Rice Pudding

Apparently Arequipa means rice pudding but fortunately the town isn't as stodgy as its namesake.

We found a lovely hotel garden with dedicated toilet and HOT shower block (courtesy of iOverlander). This coupled with sunny days, great WiFi, a lounge we could use and finally catching up with our Canadian friends Sam and Don, who we first met in the beach in El Salvador probably a year ago, and the last time we saw them was demolishing a street burger after all day drinking in León. We spent a few days here doing admin; for those I've not told yet I have booked mine and Maya's flights home for the end of July - very excited. Phil's going to wait to book until Elvis is sold, and he is now on the market.

We did manage to tear ourselves away from the WiFi and wandered around the charming town of Arequipa famed for it's beautiful buildings made from the local white volcanic stone, with said snow capped volcanos towering over the town, it really is a stunning place. I also visited the Monasterio de Santa Catalina where there have been an order of nuns since it was founded in 1580. It was supposed to be a life of chaste poverty but for some nuns from rich families they had servants or slaves and made grand purchases such as shipping pianos from London! There are still nuns living there today but without the slaves or servants. It was a very tranquil place where they piped 16th and 17th century choral music and I enjoyed wandering through the streets peering into the nuns cells and soaking up the atmosphere in the cloisters.

Sam and Don treated us to some delicious homemade bbq ribs and we spent several nights out enjoying the local food and drink, especially in the Red Lion pub which bizarrely had amazing paintings of iconic mainly British artists (unfortunately out of our price range) and an incredible Indian restaurant.Read more