Arequipa - Colca Canyon

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Have just completed four days in Arequipa and the high Andes - Colca Canyon experience. All great. Arequipa is our favourite city so far. It has a very Spanish influence in architecture and culture. It has been wonderful to walk the narrow cobbled streets that have lane ways and entrances coming off the street often marked by arches and huge wooden heavy doors that lead to more cafes and shops. The main plaza is surrounded by colonades of doubled storied arches on three sides and on the fourth the cathedral with its two spires. Most buildings are white being made from volcanic rock as three major volcanoes surround the city and and give Arequipa the name of the White City. While here we managed to catch up with an ex teaching colleague for Glennie, Vincent Morere, who has been happily living here for the last five months teaching French. A highlight was sitting at a roof-top cafe overlooking the plaza as the sun set. As the temperature dropped the ponchos were given out to the patrons! The last two days have been spent exploring the high Andes and Colca Canyon - the deepest canyon in the world. Our time was spent either going up, up, up or down, down, down stopping at little villages along the way where the people live such simple lives. Travel was mainly on dirt roads wide enough that passing another vehicle was difficult. Often one side was a sheer drop to the valley below and the other a cactus filled steep mountain side. We reached the dizzy height of almost 5,000m above sea level and we coped well. At times, it felt as if we were on the top of the world with terraced land stretching out below and a small village dotted here and there with origins dating back to pre Inca times. Day one finished for us at the Colca Lodge. Wow! Set in a valley, the drive down was an expereince in itself but certainly worth it. A dip in a hot spring pool and a Swedish massge before drinks in front of the open fire and dinner ended an amazing day. Today has seen us visit the Condor Cross, high in the Andes to view both the canyon and the many condors flying above. All breathtaking and hard to explain.

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Comments

[Marion]

What a blast!
Just wonderful see these pix and your travel commentary. mxx

[Naomi]

Hi Ms Reynolds
Sounds like you have been having a wonderful time on your travels. The veiw from Cloca Lodge looks breathtaking and it would be very interesting on the top of a 5,000m high mountain. Have fun at your next stop!

[Sarah]

Cute Ponchos!!