Arequipa and the Colca Canyon

Trip Start Aug 10, 2008
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Trip End May 2009


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Monday, September 29, 2008

Our Cial bus from Cusco to Arequipa was actually early so we had to wait outside our Hostel for a while before we could get in. It was worth the wait with friendly staff lots of facilities and a big sunny lawn where we took a few Spanish lessons. Arequipa turned out to be a nice city with nice food, Colonial buildings built from white sillar rock and a museum that houses ´´Juanita, the ice Princess´´ who was sacrificed to the mountain Ampato 500 years ago when she was around 12 to 14 years old. She was found poking out of the ice near the top of Ampato like a Choc ice poking out of a defrosting freezer a few years ago. The mummy itself isn't that fascinating but the objects she was buried with are in as new condition.

 We then took a 3 day trek in the Colca Canyon which is twice as deep as the Grand Canyon.We trekked down along some very narrow paths, some only 18 inches wide running along the side of the Canyon Chica _ mmmmmmmmm delicious
Chica _ mmmmmmmmm delicious
 . It really took us into the middle of nowhere, we slept in a shed which had windows but no glass which we had to block with our back-packs so we didn't freeze during the night. We got to sample Chica which is a drink made from fermented corn - the fermentation is begun by the locals chewing the corn and collecting their spit so the enzymes can get to work creating alcohol. If you ever get the opportunity to drink it - don't! It´s revolting and drinking it by surprise when you thought you were drinking a bottle of Sprite doesn't help!

There is an Oasis with a few swimming pools at the bottom of the Canyon and taking a dip before beginning the long hot trek back up to the rim of the Canyon is much appreciated.
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