The White City

We arrived in Arequipa after a very long and harrowing bus ride from La Paz. The journey was highlighted by a maniacal bus driver going way too fast. At one stage most of the passengers were airborne after we hit a bump in the road. Also, we had to sit right at the back of the bus where the toilets were. The toilets smelled like they had never been cleaned - ever - and every time someone opened the door you had to hold your breath for a while or risk dry reaching. A little girl on the bus befriended us and Kim gave her some chewing gum. From then on she just stood next to us the whole way just smiling and blowing bubbles. We probably encouraged her by blowing a few back.

Arequipa had a bit of a reputation as there was a documentary on TV earlier in the year where tourists had been kidnapped there in a taxi, and the people were tortured and made to give up their ATM cards and PINs. So we were a little nervous getting into taxis. However, the taxi driver was friendly and helpful and made sure he got us exactly to our hostel entrance. In fact all the taxis were good. The most we ever got charged was about 4 soles - $2 AU - so I tipped most of them a few extra soles. The trick is to use the official taxis, those with ID numbers, lights on top and stickers. The tourists that got kidnapped just accepted a ride from people with the word taxi scrawled on a beer carton on the dash apparently.

Arequipa is the second largest city in Peru, after Lima. There are about a million people living here. It is really spread out and looks huge, probably about Melbourne size, maybe a bit smaller. Arequipa is known as the 'white city' because of the Spanish buildings surrounding the central Plaza de Armas. Many of these building date back to the time the Spanish ruled here, maybe 400-500 years.

Recent earthquakes have done a bit of damage to the spires on the church but these have been rebuilt. Earthquakes are pretty common here - so too are volcanoes.

In the distance it is quite easy to see the huge volcano, El Misti, which means The Lord, in the indigenous peoples' language, Quechuan.

We did a fair bit of relaxing in Arequipa and didn't get out much, except to the restaurants. Although I did get my hair cut while I was here. The hair dresser only wanted to charge me 3 Soles ($1.50 AU) but she did an excellent job and didn't get much hair down my back, so I paid her 10 Soles and she was very happy.

We did a guided tour of the city before we left and visited most of the touristy places, including La Mansion Del Fundador, built by the Spanish Conquistadors, dating back to about 1540. Of interest in this picture is that the Roman soldiers that crucified Christ are depicted as Spanish Conquistadors, perhaps an early attempt at self-deprecating humour.

To view the slideshow please click here.