Arequipa

This is an absolutly gorgeous city.

After the worlds shortest 16h bus ride, we came to Arequipa ready to explore the city. Arequipa is known for its colonial Spanish architecture and gastronomy. It also has a few natural landmarks around it, like Colca Canyon, Chachani & El Misti volcanos and the Salinas salt flats. We didn’t really know what we were going to do when we arrived, likely just take a day to explore and then decide from there.

We checked in and met our dorm mates, who as luck would have it were all from Edmonton or Calgary. This quad was on a post grad whirlwind trip around Peru. They’re first plan of action was to organize an afternoon outdoor rock climbing session to Chili Canyon in their limited time. Our plan was to tag along.

Rock climbing was fun. Our guide’s Alejandro and Juan-Carlos set up three routes for us all. The routes were beginner to intermediate skill. With Cam and I’s experience, we helped belay the other four, and we could get more routes done. I lead climbed a new route for everyone, and an extra challenging 5th route was put in for us to attempt.

We climbed well into the darkness. After we were all exhausted, we all went for dinner together to Las Gringas, which serves the exact kind of food you think it does. We got bread bowls, while the rest of the gang got burgers and pizza.

Our second day was spent running errands in the morning. When you travel for a long period of time, you have to have days getting new supplies for future travels. Our afternoon was spent on a walking tour around the city.

Jorge was our guide, and we spent two hours with him as he told us the history of Arequipa. It wasn’t a city until the Spanish arrived, and they used it as a trading hub between Lima and Bolivia. Previously, it was an agriculture valley. Here, it is very distinct the difference in attitude towards the Spanish colonization of South America. In Ecuador, there is a serious effort to regain indigenous pre-Spanish and Inca customs and traditions. In Arequipa, there are buildings celebrating “400 years since Spanish first contact.” The majority of Peru is also very catholic, while Ecuador is more areligious.

The main market in Arequipa is really cool. It’s sectioned off by type of good. The main fruit street was our favorite. The colours of the fruits are very pretty, and the local fruits are really good. Our new favorites are the cherimoya and the lucuma. We had some really good empanada’s from the market as well.

The evening was spent splurging at a nice restaurant. The location of choice was Kao, a Thai-Peruvian fusion restaurant. Cam got a green curry, and I a beef stir fry. The flavours on these dishes were incredible. Many Peruvian fusions borrow from East and Southeast Asia. So the dishes have a mixture of aggressive spices and sauces with local fresh meats and vegetables. Our iced teas were wonderful too, just the right amount of sweetness.

Our final full day in Arequipa was an “admin,” day. These are days where we develop our plans for the future, book any necessary transportation or hostels, and change our route to Patagonia based off of other travelers recommendations. They are also good rest days for our bodies.

We still walked around town a bit though. The highlight of the city is the Plaza de Armas, the main square. Here a massive church lines the north side of the plaza. It is essentially car free, with walking roads extending out from it. The whole atmosphere is very welcoming and beautiful.

Arequipa was great, but we have more hikes to do. Out of El Misti, Chachani, and Colca Canyon, we decided which journey we were going to take. We will see you there!