Arequipa & Colca Canyon

ROAD TO TITICACA, Colca Canyon to Puno, Peru

Maca was the last village we visited in the Colca Canyon. Stood against the Andean mountains, the pure white walls and green painted doorway of Maca’s church left us a lingering feeling of the Altiplano (Andean Plateau) villages in this part of Peru. It was a feeling that emerges from simple but harsh living condition, rough but beautiful landscapes, humble villagers mingled with curious tourists. After Chivay, our minibus continued to crisscross the mountain roads in the area of Salinas and Aguada Blanca National Reserve where we passed by the day before. Soon, we bid farewell to the area with our last glance of the Misti Volcano.

The ride heading east to Puno was bumpy and felt awfully long. In mid-afternoon, we reached the picturesque Laguna Lagunillas at 4,450m above sea level. Dozens of flamingos dotted the blue icy water, against a backdrop of golden windswept landscape. In the strong and freezing winds, we stood as long as we could to take in the scenery and refreshing mountain air. After the magnificent lake, the minibus just kept on going east until the sun was set.

After hours of bus ride in the mountains, we were all exhausted when we arrived at Puno. Located right by the northwestern shore of Lake Titicaca, Puno is the largest city in the Southern Altiplano. It is a transportation hub and a convenient base for tourists to explore the lake and its islands. We walked a bit in the downtown area, found a place to grab a quick bite, and retired early to our hotel room to gain some rest in order to get over the high altitude syndrome as best as we could. The next day, we would sail out the highest navigable lake (by large boats) in the world to experience the magic of the deep blue Lake Titicaca.

Church at Maca village near Chivay.

The underside of the green doorway of Maca church.

Even at sleepy Maca, tourism has been transforming the life of villagers in recent years. We tried a freshly squeezed juice of a local fruit which we all loved it. A small vendor next to the juice stand was an old woman selling dried roots chips which tasted delicious too.

Farewell to Misti Volcano.

By the mountain highway at an altitude of 4,450m, Laguna Lagunillas was really in the middle of nowhere.

Crystal clear water and groups of flamingos.

Peaceful scenery of Laguna Lagunillas.

Traffic police stand with advertisement of Inca Kola at downtown Puno.

Streetscape of downtown Puno near central market.

Vendors at the main covered market in Puno.

El Rancho, a grilled chicken restaurant in downtown Puno.

Bread for sale on the street of Puno.

The Glorioso Colegio Nacional de San Carlos at Pino Park in downtown Puno.

Iglesia de San Juan at Pino Park in downtown Puno.

The pedestrianized Lima Street in downtown Puno.

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LIMA
1. Peru Trip 2010
2. Bumpy Arrival, Lima & Arequipa, Peru
AREQUIPA & COLCA CANYON
3. Monasterio de Santa Catalina, Arequipa, Peru
4. Plaza de Armas, Arequipa, Peru
5. Volcanoes and Vicuna, Pampa Canahuas Natural Reserve, Patahuasi, and Patapampa, Peru
6. Yanque, Colca Canyon, Peru
7. Cruz del Condor, Colca Canyon, Peru
8. Farming Terraces, Colca Canyon, Peru
PUNO & TITICACA
9. Road to Titicaca, Colca Canyon to Puno, Peru
10. Afternoon on Taquile Island, Titicaca, Peru
11. Morning on Taquile, Titicaca, Peru
12. Inka Express, Puno to Cusco, Peru
CUSCO & SACRED VALLEY
13. Pisac & Ollantaytambo, Sacred Valley, Peru
14. Salinas de Maras, & Moray, Sacred Valley, Peru
15. Lucuma Milkshake & Plaza de Armas, Cusco, Peru
16. Saksaywaman, Cusco, Peru
INCA TRAIL
17. KM 82 to Wayllabamba, Inca Trail, Peru
18. Wayllabamba to Pacamayo, Inca Trail, Peru
19. Pacasmayo to Winay Wayna, Inca Trail, Peru
20. Winay Wayna to Machu Picchu, Inca Trail, Peru
21. Machu Piccu, Inca Trail, Peru
22. Machu Picchu in Black and White, Inca Trail, Peru
23. Afterthought, Inca Trail, Peru
LAST DAY IN CUSCO & LIMA
24. Farewell to the Incas, Cusco, Peru
25. Last Day in Peru, Lima, Peru

January 12, 2016 | Categories: Arequipa & Colca Canyon, Peru, Peru 2010, Puno & Lake Titicaca | Tags: Altiplano, Chivay, Colca Canyon, highland, Laguna Lagunillas, Maca, mountains, Peru, Puno, Salinas and Aguada Blanca, Titicaca | Leave a comment

FARMING TERRACES, Colca Canyon, Peru

We should have spent more time in the Colca Canyon. Our 2-day local tour allowed us very little time to enjoy the natural scenery of the magnificent valley, except stopping at lookouts along the way to and from the Cruz del Condor. If time allowed, we could have done one of the hiking tours that reach the very bottom of the canyon. At twice the depth of Arizona’s Grand Canyon, the bottom of Colca Canyon is much warmer and more humid than the top. The Colca Canyon is largely covered by pre-Inca farming terraces. For over a thousand years, Andean farmers constructed agricultural terraces to cultivate potatoes, maizes, and other crops in the shallow soil on mountain slopes.

After Cruz del Condor, our tour bus stopped a couple of times along the road for us to appreciate the Colca Canyon. Farming terraces carved into mountain slope, but not all were planted with crops. In fact, many terraces, especially the higher ones furthest away from the valley, looked like as if they had been abandoned for centuries. The stepping profile of the abandoned terraces revealed a fading trace of human manipulations to the rough and mountainous terrain along the Colca River in precolonial times.

It was already noontime by the time we arrived at Chivay. After lunch, we bid farewell with the rest of the tour group who would return to Arequipa. We, on the other hand, would switch bus and continue our journey over the Andean highlands to the city of Puno, where we would begin our next phase of our Peruvian journey, the Lake Titicaca.

Locals at a mountain village at the Colca Canyon.

Agricultural fields on a plateau in the Colca Valley.

[scanned positive slide] Agricultural fields and farming terraces beyond.

[scanned positive slide] Agricultural fields on a plateau overlooking the depth of Colca Canyon.

Cactus is common in Colca Canyon.

Farming terraces were everywhere.

[scanned positive slide] Farming terraces all the way down to Colca River.

Farming terraces of Colca Canyon.

[scanned positive slide] Farming terraces of Colca Canyon.

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January 8, 2016 | Categories: Arequipa & Colca Canyon, Peru, Peru 2010 | Tags: agriculture, Arequipa, Canyon, Colca Canyon, condor, Inca, Peru | Leave a comment

CRUZ DEL CONDOR, Colca Canyon, Peru

It was early in the morning. one by one, tour buses meandered through the winding road along Colca Canyon to arrive at Mirador Cruz del Condor, a popular destination in Southern Peru. Everyone was anxious to arrive at the mirador (lookout) early in the morning, when warm air rose from the canyon, helping the majestic birds to take off for their flights from their cliff-side nests. We arrived at the lookout at around 9:00am. There were already many tourists gathering along the cliff for an unobstructed view of the gliding condors.

Condors are the largest flying land birds in the Western Hemisphere. Their wing span can reach to over 3m wide. These scavengers mainly feed on carrion of the South American camelids or domesticated livestock. Andean condors become national symbols for a number of South American countries. In Peru, condors had inspired many folklore and local beliefs. Our guide told us that Andean condors were now threatened by secondary poisoning from the carcasses killed by local hunters.

We stayed at the mirador for about an hour, spending most of the time following the condors through our camera lens. Before leaving, we also checked out the jewelry and souvenir stalls near the stone cross.

Colca Canyon is about 1200m deep at Mirador Cruz del Condor

Condors circling up against the canyon backdrop

A condor flew right above us.

The lookout at Mirador Cruz del Condor

Condor at Colca Canyon

A cross monument at Mirador Cruz del Condor

Condors, tourists and the cross.

Whenever a condor glided above the tourists, it would arose excitement in the crowd.

Stone plaque at Cruz del Condor

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January 7, 2016 | Categories: Arequipa & Colca Canyon, Peru, Peru 2010 | Tags: Andes, Arequipa, bird, Canyon, Colca, condor, Cruz del Condor, mirador, mountains, Peru, wildlife | Leave a comment

YANQUE, Colca Canyon, Peru

All fellow travelers in our tour group chose Chivay as their base to stay the night. We were the only ones who picked Yanque, a sleepy village a few kilometres west of Chivay. At Yanque, we checked in at Collahua Hotel, a mountain resort with dozens of guest bungalows. Each of us have certain degrees of high altitude symptoms. After a short rest, our guide came to pick us up for the hot spring La Calera Thermal Waters in Chivay.

La Calera is an open-air hot spring. According to our guide, the thermal water came from a volcanic system nearby. My friends and I had a great time chatting in the thermal pool. After the thermal bath, I felt that all my high altitude symptoms were gone. Our guide then took us to a restaurant in Chivay for dinner. The restaurant was small but packed with tourists. After the meal, local musicians came in to play traditional music with Peruvian pan flutes and charangos. Along with the musicians, dancers dressed in colourful costumes engaged everyone of us with their delightful moves and laughter. We had some enjoyable moments, especially when one of our friends was invited to join the performers for a dance.

The next morning, we had a brief visit of the small church in Yanque, Iglesia de la Inmaculada Concepción. Similar to many colonial architecture in Arequipa, the white walls of Yanque’s Iglesia de la Inmaculada Concepcion were made of volcanic sillar stones. Touches of baroque influences such as the exquisite ornaments on the exterior were visible. Soon the guide urged everyone to get on the bus to depart for Mirador Cruz de Condor, a popular spot in Colca Canyon where visitors may get a close encounter with the mighty Andean condors.

Streetscape of Yanque.

Our room at Hotel Collahua in Yanque.

Yanque’s Hotel Collahua under the early morning sun.

Dancing children at the main square in the morning.

Iglesia de la Inmaculada Concepción, Yanque

Latin cross at Iglesia de la Inmaculada Concepción, Yanque

Iglesia de la Inmaculada Concepción, Yanque

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January 5, 2016 | Categories: Arequipa & Colca Canyon, Peru, Peru 2010 | Tags: accommodation, Arequipa, Chivay, Colca Canyon, Collahua Hotel, Iglesia de la Inmaculada Concepción, Peru, village, Yanque | Leave a comment

VOLCANOES AND VICUNA, Pampa Cañahuas Natural Reserve, Patahuasi, and Patapampa, Peru

The next morning, a tour minibus came to our hotel to pick us up for our prearranged two-day tour of the Colca Canyon. Located about 100 miles from Arequipa, Colca Canyon is a popular tourist attraction for visitors of the colonial city. Andean condors, highland wildlife, Inca farming terraces, extinct and dormant volcanoes, mountain scenery, Quechua and Aymara cultures, and a river valley over twice as deep as the Grand Canyon, the Colca Canyon has a lot to offer.

After picking up a dozen or so of fellow travelers from various hotels around Arequipa, our minibus left Arequipa and headed for the mountainous area of Salinas and Aguada Blanca National Reserve. At a midway lookout, we stopped for a short break to admire a group of vicuna under the shadow of mighty Misti Volcano. Vicuna, the national animal of Peru, is one of the two wild South American camelids and the ancient ancestor of alpacas. Wild vicuna produces some of the finest and most expensive wool in the world. The sighting of wild vicunas under the Misti officially kicked off our visit to the Peruvian highlands. Our minibus climbed up steadily from the elevation of about 2,300m to over 3,500 at a popular tourist service station at Patahuasi, where herbal tea such as coca or muna were served. Outside the service station, vendors took up a concrete lot selling all kinds of souvenirs from handicrafts to knitted garments.

After the tea and souvenir break, our minibus continued to ascend the highlands above 4000m in elevation, passing by a number of scenic highland wetlands and reaching the highest pass of Patapampa at 4900m. By then, many of us on the bus had shown symptoms of high altitude sickness, from stomachache to terrible headache. At Patapampa, there was a brief stop where we could take in the magnificent mountain views in the embrace of a number of extinct volcanoes. A few souvenir stalls and llamas stood by the lookout, awaiting for tourists like me who braved the high altitude sickness for a heroic feat of photographing ourselves of reaching a 4900m+ pass. To avoid the danger of high altitude sickness due to our rapid ascend from Arequipa to Patapampa, the 4900m stop was very brief while our movements outside the bus were kept in slow motion.

After Patapampa, our bus gradually descended to the mountain valley of Chivay at 3600m. Before reaching Chivay, we made a final stop at a lookout overlooking the valley. We walked over to the cliff edge to photograph the scenery of Chivay in a distance. Several Quechua vendors dressed in traditional clothing braved the scorching sun and fierce wind selling tourist souvenirs and traditional alpaca knitwear.

Leaving Arequipa behind, our minibus ascended to the highlands of Salinas and Aguada Blanca National Reserve.

Much of the landscape is rough and covered by volcanic stone.

The extinct volcanoes of the area reveal an active geological past. [Scanned positive slide]

Wild vicunas roamed these lands under the shadow of Misti Volcano. [Scanned positive slide]

Patahuasi has the only service stop between Arequipa and Chivay, and is a frequent tea stop for tour groups.

Muna and colca teas are popular among tourists.

Souvenir stalls adjacent to the service station at Patahuasi, with surreal rock formations in the backdrop.

After Patahuasi, we ascended further up to the mountainous highlands.

Large area of the highlands is saturated with water. [Scanned positive slide]

These mountain wetlands are home to unique highland animals such as Andean flamingos.

While most of us were well aware of the dizziness and headache from the high altitude soon after leaving Patahuasi, our bus quietly arrived at the highest pass of our entire journey, Patapampa at 4900m above sea level.

At Patapampa, we were greeted by several souvenir vendors…

…as well as a few llamas dressed with funny looking decorations, and uncounted piles of stone cairns as roadside shrines to the Inca goddess Pachamama.

Before reaching Chivay, we stopped at a lookout where several vendors were selling souvenirs and knitwear.

From the lookout, the village of Chivay lies at the river valley further down the road. [Scanned positive slide]

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January 3, 2016 | Categories: Arequipa & Colca Canyon, Peru, Peru 2010 | Tags: Arequipa, Canyon, Chivay, Colca, highland, llama, Misti, mountain, muna, Pachamama, Pampa Canahuas, Patahuasi, Patapampa, Peru, peruvian, Quechua, vicuna, volcano | Leave a comment

PLAZA DE ARMAS, Arequipa, Peru

After visiting Monasterio de Santa Catalina, We visited Museo Santuarios Andinos (Museum of Andean Sanctuaries) where the well preserved frozen body of Mummy Juanita is housed. Also known as the Inca Ice Maiden, Mummy Juanita was discovered in 1995 on Nevado Ampato, a dormant stratovolcano not far from Arequipa. Seeing the frozen mummy of a 12-year old Inca girl reminded us the fear and respect the precolonial Incas had for the mighty volcanoes in the area.

After the chilly exhibits, we took a relaxing stroll under the warm afternoon sun around Plaza de Armas, the historical heart of Arequipa. Built with ashlar blocks, the Arequipa Cathedral dominates one side of the plaza with its colonial Baroque facade. In adjacent, the two tier Neo-Renaissance colonnade of the Portal (Portales) was previously functioned as the town hall of Arequipa, now creating a historical backdrop for tourists to soak in the colonial atmosphere.

In the evening, we climbed up to the roof patio of Portales to enjoy our dinner. The view overlooking the Plaza de Armas was magnificent, while the distant views of the mighty volcanoes surrounding Arequipa were equally impressive. Temperature dropped significantly as the sun lowered, fortunately the restaurant owner handed us each a traditional wool poncho to keep warm. That night, we had our first taste of llama steak.

Plaza de Armas is the most iconic public space in Arequipa.

Plaza de Armas is frequented by locals and tourists.

The colonnade of the Portales, originally served as Arequipa’s town hall.

Local crossing the street at Portales. [Scanned positive slide]

Basilica Cathedral of Arequipa. [Scanned positive slide]

The bell tower of Basilica Cathedral of Arequipa. [Scanned positive slide]

Tourist restaurants occupy more than one level of the Portales, including the roof patio overlooking the archway and bell tower of Basilica Cathedral of Arequipa.

El Misti Volcano from the roof of the Portales.

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January 2, 2016 | Categories: Arequipa & Colca Canyon, Peru, Peru 2010 | Tags: Ampato, Arequipa, mummy Juanita, Museo Santuarios Andinos, Peru, Plaza de Armas, Portales | Leave a comment

MONASTERIO de SANTA CATALINA, Arequipa, Peru

Like many Spanish colonial cities, the historical core of Arequipa is laid out in a grid pattern. Occupying two city grids located three blocks north of Plaza de Armas, the enormous complex of Monasterio de Santa Catalina is the biggest tourist attraction in the city. Founded in 1579, the monastery is a nun convent of the Dominican Second Order. Dona Maria de Guzman, a rich widow, was the foundress of the monastery. At its peak, the 20,000 sq.m monastery housed about 450 people (nuns and their servants). Many upper class families were willing to pay a large sum of dowry in order to send their second daughters to the monastery as nuns. Nowadays, about 20 nuns still live in a private quarter in the complex. The majority of the monastery has been turned into an open air museum.

Monasterio de Santa Catalina is a great example of Spanish colonial architecture with unique local influences. With vivid colours, tranquil cloisters, and centuries of modifications and additions since the earthquake of 1582, the monastery has become a collection of colonial architecture and religious antiques. We spent a good couple of hours wandering in the monastery. The vivid blue, orange, and white walls gave the splendid and solemn architecture some delightful touches that echoed the vibrant colours of native cultures in Peru.

A floor plan of the monastery in display showing the extensiveness of Monasterio de Santa Catalina.

Cloister of the Orange Trees, one of the main cloisters in the monastery, is decorated with vivid blue walls and religious wall paintings.

Frescoes depicting religious stories at the cloister.

Fresco and the vivid blue wall by the cloister.

Roof drainage and the white washed walls of Monasterio de Santa Catalina.

A small court adjacent to the outdoor laundry area in Monasterio de Santa Catalina.

Steep exterior steps leading up to the rooftop.

Cluster of laundry basins where nuns washed their clothes.

Calle Sevilla in the living quarter is flanked by dwelling units for nuns, with the chapel in the background.

The vivid orange walls in the nun’s living quarter coupled with stone bench, large roof tiles, and unique roof gutter.

An atmospheric pastel coloured street corner and plant decorations looked surreal.

Stone inscription above a window opening in Monasterio de Santa Catalina.

Antique tools in a kitchen where nuns made their own food, including bread.

In almost every kitchen in the complex, there is a ceiling oculus for smoke ventilation and natural light.

There are many well preserved antiques in Monasterio de Santa Catalina, including the stone filter on the left and a wooden furniture on the right.

Portraits of nuns in a bedroom at the living quarter.

View of the living quarter, internal streets and outdoor fountain from the rooftop in Monasterio de Santa Catalina.

View from the roof top in Monasterio de Santa Catalina towards the scenery of volcanoes and mountains outside the city.

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December 2, 2015 | Categories: Arequipa & Colca Canyon, Peru, Peru 2010 | Tags: Arequipa, blog, cell, colony, Convent, courtyard, destination, dwelling, fresco, journal, kitchen, Monasterio de Santa Catalina, monastery, must see, orange, painting, Peru, peruvian, photo, religious, Santa Catalina, spanish, things-to-do, Travel | Leave a comment

Blue Lapis Road ultramarinus – beyond the sea

ROAD TO TITICACA, Colca Canyon to Puno, Peru

FARMING TERRACES, Colca Canyon, Peru

CRUZ DEL CONDOR, Colca Canyon, Peru

YANQUE, Colca Canyon, Peru

VOLCANOES AND VICUNA, Pampa Cañahuas Natural Reserve, Patahuasi, and Patapampa, Peru

PLAZA DE ARMAS, Arequipa, Peru

MONASTERIO de SANTA CATALINA, Arequipa, Peru