From Lima to Arequipa

Que tal?

The Hotel Espana was very unique, oh yeah, thats where we stayed in Lima. We arrived at 1am in the morning and went to bed. The insesant horns woke us up around 9am and we started our day. Right outside or our room was a small jungle of planets that draped almost to the floor where the tortoises and cats would hide and play. That morning a British dude was leaving, a Californian guy was sick and layed in bed, two French girls were out and about, a Canadian girl was packing to leave in the night, and an Austalian guy left. It was quite the hub. Here is the room . . .

Here is a picture of the entrance way. It used to be an old and large mansion.

We walked around the city exchanging money, buying a travel murse (male purse) for me, Erik, and going to the super market to get water. It was warm and humid. We walked around all the plazas and headed back.

Here is just one site in Lima, Peru . . . with Chris is it too.

Hannah, the Canadian girl, was back at the hostel talking with Adam so Chris and started asking questions. Hannah had traveled for 6 months. Adam was one month into his 6 months of traveling. That seems to be a magic number.

We played cards at the hostel and a Belgan guy joined us. He was also just finishing his 6 months. His name was Koen but pronounced much more Euro than you just did in your head. Think a "ooa" sound but with your lips all pickered. All us guys went to Chinese food for dinner. Hannah had to catch her flight. . . . Oh, this is funny. It was so warm that when we played cards in the outside patio cafe we Californians had our shirts off; all the Euros had pants and shirts on. Sometimes long sleeves. We Caly folk are casual.

The next day we walked to the bus station for our trip to Arequipa. Bus ride numero uno. It was going to be 16 hours. Here is what my seat looked like . . .

The drive was long with 3 movies in Spanish: Armegedon, the plane movie with Jodie Foster where she freaks out for 2 hours, and Hotel Rwanda. It actually was helpful in recognizing words and practicing your listening skills.

We stopped for dinner and other than that only to pick up other travelers. It was hot, humid, and muggy in the bus. The Peruvians do not like heat but apparently not as much as a breeze. They closed all the windows in the bus whenever it was moving. So 17 hours later we arrived at 8:30am the next day which happens to be today, Thursday, March . . . um, whatever.

We hopped a taxi to the center of town where we eventually found a nice hostel. No dormatory here. Not that we did not want one, they just did not have one and the double room was only 4 soles more than the hostel in Lima.

Got in and walked around . . .

Here is the Plaza de Armas which reminded me of Italy. It had restuarants and shops along the outside and a fountain with pigeons.

We got to experience a politcal rally with signs, burning stuff, and a paper machet devil to convince people to vote for el presidente.

The rally eventually combined into all political parties rally in a circle around the plaza yelling and shouting and marching and driving and honking. It was quite the experience.

We left the mayhem and headed to a park where we would have been able to see the distant volcanoe but it was too overcast.

Here I am over looking some terraced farms with the base of the volcanoe in the back ground. The peak is almost 6000 meters.

Around the park there were other rallies going on but not for politics, for food.


My time is running out. Until next time.

Hasta luego! from Arequipa, Peru.