Peru!!
Peru is one of those places for me (if not the very first place), where I have always wanted to travel (without knowing much about it). It is hard to believe I am actually here. I don't think I'll realize how amazing my trip really is until I go back to the states. As I approach 2 months of traveling, everything is normal for me now. I wake up everyday with the thought of where I am, because the location changes every 2-3 days. I live out of a backpack. I sometimes spend the night on buses. I wear the same 3 outfits. I meet someone from a different country everyday. I see something new everyday. I learn something new with each moment. I don't know where I will be next week.
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| practicing the local dance in the village of Chivvay |
Our first stop in Peru: Arequipa. Arequipa is located in southern Peru, and is the second largest city in the country. It is also home to the worlds deepest canyon, Colca Canyon. It is twice as deep as the Grand Canyon, but the walls are not as vertical as those of the Grand Canyon. We trekked for 3 days throughout the canyon. Our group consisted of the 3 of us, a girl from Britain, a couple from France who were on their first hike of their life, and our tour guide Juanito. The valley of the canyon is still inhabited by people of Collagua and Cabana cultures, and they still maintain their ancestoral traditions.
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| beginning the hike |
On the first day, we left the hostel at 3am. It was a 3 hour bus ride to the town of Chivvay. There we had breakfast, which in South America consists mainly of just bread. After that, we stopped at an overlook, where we got to condor watch. We saw about 5 or 6 (well, maybe we just saw the same 2 over and over.) Nonetheless, they were very neat to see. Condors are the largest flying bird in the Western Hemisphere with a wingspan up to 10 feet. (Lilah, for the first time since traveling with her, unfortunately didn't have a "fun fact.")
We began our hike aroud 9am and ended at 4 in the afternoon, stopping a few hours for lunch (beginning with soup, and followed by a dish of something
always with rice.) Halfway through the hike, our group turned into Inca Warriors! Thanks to our guide for putting insect blood on us (the eggs of the bug, cochinillas, that are on the cacti)
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| Kevin, the little boy from the hostel |
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| a view from the hostel our first night |
On our second day, we stopped at a museum to learn more about local customs, and here we drank some chicha (which is a fermented beverage derived from maize). We stayed at an oasis (which was a bit different then the night before), surrounded by beautiful palm trees and swimming pools. We had the whole afternoon to relax by the pools.
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| chicha. Salud! |
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| If you look closely you can see the trail that we had to hike up on the last day |
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| Greta in our cabana at the oasis |
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| a local walking down the mountain |
The last day we woke up at 5am to begin our trek up the canyon. It takes the average person 3 hours to hike up.
Las chicas fuertes rocked! Greta was the first person up the canyon in an hour and 45 minutes. Lilah arrived second, and myself 15 minutes after Lilah.
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| back to town |
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| a group of school children singing and playing instruments |
NEXT STOP: Machu Picchu
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