May 19 Arequipa to Colca Valley, Chivay

May 19, Sunday

Another typical breakfast, with the addition of pancakes - a novelty not seen anywhere else this trip. No syrup.  There are usually a few types of yogurt, also, served in pitchers.

We are supposed to be picked up at 7:30.  At 7:55, we call a help number to make sure all is well and as soon as I hang up, our guide arrives.  Fernando.  We have to walk a few blocks to get to the van as traffic didn't allow them to get close to the hotel.  They have already picked up several other guests, so we figure they began pickups at 7:30 and just didn't get to us till later.

Today we will visit the Highlands, Colca Canyon area, passing the highest mountain pass at Papampa at 16,600 feet!  Fernando is relaxed and informative.  He encourages us to drink plenty of water and later demonstrates how to chew coca leaves, which have been used since pre-Inca times as a natural remedy for many ailments, including altitude sickness.  The government approves producers for legitimate use.  We stop at a small shop for water and coca leaves - Greg and I opt for coca candy lozengers instead.  (Coca leaves are a mild appetite suppressant and stimulant about equivalent to coffee.)

Unfortunately, cocaine is also a product of Peru - with all of the poverty, it must be extremely tempting to grow this crop for drug use.  It has to be treated with kerosene and made into a powder to become cocaine.  US led attempts at irradication  had little effect and caused issues with damage to other crops and have been halted. Instead they encourage coffee and cocoa production.

Our group consists of a mom Ginette, dad Pierre and daughter Jasmine from Montreal,  Miguel from Madrid, and us.  Fernando covers things in Spanish and English.  The folks from Montreal speak French at home, but also are pretty fluent in English.  The daughter, age 24, also speaks Spanish and some Japanese!  We will travel with these folks much of the rest of the trip.

As we are leaving town, we pass a large shanty town.  Fernando explains that his country has a big problem with unfinished buildings. .

 This is because in 1993 the government passed a law that says you don't have to pay taxes until your building is completed.  Therefore MANY people never finish their home, leaving exposed rebar and partial walls.  We see this all over the country. Many people are selling items along the road.

The highway is narrow and heavily used.  Passenger trains were abandoned in the 1980's because they were never upgraded.  The railroad is almost exclusively used for the copper mines.

We pass through rural land where potatoes and corn are the main crops.  Then we enter a nature preserve which protects the vicuna.

 Vicuna are not domesticated, but the people who live in the preserve, about 4,000 of them, are allowed to herd  and collect their wool once every 2 years in August. They only have wool on their chest and it is the most expensive wool of all, about $200 per kilogram.   We stop to observe several groups which consist of an alpha male and 2-20 females.  Foxes are their only predator.

Global warming is becoming an issue here, as it is all over the world.  Colder than normal winters kills many animals.

Next stop is at Papampa - 16,600 feet - where we can see an active volcano with wisps of steam.  It last erupted in 1992.

 The locals have set up a large area where they are selling blankets, scarves, bags, etc. Some beautiful work but we will soon tire of seeing it, as any roadside stop is considered a selling opportunity!  At least the people are generally not pushy in encouraging sales.

 There is a definite impact on breathing, with the body occasionally reminding you to take deeper breaths. Glad we don't have to exert much energy!

We stop at Patahuasi for 20 minutes.  Here the road splits and many of the trucks will go toward the mines.  Traffic should be lighter.  We also purchase some herbal tea.

Later, we stop again to see Llamas and Alpacas, which are being tended by a young shepherd.  Both are raised for their wool, and alpacas for their meat as well.  We are allowed to wander and touch them but are warned never to touch their ears, because they will spit on you and it is "very disgusting" according to Fernando.

 The number of yarns in their ears tell how old.  Llamas can live 20-24 years.
 There are toilets nearby and we pay 1 sol to use them - actually you pay one sol for a few sheets of toilet paper.  Nowhere in Peru are you allowed to put paper into the toilets, even in the airports and hotels.

In the town of Chivay, we stop for lunch.

 There are several stir-fry type dishes, as well as soups and potatoes.  Some salad ingredients and even a pasta dish.  Traditional puddings made from cactus and mango are tasty.

We are dropped at our hotel,  Pozo del Cielo (Heaven's Well), which is on a hill near town.

 It is colder here and our room has a small space heater that looks like a fireplace.  Also has an electric blanket on the bed.  The hotel is a warren of rooms with a nice central garden. This is the national flower.

View of town from our room.

We rest a bit, then walk into town.  Back to sweaters and jackets, and I buy a nice wool hat from one of the vendors. Though it is the capital of this Province, Chivay is a small town. Small market and many statues with local costumes.  These seem to be popular in many towns.

This lady posed with her alpaca for tips, but we see others dressed similarly who are just going about their business.

Here the women are wearing white wide-brimmed hats.  Each area has its own style hat; some with fringe, some black bowlers, etc.

 Fernando suggests that we eat light tonight and eat in the hotel for safety.  Digestion is slow in the Highlands, he says.

We have a light dinner in the unheated dining room, roast chicken, alpaca, soup and sliced bananas in honey. Wifi is good.

Our bed is cozy as the temperature drops to near freezing outside.

May 18 2019 Arequipa, Peru

May 18  Arequipa

Today we have a free day to explore the city at our own pace.

Breakfast is again a buffet, though they make and serve our eggs separately.   There is usually mango juice, pineapple juice and orange juice and sometimes peach.  Fruits include mango, papaya, watermelon and sometimes pineapple or passion fruit. The toaster here doesn't automatically pop up, so our first toast is rather dark!

These walls must be a foot thick!

 I've begun drinking coca leaf tea, as it is supposed to help with altitude problems. Tastes like regular tea, but a little bitter, so I add sugar.

Arequipa is guarded by 3 volcanos and has a history of earthquakes in 1687, 1868, 1958, 1960 and 2001.  The streets are cobblestone and most of the buildings are white stone which have fared well with the earthquakes.  We are only a few blocks from the Plaza de Armas, the central square, which is quite large.

One entire side of the plaza is taken up by the huge Basilica cathedral. Most of the population is Roman Catholic.

Other sides are lined with buildings and graceful archways, housing shops,  restaurants and other businesses.

 Behind the outer walls of buildings, there are often courtyards leading to other buildings.  The BBVA bank is tucked back into such a complex, and we go there to get some coins.  The Neuvo Sol is worth about $.33.  There are coins in 1, 2 and 5 sol amounts, and bills in 10, 20, 50 and 100 sol amounts.  There are also centimos, 100 to a sol, so they are kind of a nuisance coin. (Tipping is frequent and we are always running out of coins.)

This is another nearbychurch  - incredibly ornate  detail.

The Monasterio de Santa Catalina is a highlight of the city, so we head there.  It is a convent that is almost a city within the city, with many streets, buildings and gardens.   Inside the entrance, we pay to hire an English-speaking guide who is quite pleasant.

The convent was founded in 1579, and added to over the years.  Originally, usually the second daughter in a family was sent to the convent at a young age.  At 16 she could choose to leave or commit.  The family paid a dowry and support.   The convent was also a school for girls who lived there with their nannies.  Many of the bedrooms were built with arches under which people slept to have some protection in case of earthquakes.

After passing the silence arch,  we enter the novice cloister.

 Novices spent 20 hours a day in their room, in prayer and doing sewing/embroidery work.  They received instruction through a small window.  There were 7 girls at a time.  Graduated novices entered the Orange Cloister.  Their cells ranged from austere to lavish, depending on the wealth of their families.  A few had multiple rooms and nice furniture.

People were obviously shorter then...

This is the washing area which channeled mountain runoff.   A few areas are closed due to earthquake damage.

Lots of geraniums!

This was a guinea pig pen near the kitchen.  Many homes in Peru continue to raise them for food.

Sor Ana, a nun who lived here from the age of 3 is renowned for her predictions and miracles and is said to have been able to levitate.  Her rooms are preserved and there were many bundles of clothing on her bed, left by those seeking healing or a miracle. She has been beatified by the church, the first step to being named a saint.

In 1871, the Pope ordered that the nuns should live communally - no individual housing, and eat meals communally.  Till then many of the individual units had kitchens and servants.  There are about 20 nuns in residence today and their dormitory is, of course, closed to the public.  They still make soap and embroider items to raise money.

 A gallery of religious paintings, above, and a beautiful monstrance near the chapel.

The mountains are in view from a second story patio area.

We stop in a few shops on the way back to the hotel and purchase a table runner woven in bright colors.  The day is warm, so we change outfits and leave our jackets in the room.

We seek out a restaurant that we've read about called ZigZag, which is supposed to be an excellent modern Peruvian venue.  The winding stairs to the upper floor was designed by Gustav Eiffel, of Eiffel Tower fame.

Restaurants offer "menu" items, which means a set price 3-course meal which is usually less expensive than a la carte items.  (If you want to see what we call a menu, you ask for a carte.) Zig Zag has several set menus, each from a specific area of Peru.  Greg opts for the "From the Volcano" menu which includes cream of pumpkin and carrot soup,  a trio of meats cooked on a volcanic stone (chicken, beef and alpaca), and vanilla ice cream.

 Beth goes for the "From the Andes" menu with Quinoa Soup with baby vegetables and white cheese, Lake Arapa Trout cooked on volcanic rock, and vanilla ice cream with red berries and grand mariner.  We are also served a dense bread with herb butter and a spicy banana spread, as well as various sauces with garlic, honey, sesame seeds and an orange sauce - maybe sweet potatoes? And roasted potatoes, of course.

The service, presentation and food are terrific.  Alpaca seems a bit drier than beef but doesn't have a strong flavor.     Greg has Inca Tea and Beth sticks with water. Cost is 138 sol - about $45 - which is high end.   We have not tried wine in Peru, since we were warned back in Lima that the wine here is very sweet (for a sweet people...) and we don't often see it offered.

We wander the streets some more, enjoy listening to a violinist and purchasing a Christmas ornament at a craft market. Lots of leather items and fabrics, knits and weavings.  Back to the room about 4:30 for a shower and some R&R.

After dark, we head back to the square and take a few photos.  Nice full moon tonight, so not many stars visible.  Lots of people out and about.

We wonder into one of the courtyards near the hotel and find a little cafe where we share a small pizza and beer.  The violinist from earlier today is performing nearby and there are several galleries of photos and art, including an interesting Van Gogh exhibit.

 Greg liked the cafe menu, which was a small book with many blank pages in the back for "leave your memories".

Nice, relaxing day.  We will be picked up tomorrow for a 7:30 departure.