Arequipa

Here in Chile, I think I am finally getting over this nasty cold that started the day before leaving Canada. It's slowed me down a bit but not to the point of being laid up in bed. When I was in Arequipa, I was just moving a bit slower, taking afternoon naps, not drinking alcohol, and popping Tylenols to ease the aches and pains.

Last week whilst walking about the city of Arequipa, I had to go up a bit of a steep section and was so winded at the top I thought, damn, this cold is really messing with my lungs, which it was, but I had forgotten to take into account this city is 2,335 metres above sea level.

While in Arequipa, the second most populous city in Peru (after the capital Lima) with a population of about 1.3 million, and known for its colonial architecture and volcanic stone buildings, I did a PWYC tour of the city. Our guide Edgar, a born and bred Arequipeño, was pretty good although we couldn't understand some of what he said. Most in our group didn't speak Spanish so he did the tour in English which was very good on the whole, but he spoke too quickly and with a thick accent so we lost a bit. But, as is usually the case, these tours are a great, inexpensive way to get to know the history of a city, hear some good stories, get information on buildings or historical figures you might not have otherwise known, and give a local guide some work.   

We walked around the historical center which was declared a World Heritage Site in December 2000 by UNESCO, stating the following: "The historical center of Arequipa is an example of ornamented architecture, represents a masterpiece of the creative coalition of European and native characteristics. A colonial town challenged by the conditions of nature, the indigenous influences, the conquest process and evangelism as well as for a spectacular natural scenario." Hmmm...interesting choice of words, "the conquest process and evangelism..." that's kind of the story for most of Latin America, no?

The next day, I went out exploring on my own and found the Chelawasi Public House on a cobble stoned road with wide sidewalks, dotted with bars and restaurants in a relatively quiet part of Arequipa. There are a few narrow, windy and hilly streets, and it feels different from the more overtly touristy part of the city around the main Plaza - the historical centre - a few blocks away. Just not hearing the incessant honking of vehicles and belching of buses is enough reason to come hang out here for an hour or two. My eagle eye spotted a sign advertising various local beers for a reasonable 15 Soles for 300ml. I ordered a very Imperial Ale, Pachacutec, at a very robust 10.5% (99IBU), sat myself outside on a weird, extremely slanted, uncomfortable wooden chair, but in a very comfortable 20 degrees Celsius, and watched the world slowly go by.

La Petite Francaise: I finally found a place that didn't butcher its Americano by adding too much water, and it was only 5 Soles! Not the most comfortable seats (what's with all the uncomfortable seats?! Thankfully, I don't go anywhere without my trusty Therm-a-Rest seat pad. A necessity for those afflicted with FWMBS - Flat White Man Butt Syndrome). I tried to engage the young staff in French artificial some pretty amusing results.

In the main plaza, Plaza de Armas, where some of the most famous buildings that give Arequipa its nickname of the Ciudad Blanca are found, I particularly liked the the incongruity of the large, artificial Christmas tree placed there. It made for an interesting contrast.

The city is made even more beautiful and dramatic by the many volcanoes that provide stunning backdrops whereever you are. From the elegant, conical, Misti to the snow capped Ampato, and the wonderfully named, Pichu Pichu, they all have great myths and stories of their history, and many are climbable but not for this hombre, not this time anyway. During the PWYC tour, Edgar regaled us with tales of a great race that starts in the city of Arequipa and ends at the top of one of the volcanoes (I can't remember which one but not one of the active ones 😆). I searched online for more information on this race and could only find information on a marathon in Arequipa, but nothing about a race to the top of a volcano. Still, it sounds amazing! https://app.advcollective.com/travel-guides/Are…

Finally, a few words on the Santa Catelina Monastry. It's considered one the must-sees in Arequipa, but I was on the fence about going because of the price (45 SOL / $19 CAD) which I think is a bit high, plus the obvious religious connection. But my friend Bartek responded to a previous post about Arequipa and said that when he and his partner, Caroline (Caz) travelled there, Santa Catalina monastery was a highlight, so I decided to check it out and I'm glad I did. I still think it's overpriced but being a CAB, I think most things are 😅. It was very pretty and so calm. And the colours mixed with the plants were beautiful. I also enjoyed reading some of the stories of these feisty nuns. They seemed pretty cool!

My last full day in Arequipa was January 6 and I was a bit worried because the next day, I had to wake up super early to be ready for a 3:00 a.m. pick for the 2 day, one night Colca Canyon trek. My lungs didn't feel top notch and I hadn't done much in the way of preperation the last few weeks since I'd been sick, and in Toronto, I was pretty busy getting our apartment ready for the subtenants, plus the weather was not condusive for biking or long walks, Bah, excuses, excuses, but regardless, I was a bit worried as to my level of fitness for this trek. Vamos a ver!Read more