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Published: March 8th 2011
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´A-re-qui-a-re-qui-a-re-qui-páááááááááá´, shouts the man at the busstation in Tacna. He tries to sell bustickets from Tacna to Arequipa, like all the other companies do. Probably he is doing this allready tens of years. When I was in Peru about 35 years ago it was exactly the same. Only the busstations has become better organised and the busses are far more comfortable. The two women from buscompany Cruz del Sur do not join in in this circus. They know they represent the best buscompany of Peru. They just sit there in stiff uniforms. It is 38 degrees Celsius. We choose for them. Not because we like to pay twice as much, but because Peru has become a criminal country. Busrobberies are common. Before we enter the bus we and our luggage are screened and filmed. Even inside the bus they make a movie of us.
We drive along the desolate desert which runs all the way from South to North Peru in between the coast and the Andes. We see simple huts along the road. How can people live here? No water, no plants, no animals, it is hot and dry. Brazil, Argentina and Chili are rich countries. Here reigns poverty.
Arequipa
It is Sunday and our day starts with an little earthquake. At 7 am our bed at the Colonial House Inn 2 begins to move and the painting on the wall is swinging. It lasts only 3 seconds. It reminds us that Arequipa is often struck by earthquakes and eruptions of volcanos. The city is dominated by the snowcapped Volcano El Misti (5822 m). A little bit further on is the Ampato Vulcano (6380 m). Here on the top of the volcano they found in 1995 Juanita, the Ice princess. In the Museo Sanctuarios Andinos we learn that Juanita was a 12 - 14 years old Inca girl, who was sacrified to the volcano about 500 years ago. In her stomach coca leaves were found and chicha, a kind of beer. Unfortunately we cannot see Juanita. In her place we see Sarita, another Inca girl who was offered to the Volcano. Apparently the Inca´s also suffered under eruptions and earthquakes.
There are no high houses in Arequipa and the buildings have thick walls. Like the cathedral at the Plaza de Armas and the beautiful Catalina monastery. Still they were damaged by earthquakes and had to be renovated. Maybe the
nuns of the monastery saw an eartquake as a punishment for their sinfull life. They had big parties and several slaves. The pope made an end to their lush life. Most nuns were sent home and the slaves were freed. Now there are still some nuns. It is a beautiful monastery with red, blue and white colours.
We drink a beer on one of the terraces looking down on the busy Plaza de Armas. I try to remember if I have seen this 35 years before, the beautiful monumental buidings in colonial style, the massive cathedral. I think I recognize it, but I am not sure. And then I remember there must be a beautiful tree here with purple flowers. I even remember the name, it was a palisander. I look around. The square is full of beautiful trees, specially high palms, but I do not see any tree with purple flowers. Policemen are whistling. We do not know why. They just whistle. Maybe it gives the people a safe feeling. And then I see between the green leaves purple flowers. We pay our beer and go down to the sqare. To our suprise the tree is a Yacalanda,
the same tree we saw flowering in Africa, from Madagascar to Uganda and South Africa. Later I look it up on Internet. It turns out that the Yacalanda and the Palisander are the same tree.
The Colca Canyon
About 100 km from Arequipa lies the Colca Canyon. It is the deepest canyon of the world with a depth of more than 3000 meter. We cannot see the bottom of the canyon, because clouds hang over it. Now, because of the rains, it is green everywhere. After all the dry deserts we have seen, it is very welcome. Near the little village Chivay we see paddies with potatoes, mais and quinoa. Quinoa was the sacred food of the Inca´s. It was forbidden by the Spanish, because they did not like the strange traditions of the Inca´s. Wheat they should eat. (Is it not the same story as with Coca?). Nowadays you can eat it again. You can even find it in vegetarian shops in Europe. It looks like rice and you have to prepare it even like rice, but it is not a cereal, because it has nothing to do with grasses.
But we did not come
out of our bed at 2 in the night to see quinoa plants. No it is the Condor where we come for. Here in the Colca Canyon live about 50 Condors. They are rare. In the past they were eaten. The meat seems to be delicious. We are waiting 45 minutes, but no any condor shows up. ´It is because it is too cold´, explains our guide Nancy of Colonial Tours. ´They need a lift of warm air.´We move to another spot and wait for another 15 minutes. But no Condors. Again we move to another spot. We are out of the canyon now. Here there are no clouds. Another 15 minutes. No Condors. We begin to walk to the bus and than suddenly a shout. ´Condóóórs´. It is Nancy. Down in the valley we see three Condors with their 3 meter wide wings. With the warm air stream they come higher and higher till we are eye with them. Still higher they go and finally they circle far above our heads in the sky. It is a wonderful sight.
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femmy
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condor
Great pictures and story again. The condor is splendid. In Holland we have had the first spring days. Much sun and blue skies. Kees'birthday today. 65. Last week he stopped working (to his regrests). There was a big party, especially for him. I'm still busy writing novels. I've seen publishers, yes, yes! Every time a take a step forwards. This novel nr 4 will do it:-) Travel along, I will read. With lots of love, Femmy