Arequipa, Arequipa, ARRREEEEQUUUIPPAAAA!

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That is what they shout out at the bus stations as you are waiting for your bus and you seriously want to thump someone.... Arequipa, Arequipa, ARRREEEEQUUUIPPAAAA! It is only 8 in the morning and you know it is going to be a long day!

So it was. They have a habit of lying about the length of bus journeys here. We were assured time and again that it was a mere 5 hours. Even if you look at them dubiously because your guidebook (aka The Bible) tells you it is more than 8, they insist on 5.

So eight hours later we roll into Arequipa. Got ourselves to the Plaza des Armas (all main squares are called this in Peru) and installed ourselves in a little hostal 2 blocks from the main square. Oh how blissful and to make life even more joyous - hot water AND CABLE TV. I tell you it has been more than a month since I have seen any form of TV which is not flickering and fuzzing.

We had promised ourselves that Arequipa was going to be our break from traveling. We were going to take it easy and not feel compelled to do all touristy things.

Having said that it is of course impossible not to go somewhere and find out what the main sites are.... In Arequipa it was the Santa Catalina Monastery and Juanita. We actually uhmmed and ahhhed about the entry price of the monastery. Peru have figured out that they can charge a lot and the tourists will still come. We had some hours to kill and thought - why not? I am so glad we did as it was glorious inside. It was a nice bright sunny day and the colours and architecture of the monastery was beautiful. I took a rather large number of photographs all evidence of a beautiful tranquil morning.....

Juanita is the Ice Maiden who lives in - 20C in a museum in Arequipa. She was offered up to the Inca gods 500 years ago (to stop the volcanic eruptions I would guess). After another volcanic eruption 10 years ago the ash and heat from the volcano melted the ice on the surrounding mountains and under some ice Juanita was found. Along with her were some amazing pieces of pottery, jewelry and clothing. She is preserved in the frozen state she was found in and I was amazed at how the clothing she was wrapped in was still preserved and the colours still vivid. Her umbilical cord was found wrapped in a handkerchief with her leading to the belief that it was known since birth that she would be sacrificed. At the age of 12 or so they had her climb a 6000m mountain, gave her a concoction to make her sleepy and then with a single blow to the head she was offered to the gods.

More photos at http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/foodiefloozie/my_photos

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Photos

Arequipa
A lovely city - relaxing and warm!!!!

Santa Catalina
A little oasis of calm and a photographer´s paradise