On Sunday morning I was sad to leave Arequipa behind, although I was looking forward to our next destination, the Colca Canyon.
Thanks to the location of our hotel, we were able to witness the Military parade that takes place every Sunday through the Plaza de Armas in Arequipa. Nearly every division of the army was represented and marched through while singing the Peruvian national anthem. I do hope that they rotate the divisions, or it must be really tiring for them to do this every Sunday morning.
Loaded with boxed lunches for the day, we climbed our transport and headed out of town, through neighborhoods that became poorer as we approached the outskirt of the city.
One particular sculpture we passed was dedicated to a major pastime in the city, bullfighting. Bullfights are an Arequipean tradition. In Arequipa, bullfighting refers to the fights between bulls. The tradition is for bulls against each other, until one bull backs down. These bullfights are big events and many take place on Sunday afternoons. Another reason why I wish wed had more time in Arequipa.
ourselves to enjoying the increasingly beautiful landscape in front of us, as we climbed ever higher and higher towards one of earths natural wonders, one the deepest canyons in the world.
The first part of the trip towards our picturesque lunch stop was marred by trash scattered on the landscape alongside the road. That its being used as an illegal dumping site was obvious. This wasnt a few items thrown from a vehicle, but tons and tons of trash for many miles.
But I was soon fascinated by the constant view of the Sabancaya volcanos frequent plumes of smoke. A little daunting also, as we continuously heard about, and witnessed, damage to structures due to previous earthquakes in the area.
As we got closer to the canyon, the scenery was enhanced by the cultural heritage that exists in the area, heavily terraced hillsides that date back to times. The local people maintain their ancestral traditions and continue to cultivate them in the same way.
There were also moments of sheer terror looking out the window down cliffs hundreds of feet deep, and merely inches from the side of the vehicle.
the highest paved road in the South American continent, to an altitude of 16,109 feet above sea level. I had been worried, but I didnt suffer any of the debilitating side effects that can take place, like nausea. But I did, from that time onwards, have difficulty catching my breath whenever climbing of any kind was involved.
Our mid afternoon arrival at our lodge provided us with ample time to enjoy the three thermal pools, with various degrees of temperatures, which are part of the property. We chose the medium pool, and to enjoy a Pisco Sour as well while we were able to relax. It was a but did not help with the arduous task of climbing the ramp back to our chalet afterwards. Every little effort was made harder by the reduced amount of oxygen at those altitudes.
