AREQUIPA, PERU

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A very early morning call saw us on our way to the airport for our flight to Arequipa. I really dislike these internal flights that seem to waste a lot of time dealing with airport procedures, occasional flights delays, etc., although I realize it's the only option when visiting distant locations within a country.

We arrived in Arequipa late in the morning and were greeted on our exit from the airport with free beers being handed out by an Arequipa beer company in celebration of the festivities currently going in the city for the anniversary of the city founding on August 15, 1540.

Then we had enough time to stop at the Mirador de Yanahuara to view the iconic backdrop to the city, the beautiful Misti volcano, before an idyllic lunch at Tio Dario, some yards down one of the side streets. Our dining area was in a shady, tile-roofed pavilion in the courtyard, surrounded by Bougambilia draped terraces and passages. Here we got to taste the popular Chicha Morada drink, a sweet, syrupy juice drink which would have been better with ice, if we had dared to brave the possibly tap water. Here also I had the specialty dessert of the city for the first time, frozen cheese. They were signs on store fronts as well as on the menu so it was a must have. Much to my surprise when it came, I was served ... ice cream! However, the specialty must have been the consistency of the ice cream. It was the creamiest and most delicious ice cream I've ever had.

Arequipa is located 7,638 ft. above sea level, so it was our first step in the acclimatization to the high altitude we would be exposed to in the next few days. The city is called La Ciudad Blanca (the White City) because of the white color of the volcanic sillar blocks that were used for constructing most of the public buildings.

In Arequipa we first got to experience the effects of the micro climate that Peru enjoys. Even though it was a higher altitude and it was winter in the southern hemisphere, the weather was dry, and felt warmer than the actual temperature indicated, with radiant blue skies.

After lunch, our next stop was at what ended up being one of the highlights of the trip to Peru, a colonial architectural masterpiece, the Monastery of Santa Catalina.

Like a city within a city, the monastery is home to many rooms, beautiful plazas, ornate fountains and winding cobblestone streets.

This monastery was built in 1579 and was funded by a rich widow, Maria de Guzman. At the time, it was tradition that the second son or daughter of the family would enter into a life of service to the church and only women from upper-class families were accepted. When these women were accepted, they had to pay a dowry in order to enter service, therefore most nuns were extremely wealthy at the time.

There was the Novice Cloister where Nuns served as novices for 4 years. At the end of the 4 years, the novice could choose between entering into a full life of service or to leave the convent. I doubt many did, considering their families likely put them there themselves.

The Orange Cloister was where nuns went after they graduated from novice. This cloister earned its name from the cluster of orange trees at its center. As you leave the orange cloister, down Córdova street, cells that served as living quarters for the nuns can be found. The cells were small houses with separate sleeping, eating, sitting, and cooking areas. It's believed that many of the nuns brought with them expensive rugs, china, and other luxury items, along with servants and slaves.

Hot and tired, we had a break to freshen up at our hotel before the next round of visits. Our hotel was located in the Plaza de Armas within the city's historic center, another UNESCO World Heritage site. It was the first hotel that also had a coca tea station in the lobby, to help combat any effects of altitude sickness.

The Plaza is dominated by the enormous Basilica Cathedral. It was also the central location for the celebrations taking place. Crowds were beginning to gather and congregate throughout the afternoon, along with performers, street entertainers, food sellers, etc.

Our next place to visit was The Iglesia de la Compania de Jesus, tucked away in a corner of the plaza. So close to the colossal cathedral it's easy to miss, but it is one of the most outstanding examples of mestizo architecture with carvings that use native American plants, animals and symbols of pre-Hispanic mythology mixed with European motifs. The outside is deceptive when it comes to the size and luxury of the interior where you can see carved wooden altarpieces covered with gold leaf and murals showing the tropical flora and fauna.

Our last stop of the day, about a 10-15 minutes walk from the Plaza, was a visit to the Mercado Central, a large farmers' market of fruits, vegetables, meats and fish, cooked and raw foods, cheeses, and anything else anyone could wish. Even an area for any shaman business one could want to attempt.

Dinner that evening was on the second story balcony of the hotel overlooking the plaza and all its ongoing festivities. As expected, there was competing music coming from every corner, as well as much merriment. It was fun, but after our early morning and busy day, it wasn't long after dinner when we decided to call it a night. I was glad that our room was set back from the street, since it looked like the rowdy evening would continue late into the night. Even our own private tiny courtyard was fairly quiet.

I was sorry to leave Arequipa so soon. I would have enjoyed extra time to explore the streets around the historical center full of shops, quaint bars and restaurants with their beautiful colonial architecture.

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Photos

Plaza de Yanahuara
Mirador in the background.

Mirador de Yanahuara
The Misti volcano in the background.

Plaza de Yanahuara
Parroquia San Juan Bautista.

Plaza de Yanahuara
Parroquia San Juan Bautista.

Tio Dario Restaurant
Our secluded lunch pavilion.

Tio Dario Restaurant
Chicha Morada

Monasterio de Santa Catalina
The novices cloister.

Monasterio de Santa Catalina
Sleeping area inside a novice's cell.