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Published: June 18th 2009
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Casa De Anna
Little alley way where Cassa De Anna is situated, very old buildings suround this area dating way back to the Spanish This morning we decided to head into Lima and visit the ¨The Sanfransico Monastery¨ which houses over 35,000 bones of dead people buried deep in the catacombs beneath the monastery, pretty impressive Monastry and the all the bones lying around down there, such a very old Spanish influenced architecture dating back around 1546 and with many old paintings and even books that are 400 years old. The old library looked like something out of Hogwarts Castle from Harry Potter, so much history.
We then grabbed some lunch at a place that is run by Nuns or some sort of religious order (check out photos) which was very nice and friendly people. Come 1pm this place was packed out by business people so it was luckly we got in early.
We also met Francis this morning, he is the fellow who own Miraflores House and a very nice person and certainly made you feel right at home and nothing was too much trouble.
Around 4pm we headed off to catch the bus to Arequipa, by now a had a slight churning in my stomach and I put that down to black ale beers we had last night...Brrr.
We
Dogs on the roof
When you here dogs barking, look up! this is where you will find most of them on the roof tops of houses travelled with Cruz Del Sur Seats were great, nice and wide and recline right back Jeff and I were in our element. On boarding the swipe a metal detector over you and video you on the bus. Jeff and I were the only 2 downstairs in the VIP section so it was great to have it to ourselves.
Didn´t see much heading out of town as it was starting to get dark, but what I could see were the shanty´s a lot of people live in, Lima outskirts by all means is not green, it looks like something out of the old west with all the old houses and sheds and poverty is everywhere.
Jeff and I slept for about 4 hours until we pulled into Nasca to pick up some travellers and by now the old tummy was really growling. People boarded and we were off again, now the VIP section was full and time to get more sleep, Jeff was out to it with his mask and ear plugs on, but by now we were doing some climbing into the mountains and I was bugged eye and drifting in and out of sleep. I really wanted
Snow Capped
Snow capped mountains in the distance at Arequipa Plaza De Armos to go to the toilet but we were told on the bus twice....toilets for Urination only.....terrific, just hope I could hold on.
Into the mountains it got rather cool and the sun was just rising so we could get a better look at the scenery. The landscape is bare, lunar nothing grows there. It looks more like a desert and HUGE sand hills all around you which just go for miles and miles. It is rather erie looking buit impressive.
Coming into Arequipa you could see these massive snow capped mountains, one is called Old Misti and is an active volcano and around 5800 metres high, and the others I can´t remember but an awsome sight still the same.
So much for our thermals, it was at least 20 degrees when we hopped of the bus and oicked up by an older man and took us to Casca De Anna. When we arrived Anna treated us like family, she even cooked us eggs and made us coffee. Our room is very nice and clean and from the balacony where you can sit and read or have a drink you over look this magnificent mountains.
We headed
Snow mountains
View from the main bridge heading into the city area of Arequipa into town and went down to the Plaza De Amos which was full of people just milling around going about their lives, We had a Mate and orange Juice (Mate, a tea made from Cocoa Leaves). Arequipa is a nice place and certainly a lot different to Lima, not as Touristy and great scenery.
We also went to the Museum where Juanita the ice mummy is, she is a 14 year old girl who was sacrificed to the gods hundreds of years ago and the body has been frozen and is in good shape and kept refrigerated behind glass. Very interseting place.
After this i was still feeling a little funny so we headed back to Cassa De Anna where I slept for 3 hours and Jeff caught about 2 hours sleep. When I woke up Jeff has been gas bagging to Anna and drinking more Cocoa tea and getting the run down on the place. Whether I was having a slight case of altitude sickness i don´t know, feeling better now after another cocoa tea.
We then headed off into town to try Guinea Pig which Anna recommended but when we got there they were just
Bingo
Yes they have Bus bingo in Spanish closing so we will try it on Friday when we get back from the Canyon.
We just ducked down to some chinese, spanish, peruvian corner shop and had chinese. Going to have a quiet one tonight, there a couple of English people here which seem nice and another couple.
Anna just informed me there is Bus strike in Cusco which has been going for a few days and could continue, we leave for Cusco on Saturday and if the strike is still going we may look at driving or may have to even fly.
Colca Canyon tomorrow so won´t be any entries until we get back here Friday (Saturday your time)
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Leanne
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Looks amazing
Well all looks fantastic, hope you don't have too much trouble with altitude, maybe the cocoa leaves will do the trick. Have a great time at the Canyon. xxx