Arequipa
Peru
Unknowingly, we arrived in Arequipa during the celebration for the town’s anniversary. Just getting a taxi for the 8 km journey from the airport to our hostel was a nightmare. The traffic was horrendous and we were charged a fortune for what should have been a short trip. Our driver decided to take the back roads through every possible neighbourhood to reach a point where road closures were in place, 1 km from the hostel. (We later discovered that there was a road only 50 metres from our accommodation that was open to motorists.) The closed-off streets were packed with over-the-top processions watched on by dense crowds of locals, forcing us to wait for a break in a glitzy, music and dancing-filled parade before being able to cross the main road. Noisy celebrations continued through the night, but I was so exhausted that I slept through it all.
Around the historic centre we found eye-catching colonial-era architecture that immediately transported us back to Europe. It was beautiful, despite the throngs of people filling the streets. Every second building seemed to be a restaurant, many of them situated in an elegant courtyard and offering a modern gastronomy experience. We were hoping that while we were here, we would have the chance to see the place without the fiesta atmosphere. (It turned out that Arequipa was a ghost town on Sundays, with nothing open and zero traffic.)
The next morning we joined the half-day Ruta de Sillar tour. Sillar is a white volcanic rock that many of the downtown buildings are made from, giving Arequipa its nickname of the 'White City'. After being picked up 40 minutes late, we first drove for 5 minutes to the Mirador de Yanahuara. There was a lengthy explanation about an unassuming baroque-style church that was half hidden behind a tree before reaching the mirador. Looking through a series of archways along the sidewalk, we cast our gaze over the buildings of Arequipa and out towards the perfectly conical Volcano Misti. The lookout wasn't very high, so there was little to see of the city. Misti also wasn't in prime viewing position, being located way off to the left.
Next, we entered the quarry where the sillar rocks are excavated. We descended into a narrow channel that gouged its way through the earth, originally formed by a watercourse centuries ago. The natural rock formations were incredibly photogenic; it took forever to walk along the path as everyone in the group wanted selfies. At the end were a few faint petroglyphs, which our guide explained in detail. By this stage we were eager to return to the bus to escape the onslaught of biting insects.
Further down the road was a sillar sculpture park, with a variety of people, animals and objects carved out of the white blocks. The facade of a tall cathedral had been started, but cracks in the rock had prevented any further progress on the building. An entire nativity scene, with both religious and Santa-themed sculptures, was the apparent highlight. Overall, it wasn't the most exciting tour we had taken part in, but it wasn't a bad way to fill in a rest day.
I had 2 days’ spare before my Chachani volcano hike, which I spent wandering around the city and hitting the tourist sights. The Plaza de Armas was wildly popular, with the colossal Basilica staring down over the square. Mercado central was also heaving with patrons and sold a wide range of both fresh and prepared foods. We couldn't get enough of the rooftop bars or courtyard restaurants, taking advantage of happy hour deals and sunset views. The sunsets were always electric orange, but the lack of tall buildings meant there was never a good vantage point to witness the spectacle.
Mirador del Carmen Alto was a 4 km walk from town through a quiet but picturesque neighbourhood. It didn't take long before I found myself surrounded by farmland, with cows and horses watching me warily. Both Chachani and Misti volcanoes could be seen from the road through a hazy glare. I still paid to enter the mirador, which didn't give me any better views than what I saw from the street. There was ziplining, a giant swing and a cafe, but I just took my poor-quality photos (thanks to the sun) and left.
Monasterio Santa Catalina, located in the middle of the historic centre, was like a city within a city. Cobbled paths led us through countless buildings over the vast site, some recreated to show how nuns have lived for the past few hundred years. Twenty or so nuns are still active here, and I’m sure their basic lodgings haven't changed much since it was built in 1579. The nuns used to be isolated from the outside world, with goods being brought to them through small holes in the wall. Things changed in 1970 when they opened up part of the monastery to visitors, although the nuns are still hidden from view today. Brightly painted courtyards and walkways with vaulted ceilings were the highlights, although the information signs posted around the rooms were quite interesting too.
The architecture, the food, the bars, the sights - Arequipa surprised us in the best way. We had been expecting to use this town as a jumping-off point for visiting volcanoes and exploring the Colca Canyon, but in the end it was one of our favourite cities in Peru.
