hostel and came across a few, we settled for the cheapest as quality wise they where all simular. So headed out to check out the sights as Arequipa is perus 2nd largest city, surrounded by volcano El misti (5822m) rising behind the cathedral on Plaza de Armas. Left is Chachoni(6075m) and to the right Pichu pichu (5571m). The locals describe it as "when the moon seperated from plaanet earth it left Arequipa behind" describing the light coloured volcanic rock called "sillar" that dazzles in the sun. So the aplaz was very grand and the cathedral inside was definately worth a visit. You wouldent have thought the city was the 2nd largest as it appears small. We visited the local park which was packed due to it being a sunday. There was a boating lake and a mini zoo with monkeys and strange looking animals, but they seemed well looked after so that was good. Glad we visited, off to pisco tomorrow night so bus station in the
Pisco Cathedral
This is what most of pisco looks like. morning.
Monday 1st September A new month, its goin so fast. We bought our tickets for Pisco with Cromotex it cost us 80soles each which annoyed me as they charge you all the way to lima (even if they sell your seat from pisco to lima) but we had no choice. So we haded of for a late lunch as th bus leaves at 7pm. We came across a peruvian cafe serving set meals but real local cooking and we had an excellent meal and the staff gave us recipe books for local cuzine it was very interesting (not sure how much I would try) alot of octopus which supprised me a little as we havent really seen it in many resturants. Anyway got the recipe for pisco sours, also decided I value my teeth too much to drink many more of them after discovering they are 50%!s(MISSING)ugar arrrr!
b]Tuesday 2nd September
Arrived in Pisco, well kind of droped of at the side of the road and had to get a taxi into town. The first glimps of pisco left us kind of speachless, to describe it I would use the words building sight! We were hounded
Islas Ballastas
Chilean flamingos by a guy as soon as we got out the taxi and he followed us to every hostel kind of maaking out he took us there, obviously to get commission. So we hinted for him to leave but it dident work so we kindly told him to go away, thank god he did. We were shocked at the state of the place and the hostels where the only half decent standing buildings. We finaly descovered from a poster that Pisco had suffered an earthquake in august last year, explains the devastation. We could not understand why no one even other travelers hadent mentioned this! We decided to head to Paracas as this is where you take the boat to Islas Ballestas nicknamed "the poor mans Galapagos". It took half an hour in a "combis"and only cost 1.50soles (30p) Hostels are at you as soon as you get there but we settled for one with a sea view and they had there own 30 seater speedboats to the lsland for 25soles each. Its a small place with only 8 resturants along the front. We settled for one and the fish was fresh and servings large, best of all cheap!
b]wednesday
Candalabra
Approx 170mts tall and 56mts wide 3rd September
Suppose to head to the beach but im full of cold still and so is the weather it would seem. So we headed into Pisco to have a look round the market and book our tickets to Tacna. The market was good and Steve even managed to buy a t-shirt and I managed some flipflops after loosing my others, how I do not know? We bought tickets for 85soles and we leave on friday and it takes 16hrs, just hope im feeling better by then. Went to the same resturant and as im not feeling good and dident want much to eat so they where really nice and cooked me an omelet. Off to the Island tomorrow so hope im feeling better.
b]Thursday 4th September
Had to cancel our trip as I couldent even lift my head of the pillow, luckly they have moved us onto tomorrows trip. Spent the whole day in bed. Really missed home comforts like heating,hot water and a kettle most of all my own bed x
b]Friday 5th September
My friends 24th today so "Happy Birthday" We where traveling to tacna so pulled myself out of bed and kind of packed.
Went to the Island and so glad I did even though feeling crap, seeing the sealions and penguins in there own natural enviroment was amazing and not to be missed. The Candelabra was an eye opener at approx 170mts tall and 56mts wide we got quite close as you can see from our pics. So off to Tacna now not looking forward to this journey at all.
b]Saturday 6th September
Bus journey was awful they lied to us and told us there was security. There was none. They stopped and picked randoms up so the bus was packed with the isles jamed. So im having nightmares about highjacking and all sorts. Anyway here in the end. We looked around for a hostel and settled for one with sky tv and breakfast bought to your room oh arnt we posh! We tried to buy tickets for the train to Arica (Chile) but have to go back on the day we leave. So we took advantage of having the tv and chilled. Hope to feel better tomorrow.
b]Sunday 7th September
Feeling a little better today but no where open, not even the fast food resturants. So we headed for the
Islas Ballastas
Lots of saelions (oh my god it stunk) sights. Well should I say the only sight. The cathedral built by the same guy who built the Eiffle tower and his name is supprisingly Eiffle who would have guessed aye. Nice plaza to with fountain etc
b]Monday 8th September
Film day, feels like such along time since we had a tv its amazing how much you do miss it!
b]Tuesday 9th September
We decided to stay 2 more days as im still not brill and steve is starting with the same thing but his will obviously be a mans version which is MUCH MUCH worse te he. Bless him he really dosent moan at all, im definatly the one that dose. We went for a walk to the sea front as we had seen the sea in the distance but as we walked towards it it kind of went high on one side, I think thats when we discovered it was in fact a large hill and not the sea at all, we found that highly amusing.
b]Wednesday 10th September
Steve wanted to watch the football so we managed to get it in the room and the rest of the day we spent doing these very
blogs so hope you enjoyed them x
So we are off to Chile on thursday so we will be back to fill you in on how that goes in a week or two x x x
Advertisement
Tot: 0.11s; Tpl: 0.01s; cc: 13; qc: 32; dbt: 0.0605s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb