The deepest canyon, the highest lake and highest Irish Pub!

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Following a couple of days in Cusco relaxing after the Inca Trail we headed south on another long bus journey to the city of Arequipa - prob the best city we visited in Peru (the combination of picturesque buildings and great nightlife works well!)

After enjoying a night on the town it was time to head out of the city and down into the Colca Canyon whose main claim to fame is that it´s the 2nd deepest in the world. We would also later find out the town of Chivay in the Colca Valley accomodates the highest Irish pub in the world - although unfortunately the imported Guiness was a bit too expensive to sample especially when the local brew is less than a pound a pint!

The next morning it was yet another early start to go and watch the rare Condor take its morning flight above the rim of the canyon.. They are known to be a bit temperamental but fortunately the wait was worth it as there were a fair few out that morning which made for a pretty spectacular sight. They are absolutely huge and some can have a wing span of up to 3 metres!

After another bus breakdown and a rather uncomfortable journey back on another bus to Arequipa (see the photos) we headed out to sample more of the city nightlife. Starting off with the best samosas we've ever tasted at Arequipas only curry house and finishing rather messily in a bar playing drinking games with a couple of locals.. Arequipa is also the home of the traditional Peruvian dish - Cuy - which Neil sampled. In England it´s called a Guinea Pig - the locals just call it Ratte!

It was then time to hit the road again to our final destination in Peru - Puno and Lake Titicaca (the largest in South America and the highest navigable lake in the world). We had another good night out in Puno and then caught a boat over to Los Uros which are floating reed islands and then on to an island called Amantani to spend the night staying with a local family, who despite the language barrier were great fun -although 2 days of only potatoes and soup to eat was enough for us.

After spending another day on the boat and a visit to another island (Taquile) it was time to head back to Puno and then onto the border of our next country - Bolivia!

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Photos

Kat and Louise
Aussie friends from the Inca Trail that we met up with in Arequipa

Neil and Noe
Playing pool with the locals in the highest Irish bar in the world

Neil in the aisle of the rescue bus
Had to lie there for 3 hours

Lou on the dashboard
Safety standards...hmmm

Where´s Neil
Neil after a drunken night out in Arequipa

Comments

[Pam]

It sounds (and looks) like you're having an absolutely amazing time - what an experience... Not sure whether I'd have tried guinea pig - especially as its still full body shape with the head!!! see you soon (ish)

[Scott]

highest pub eh?
We heard it was in Cusco...Paddy's...so we went there....were we wrong? Just under 11000 feet! There can be only one!

[neilandlou]

The one in Cusco claims to be the highest irish 'owned' bar where as the one in Chivay is at something like 12,000 ft and just called an irish bar which i guess is owned by a local.. but does sell some rather pricey Guiness! So I guess you can still claim it on a technicality!