Arequipa

We arrived at our hostal, a restored colonial hacienda in the middle of the city, late at night. As we followed the innkeeper through the labyrinth-like corridors and courtyards, we were amazed at how beautiful the place was! We were in the farthest courtyard, a full city block from the checkin desk. The room had 18ft ceilings, 12 foot doorways and windows with no glass, only shutters to close out the light. It was quiet, had toilet paper and hot water. We were in heaven!

After a good nights sleep, the boys and I agreed we were ready to come home. Bren was leaving in two days already, but we were to leave in 2.5 weeks. A quick phone call to the airlines let me know that we could exchange 2 separate 10 hour bus rides for one very short plane flight to get us to Lima and onto a flight headed for home a week earlier than scheduled. We jumped at the opportunity!

We spent two days putzing around Arequipa, another beautiful colonial city. We visited churches, museums, restored colonial haciendas, another restored cloistered convent and, of course, the Plaza de Armas, which may house more pigeons than any other public setting in the world! We agreed our favorites were the museum dedicated to the frozen body of Juanita, an Incan girl sacrificed to the gods who was found about 1995, the restored hacienda museum and also the Santa Catalina Monastery.

The latter housed the society girls of old world Spain for 3 centuries, living decadent lives as nuns, cloistered behind walls, but inviting guest musicians and revelry in general into their secret society. It wasn't until 1870 or so that the pope learned of these party girl nuns and put an end to that lifestyle, demanding they change their ways and start living a monastic life of poverty. Then in the 1970s the mayor of Arequipa demanded they open the doors of the convent to the public. It was a fascinating look at a society that lived in secrecy for 400 years!! Today, there are still 20 or so nuns who live there in one small section of the convent.

We said goodbye to Bren and had one more night in Arequipa before heading to the Colca Canyon, which is 2 times deeper than the Grand Canyon and thought to have been the deepest canyon in the world until it was agreed that the canyon over the next ridge was actually a bit deeper. This would be the last great adventure planned for our journey through Ecuador and Peru!