Day 109: Arequipa, Peru

Since Lin is feeling well enough to travel today we planned to hop on a night bus to Cusco tonight. Unfortunately, all bus travel in and out of Cusco has been suspended for 2 days due to large scale protests there. No one knows when buses will be allowed in because that depends on the protesters and whether things turn violent.

Mountains from on top of our hostel

Anyway, we are stuck in Arequipa yet another night. In order to deal with such a terrible position, the only way we could possibly cope was, of course, to go to the movies! ”Slumdog Millionaire” is one of the greatest movies of all time. Honest, sad, and funny, reflecting all too real conditions and trials for the people of India, it was heart rending and reminded us of all the things we normally take for granted.

Day 108: Arequipa, Peru

Lin woke up sweating, feeling like there was an angry house cat clawing it`s way out of her stomach. Ugh…Now she was struggling to stay warm. Could it have been the food from last night? Or was it the water in a grungy looking white bucket we saw being carried into the restaurant in Copacabana from whence her hot chocolate had sprung? Maybe it was just the reputedly horrid water in Peru. The flu even? Whatever it was, Lin was absolutely sure she was dying and couldn`t have welcomed it more. Read the rest of this entry »

Day 107: Arequipa, Peru

She had just finished a tiny plate of salad, had only been in the restaurant for ten minutes, tops. All of a sudden she snatches her jacket and purses and dramatically flounces up to the counter in a blur of varied shades of purple (you know, one of those people who likes to wear one color at a time so everything matches, even eyeshadow?). The poor waiter could do nothing against the unwarranted, spitting anger of this monochromatic woman. Read the rest of this entry »

Day 106: Arequipa, Peru

Saben`s camera (Canon G9 if anyone would like a recommendation on a camera NOT to buy)–our only one now!– has decided to die. Apparently all the luck of our llamas was used to save Lin from being shanked on Palm Sunday. Very unfortunate because we`re heading to Machu Picchu in a few days AND because today is Good Friday and massive amounts of people are parading through the streets singing depressing songs, wearing nice clothes, and carrying a varity of strange items such as a glass box with a wax statue of Jesus and a wooden noise maker box to let everyone know what was coming. We missed some really interesting photo opportunities as we witnessed how people begin to celebrate Easter. The streets were dark except for the “holy flames“ of candles held as they processed in the reenactment of Jesus` funeral. Hundreds (if not over 1000) of people lined the square. An astonishing procession that we are sorry to have not been able to share with you but very pleased to have witnessed ourselves.

Day 105: Arequipa, Peru

Saben looked at Lin with a face both disgusted and utterly freaked out. The bus driver must have been hungry because he stopped 3 times in one hour for a “break.“ At these stops, the aisles would flood with people, 3 bodies deep at any given second, each one vying for a sale. The bus smelled like a corncob covered in fruit and rubbing alcohol, body odor, bad breath and something else entirely indescribable mixed between human and food smells. Tragic really. Read the rest of this entry »

Day 104: Puno, Peru

Well, we couldn`t help it but we had to unceremoniously exit Bolivia without even saying goodbye. Simple but frustrating reason: no working ATM in Copacabana! We underestimated our time and costs here and, being left with only enough money for either one more night or a bus ticket to another town with an ATM, we decided we had to leave.

Before we left we had just enough time to see the massive church that dominates the square in Copacabana.

Massive Church in Copacabana

And to climb the ridiculous hill that rises above the city. It provides an amazing view of the town but its primary purpose is as a worship site for the Christians, Natives and the strange Bolivian mix of both. While we were there we were able to quietly watch a ceremony being given by an older man. He was in traditional native clothes burning a clay animal sacrifice and incense at the foot of a statue of Jesus. It doesn’t get more Bolivia than that. Read the rest of this entry »