0Arequipa, Peru
24th October 2007
Praying to the Pachamama
The first I heard about the Andean Condor was in the book that first fired my imagination about this continent: Biggles and the Cruise of the Condor. For some reason I’d always envisaged condors as being more like an eagle. Perhaps it was reading about the grace with which they moved. On discovering condors are actually a member of the vulture family, I became a little less interested in them. Nonetheless, my interest in the geology of this particular area had me enthusiastic enough to marvel at the depths of Colca Canyon, and if I got to see some condors, well, that would be fine too.
0Arequipa, Peru
22nd October 2007
The White City
Arequipa is one of the wealthier regions of Peru. Wealthy enough, in fact, for separatist elements to occasionally call for autonomy. Aside from Trujillo, Arequipa is the only other place in Peru I’ve seen to date with areas still displaying concentrated examples of colonial architecture that remind me of Spain. I’m sure they exist in Lima, but I only got to the historic centre of that city at nighttime. I can see why the Arequipeños are so proud of their city. The setting is grand, and the white-ash sillar that forms many of their buildings gives it a perpetually clean appearance under the brilliant sunlight. No wonder then, that it’s called the white city.
0Arequipa, Peru
21st October 2007
Running the gauntlet
I’ve rarely seen a place truly shut down to the extent it feels totally abandoned but today, Cusco felt like a neutron bomb had gone off and a handful of survivors were left scattered on the streets. Today was census day in Peru, and unless people had permission to move about, they had to stay indoors. Foreigners could travel around it seemed, but the locals seemed to be restricted from moving even between neighbourhoods of their home city.