Arequipa (*) Revised version of the original 2007 diariosdeunabicicleta.blogspot.es , some data may not be current.
Arequipa is the second largest city in Peru size. Declared by UNESCO cultural heritage of mankind, and commonly called "white city" due to the use of ashlar volcanic stone from the area in many of the buildings in the city itself. Their houses are protected at all times by majestic volcanoes, the Chachani (6057 mts), Misti (5825 m) and Pichu Pichu (5,510 m).
Its historic center is unique in Peru because in it you can find splendid colonial houses and buildings of English and Italian Baroque. The churches in the city center are also beautiful, very well crafted decorations.
I leave you with a sample of the city
Accommodation:
Accommodation "La posada del cacique"
Price: 15 soles (3 euros and a half)
No breakfast but the hostel is in a central location. Also people from the hostel is very nice.
Where to eat: get away at all costs from the main square, where locals are more expensive, a few blocks down prices considerably. One option is to go to cooking school in Arequipa, where they serve meals of the day really cheap, yes, you can not choose the dishes, but is that the menu price was 1 or 2 euros.
Cathedral
is a majestic and strange. Among the curiosities of the cathedral is the facade occupies the entire length of the main square, a cathedral to be much wider than long. One of the best views of the city and the cathedral is in the restaurants of the square, go upstairs, grab a beer and watch the sunset is priceless.
main square
stately First, note that at the time the English empire was a really important city.
Walking ...
But what really pays off in this city is lost in its streets, admiring the colonial architecture of its more than 500 old houses, churches, monuments and people.
... walk ...
and enter the local shops or see the colorful Andalusian patios
. .. and walk.
Sticking by ancient alleys of white chairs.
Or see people lugging the cargo craft
COUN Or maybe find a picturesque cop who has been honored four times as the best police in Peru. Is now retired and works by controlling the traffic to the convent of Santa Catalina .
Or see a band playing in the middle of a square.
Volcanoes
:
Overlooking the valley are the three volcanoes in the countryside. In the picture you can see the Chachani . In many of the volcanoes in the area have found the time human sacrifices of the Incas. The most famous is the sacrifice of the child "Juanita" in the volcano's summit Ampato. In theory were made to appease the gods, and to perform the ritual the Incas had to climb the volcano and sacrifice a child. At that time the effort was Herculean, without mountaineering equipment, oxygen, only with its convictions that the sacrifice was for the community, to the girl and boy were convinced they would become gods, for them it was a privilege.
Convento de la Recoleta
Along with the convent of Santa Catalina , which I could not visit the high price entry, one of the largest religious attractions is the convent of La Recoleta a. Its cloisters are beautiful, but for me it is the main attraction.
Inside are several museums attest to the passage of religious institutions in Peru. For me, the Amazon and pre-Columbian museum are the most interesting.
The library dates from 1926 and has about 20,000 volumes, many from the sixteenth century, with an incalculable value for the country.
Ancient civilizations
The truth is that in Peru is not very complicated feel Indiana Jones or Lara Croft , ancient cultures, undiscovered treasures, sacrifices to the gods ... between cultures that can be studied in this area include the Chimu, Moche, Inca, Chancay Churajón and really interesting. To show cranial deformation. In America was a widespread custom make deformations of skulls with religious, social rank or simply practical (bone strengthening). In the picture you can see an Inca skull deformations. And how did this? from children were placed in the head tables cloth tightly fixed to the skull, so the head is adapted to the shape of the tablet. If the photo is strong there is some deformation much more striking, as two-headed skulls.
Fiesta
Leaving party to know the night Arequipa, and the truth is that it did not disappoint. The truth is that the group that we could not be more varied: Wales, Belgium, Germany, Colombia, Peru ... It is curious that in the disk foreign entry and the Peruvians were paying paid 10 soles (2.5 euros). The truth is that for better or for worse always have the image in your head that you gringo.
