10 June 2003 Arequipa, 2325m
The coach to Arequipa was empty on leaving Puno but filled up with Peruvians on reaching Juliaca. The road was newly tarmacked and very fast taking 6 instead of the 12 hours suggested in the guide book. Cows and sheep changing to Llamas and Alpaca and the Vicuna on the 4500m Alto-plano. We stayed at the excellently run Hotel Miamaka, 70 soles (20 USD noted) aimed at better heeled tourists because Los Balcones de Catalina our first choice was full, so we missed the camaraderie of the backpackers.
She recommended eating at the El Camaroncita restaurant, excellent advice, the Cupe de Camarone rated as the best seafood I had ever eaten. Other dishes on offer were
Rocoto relleno pastel de papa
Camarones a la plancha
Chicarrones
Cuy chactoo (fried)
with Queso o Helado to finish
Arequipa marked itself out as the best run city we had visited in Peru but even so the streets were full of armoured vehicles, a sure sign the emergency wasn't over.
11 June
In the morning we went to Convent Santa Catalina, wonderful place over 400 years old built of white sillar stone which has survived several earthquakes since 1579.
The early nuns were often the second daughters of wealthy Spanish families, many of the cells had their own kitchens. Initially it was a closed order and had only been open to the public since1970. Now there are 28 nuns aged between 18 and 90 in a still closed off part of the buildings. It is a wonderfully attractive peaceful place painted terracotta and white with quiet alleyways full of geraniums.
For lunch we took a taxi to Tradicion Arequipenas a beautiful garden restaurant, wonderful to eat out at midday in this sun. We ate Pequeno Tradicional with Queso helado vanilla for desert with the usual litre of lemonado.
In the evening we went to see a Son et Lumiere history of Arequipa by which time it was distinctly chilly.The inflatable Mish mountains had volcanoes which erupted spectacularly to applause and a young girl Juanita was sacrificed to the volcano and flew off to heaven to and everyone clapped.
12 June
More visits by taxi first to an old water mill where unusually the wheel was horizontal, then on to an old colonial house Mancion del Fundadour which although uninhabited was still completely furnished with beautifully carved furniture and paintings.
Final stop was a miraor with views.Back in town we walked to the Sol y Mayo another fine garden restaurant, where I chose Cuy but was still not impressed.
13 June
We took a two day guided tour by minibus staying overnight in Chivay where there was a traditional evening entertainment of music and dancing. There were two couples of our age Jan and Ian who farmed in New Zealand travelling independently like us. Peter and Diane were on a 2 to 3 year tour of the world (South Africa, Eygpt, Turkey, Russia, Baltic States, Train Moscow to Beijing, across China booking next hotel by Internet, now South America, with Asia, New Zealand and Australia to follow).
The party was completed by a group of three from Holland, unfortunately he had had his bag stolen on the snatched in the street whilst waiting for the pick-up. His daughter Diana now with a friend had been traveling several months in South America (Mexico and Equador) and she was delighted that her father had come over especially to see her.
14 June
Left at 6am so as to see the Condors soar as sunlight hit in Colca Canyon, but they didn't appear until 9am by which time we were intended to leave on the return journey to Arequipa. The predictable delay was simply the result of the time it took the sun to reach their roosting spots deep in the near vertical canyon. We had a really good view before leaving at 9.45am. I felt nastily sick for the rest of the day as a result of continually trying to track their flights through the camera viewfinder.
15 June Fathers' Day in Arequipa
After a morning spent in the museum opposite Santa Catalina. so we made a return visit to celebrate at the Tradicion Arequipenas restaurant for lunch. Spent 4:30 to 8:30pm catching up with diary on Internet before leaving by overnight bus to Ica.
No doubt about it Arequipa made a fine stop, the best south of Lima.
16 June ICA
Originally checked in at Hotel las Brisas but the place didn't seem right, dirty and no towels for instance - we came to the opinion its real business was as a sex stop so moved on before paying.
The Hostal Silmar was much better but the morning was very noisy from a game of Arcadian being played enthusiastically next door, not suitable for the sleep we needed! So we wandered into town and saw a woman posting an A5 invitation to a photograph exhibition and decided to have a look.
It turned out to be more like a party than an exhibition. Met a larger than life Irish-Peruvian who drives a 4 wheel drive truck on expeditions into the desert. More interested in Joan than me! nevertheless we had a fine dinner together in El Otro Penocito, the best restaurant in town, of chicken stuffed with spinach in a sauce of pisco sour, pecan nuts etc. He explained that many Italian descendents live in Ica and they still dominated the local Wine Industry, there were other localities dominated by French and Spanish immigrants in much the same way. The wine was fine. But he rather lost interest when it was obvious we weren't potential customers!
17 June PISCO and Lagunillas
Very much on the tourist trail for good reason this is generally the first stop for tour parties going south of Lima. Immediately as bus arrived we were latched onto and taken to Pasada Hispana our first choice was full, but we got a nice room in the nearby La Pasada. The owner sold us a tour for tomorrow of Islas Ballestas for 30 soles each.
We decided to go to Paracas for the day and discussed it with the hotel owner, he suggested a taxi and recommended a restaurant, but when the taxi arrived he took over from the taxi driver and later handed us over to the restaurant. Not exactly pleased we said adios and left in search of an alternative and found El Delfin? where we ate Ceviche as a starter followed by by fish in batter. The owner was most helpful told us the bus times to get to Lagunillas and without pushing at all suggested we take a car with driver for tour around at the same cost as a place on a group tour. We opted for the bus to Lagunillas at 1 sole each and had a very pleasant walk along a fine beach which we fully recommend.
18 June Tour of Islas Ballestas
Tour started on time at 7:20 and soon transferred to a powerful 2 engined boat and provided with excellent life jackets. The only downside was the mist making it distinctly sweater weather.
Nevertheless there was much to see in form of Sea Lions, Gannets, 3 types of Cormorants, Terns, Red headed vultures, a small type of Humbolt Penquins (named after current?), Fishing boats and Pelicans near shore.
Bus in the afternoon to Lagunillas for a very successful walk along the dunes and mid afternoon the sun came out at last.
Back in Pisco we booked Pisco to Lima for 9 tomorrow followed by an 8 hour wait (spent at Zoo - good part on Selva) then Lima to Huaraz, both economico. We took waiting taxi predator at zoo gates back to Miraflores who tried to charge 10 USD rather than 10 soles, he like others is on the look out for uniformed tourists.
The coach to Arequipa was empty on leaving Puno but filled up with Peruvians on reaching Juliaca. The road was newly tarmacked and very fast taking 6 instead of the 12 hours suggested in the guide book. Cows and sheep changing to Llamas and Alpaca and the Vicuna on the 4500m Alto-plano. We stayed at the excellently run Hotel Miamaka, 70 soles (20 USD noted) aimed at better heeled tourists because Los Balcones de Catalina our first choice was full, so we missed the camaraderie of the backpackers.
 |
| Plaza de Armas Arequipa |
Rocoto relleno pastel de papa
Camarones a la plancha
Chicarrones
Cuy chactoo (fried)
with Queso o Helado to finish
Arequipa marked itself out as the best run city we had visited in Peru but even so the streets were full of armoured vehicles, a sure sign the emergency wasn't over.
11 June
In the morning we went to Convent Santa Catalina, wonderful place over 400 years old built of white sillar stone which has survived several earthquakes since 1579.  |
| One Nun's Private Kitchen |
 |
| Santa Catalina |
For lunch we took a taxi to Tradicion Arequipenas a beautiful garden restaurant, wonderful to eat out at midday in this sun. We ate Pequeno Tradicional with Queso helado vanilla for desert with the usual litre of lemonado.
In the evening we went to see a Son et Lumiere history of Arequipa by which time it was distinctly chilly.The inflatable Mish mountains had volcanoes which erupted spectacularly to applause and a young girl Juanita was sacrificed to the volcano and flew off to heaven to and everyone clapped.
12 June
 |
| Mancion del Fundador |
Final stop was a miraor with views.Back in town we walked to the Sol y Mayo another fine garden restaurant, where I chose Cuy but was still not impressed.
13 June
We took a two day guided tour by minibus staying overnight in Chivay where there was a traditional evening entertainment of music and dancing. There were two couples of our age Jan and Ian who farmed in New Zealand travelling independently like us. Peter and Diane were on a 2 to 3 year tour of the world (South Africa, Eygpt, Turkey, Russia, Baltic States, Train Moscow to Beijing, across China booking next hotel by Internet, now South America, with Asia, New Zealand and Australia to follow).
The party was completed by a group of three from Holland, unfortunately he had had his bag stolen on the snatched in the street whilst waiting for the pick-up. His daughter Diana now with a friend had been traveling several months in South America (Mexico and Equador) and she was delighted that her father had come over especially to see her.
14 June
 |
| Condor Watchers |
 |
| Condor Gotcha |
 |
| Looking back at Colca Canyon |
After a morning spent in the museum opposite Santa Catalina. so we made a return visit to celebrate at the Tradicion Arequipenas restaurant for lunch. Spent 4:30 to 8:30pm catching up with diary on Internet before leaving by overnight bus to Ica.
No doubt about it Arequipa made a fine stop, the best south of Lima.
16 June ICA
Originally checked in at Hotel las Brisas but the place didn't seem right, dirty and no towels for instance - we came to the opinion its real business was as a sex stop so moved on before paying.
The Hostal Silmar was much better but the morning was very noisy from a game of Arcadian being played enthusiastically next door, not suitable for the sleep we needed! So we wandered into town and saw a woman posting an A5 invitation to a photograph exhibition and decided to have a look.
It turned out to be more like a party than an exhibition. Met a larger than life Irish-Peruvian who drives a 4 wheel drive truck on expeditions into the desert. More interested in Joan than me! nevertheless we had a fine dinner together in El Otro Penocito, the best restaurant in town, of chicken stuffed with spinach in a sauce of pisco sour, pecan nuts etc. He explained that many Italian descendents live in Ica and they still dominated the local Wine Industry, there were other localities dominated by French and Spanish immigrants in much the same way. The wine was fine. But he rather lost interest when it was obvious we weren't potential customers!
17 June PISCO and Lagunillas
Very much on the tourist trail for good reason this is generally the first stop for tour parties going south of Lima. Immediately as bus arrived we were latched onto and taken to Pasada Hispana our first choice was full, but we got a nice room in the nearby La Pasada. The owner sold us a tour for tomorrow of Islas Ballestas for 30 soles each.
We decided to go to Paracas for the day and discussed it with the hotel owner, he suggested a taxi and recommended a restaurant, but when the taxi arrived he took over from the taxi driver and later handed us over to the restaurant. Not exactly pleased we said adios and left in search of an alternative and found El Delfin? where we ate Ceviche as a starter followed by by fish in batter. The owner was most helpful told us the bus times to get to Lagunillas and without pushing at all suggested we take a car with driver for tour around at the same cost as a place on a group tour. We opted for the bus to Lagunillas at 1 sole each and had a very pleasant walk along a fine beach which we fully recommend.
18 June Tour of Islas Ballestas
Tour started on time at 7:20 and soon transferred to a powerful 2 engined boat and provided with excellent life jackets. The only downside was the mist making it distinctly sweater weather.
 |
| Sea Lions at Islas Ballestos |
 |
| Pelicans |
 |
| Lagunillas |
Back in Pisco we booked Pisco to Lima for 9 tomorrow followed by an 8 hour wait (spent at Zoo - good part on Selva) then Lima to Huaraz, both economico. We took waiting taxi predator at zoo gates back to Miraflores who tried to charge 10 USD rather than 10 soles, he like others is on the look out for uniformed tourists.
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