A trip to Arequipa

Arequipa is a city on the Southern coast of Peru, the 2nd largest city after Lima known as the white city due to the white rock used to construct its buildings.
I decided to spend 4 days in Arequipa so that I would be able to have time to visit the famous Colca Canyon just outside of the city.

The beauty about being part of the VTP volunteering programme is that you get to meet so many people, especially other volunteers.
Shelley, a girl from Warminster, England, arrived in Arequipa to volunteer at the end of May and thanks to facebook, I'd already gotten to know her pretty well, so when I mentioned my trip to Arequipa, we organised to meet up. As with all volunteers Shelley was staying with a host family who kindly offered to accomodate me in Arequipa until Shadia arrived on the Monday on VTP business.

I arrived at 8am Saturday morning the 4th June, sleep-deprived at a very modest Arequipan airport but warmly welcomed by Shelley and her host family. Then came my favourite part, checking out the family house and I was BLOWN AWAY, it was a mansion. In their Jeep, we pulled up the drive to their house fronted by a huge garden, something I hadn't seen for a while coming from a small 3 bed flat in Lima, it was such a shock!

With 3 sons and 1 daughter, the family seemed perfect after just 30 minutes of knowing them and just so so welcoming! Shelley was definately going to have a good stay with them.

Shelley took me on a tour of the house and we chatted and chatted, even showing the kids some typical English Youtube videos, classics such as Harry Potter puppet pals and Charlie bit me, there English was so good and they were loving the vids!

By the time we knew it, it was lunchtime and my favourite was being served, Lomo Saltado and it was delicious!!!

In the afternoon, the Mum and Dad took me and Shelley on a trip to the city centre, we walked around Plaza de Armas, the main square, and obviously nosed around a few souvenir shops. Then we tried the local Picarrones, fried dough with honey sauce, with a side of Arequipan cola, how very cultured of us!

That night was an early night, 8.30pm, we had to be up at 1.30am the next day for the Colca Canyon tour. Dazed and confused after our middle of the night wake up call, we got on the bus at 2am for our 3 hour journey. 3 hours on the coldest bus of my life, it must have been minus numbers and the window next to me kept opening everytime I attempted to shut it. But thanks to bubbles jackets borrowed from Shelley's host mum, we just about survived.

Despite the unbearable cold journey, it was all worth it in the end, we saw the deep canyon (apparently the deepest in the world) and the famous Condor birds! We even took a trip to the local baths despite feeling like we were interrupting the fun of the locals there haha!

I found a hostel for the Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights in Arequipa as Shadia was arriving Monday morning and I would be helping her out visiting schools for the VTP programme. 45 soles (£10) for both of us with a private bathroom, hot water and cable TV wasnt bad at all!!
So between visiting schools, we nosed a bit more around the city. We visited the Monastery, a monastery with a bit of a difference... seeing the monks and nuns was prohibted and only allowed via paintings post-death! Also, we ate at a roof-top restaurant in the main square, poor service but beautiful trout salads and amazing views across the city!

Tuesday evening was our last night in Arequipa and with Shelley so of course we found an Irish pub and a few baileys went down a treat but the 5am start back to Lima the next day was looming in mine and Shadia's minds.

I really enjoyed Arequipa, a really pretty and friendly city with cheaper taxis than Lima too haha! Not forgetting to mention its delicious Ricotto Rellena : an Arequipan dish of pepper stuffed with meat and vegetables.