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Published: August 23rd 2007
Yummy!
Not sure it beats the Greg ice cream shot from the Cape Town blog thoughArriving in new countries means border crossings, and our arrival in Peru featured another interesting one. We were determined to make the first bus of the day into Peru and to do that we needed to get a collectivo from Arica (in Chile) to the border, through no mans land and into Tacna, which is the first city inside Peru. Getting the car was no problem, we had a whole host of 1970 big American fuel guzzlers to pick from, all we had to do was pay the man and wait for the car to fill up. And fill up it did, with 3 other punters (you get 3 in the front in these old beasts) one of whom insisted on farting the entire journey. It is possible that this wasn´t due to flatulence and actually sheer terror, as our driver was not wasting any time. Either way it was unpleasant. So there we are, 6 crammed in a Corvette, hooning it north to the border, overtaking anything and everything (but mostly other 1970s American cars) with no regard for blind corners, cross roads or on coming traffic. It wasn´t just on the road where our driver was in a hurry,
he literally ran us through the border formalities, at one point pulling off before we had all got back in the car. I guess the advantage for him was he could get back to Arica and get some more punters for his white knuckle ride; the advantage for us was we made our connection and got some much needed extra ventilation.
First on the agenda was a quick look at Arequipa, Peru´s second city. A beautiful colonial town set at the foot of El Misty (a 5822m high Volcano). The view is not the only impact the volcano has had on the city, most of its buildings are made from silla which is a white rock mined from El Misty. In our brief time here we lapped up the warm climate (it was great to get the flip-flops on again) and checked out the Santa Catelina Convent - the stunning 16th Century home to 450 of Arequipa´s holy population. It is actually more of a miniature walled town with cobbled streets and plazas painted in traditional white, orange, deep red and blue.
After Arequipa and it was onto Cusco and back to school. Spanish School, including a weeks
homestay with a Peruvian family to be precise. Now in order to maximise our Arequipa time, we decided to travel by overnight coach up to Cusco arriving at 5am. Our host family had offered to meet us, but we didn´t want to impose at such an ungodly hour, so refused. 5am came and for the first time in our South American travels the coach was punctual. We got ourselves a seat in the coach station and contemplated what we had done. School didn´t start for another 4 hours, we had no where to go and we were exhausted. Go us! We slumped uncomfortably in the waiting room chairs, shut our eyes and tried to sleep. It wasn´t long before we were woken by a friendly voice asking for "Marissa? Marissa!". We opened our eyes and saw Nelly, the mum of our family for the week, holding out our names on a card. She had clearly thought our plan to wait at the bus station was insane and came to get us anyway. She took us home, gave us a bed to sleep in, delayed school for a few hours and fed us. It was like a gift from above and
Taxis & Arches
Did you know it was the Spaniards that brought arches to Peru? The Inka´s doorways were always straight truly appreciated.
During the next week at "Casa Nelly" we were made to feel like part of the family. The warmth shown by all was fantastic and everyone was very patient with our Spanish, or lack of. The highlight was being invited to Angela´s 19th birthday party and meeting all the relatives. Although we were made to feel REALLY old when fifteen 19 yr olds went out on the town and we stayed in for an early night!. It was also really nice to see such a touristy town from the point of view of the locals. This was coupled with 4 hours of one on one Spanish lessons each day, which although was exhausting was equally rewarding.
As part of our school we were taken on a tour of the city and got our first taste of Inca history. You have to feel sorry for the Incas, they weren´t around for long and most of that time was spent building some really impressive stuff. Then along came 150 Spanish soldiers with guns and horses and wiped them all out, just like that. The Spanish melted down all their gold and silver (apparently it took 4 days of
non stop melting) and used it to create one of the most opulent cathedrals we have ever seen. They weren´t messing about here, the altar contains over a ton of silver. It was the Incas that had the last laugh though. Although the Spanish had built over an Inca temple to create one of their own, an earthquake stuck and destroyed all of the Spanish build. However, the tough Inca walls beneath stood strong.
Spanish Word of the Week: Pata - Leg, animals and furnature only. Not to be confused, as Marissa did, with Puta meaning prostitute. This confusion caused such hilarity amoungst the family, that it was told to every visitor that entred the house all week.
This Weeks Likes * The Pisco Sour. Made with brandy, lemon juice, sugar and egg whites it is a bit like a margarita. Very tasty and very potent, especially at altitude (Cusco is at 3300m)
* Chile vs Peru rivalry. It was very entertaining to hear our family's views on the Chileans. We have been assured that cerviche, quinoe and pisco all originated in Peru and the pesky Chileans from the south copied them.
* It was the
What are the chances?
Last time Olly did a world tour I found him lurking down a back street in Naniamo. 13 yrs later, he´s doing it again and we find him in Cusco! Incas that did most of the labour for the cathedral and in doing so they managed to sneak their own holy symbols in, unbeknown to the Spanish. Scattered round the place were sneaky images of the sun, the mountains and snakes for the Incas to worship.
This Weeks Dislikes
- The 20 min uphill walk to school. It didn´t get any easier as the week went on, we were starting to fear the impending Inca Trail
- Listening and talking in Spanish all week was pretty intense. Our bed times got earlier and earlier as a result.
- Guide book scare stories. We were nicely informed that all overnight buses to Cusco were held up and robbed. Luckily we got some better advice and found that travelling overnight not only gets you their faster, but safely and in more comfort.
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Jeremy Clarkson
non-member comment
A car that handles like a toasted marshmellow in hot chocolate
The 1970s was a golden era for motor cars and America was to motor cars what the Marquis de Sade was to perversion, a source of almost unlimited inspiration. The cars were big in a way only men with small tallywhackers can appreciate; they guzzled fuel like it was going out of fashion, which for some unfathomable reason it now is; and they contained all the overbearing style of an Italian back row forward. 1970s America is a time and place that affects me profoundly, almost sexually, in the way that thinking of my first sexual experience which occurred when I was a 12 year old fagging for Peregrine and he made me bend over to accept his [obscene word deleted] into my [obscene word deleted] having first loosened me up by [obscene phrase deleted]. In fact, writing this has caused an uncomfortable stirring to the extent that I might have to remove my tight, stone washed jeans into which I've tucked an extremely expensive Ralph Lauren shirt (which is the sort of sartorial elegance that has made me so popular with the youth of today) and which so snuggly hold up my svelt, sexy gut... ... Ah, that's better. Anyway, the point is, I know everything about everything and can tell it funnier than anyone else on this world. Actually, I don't think they should make TV shows without me presenting it and then I could finally persaude the world that this global warming is nonsense and even if it isn't, why should I care? Let our kids deal with the consequences, I don't care, [obscene word deleted] them, my contribution to the world is so already great that I can do whatever I want. Yours in earnest, JC