Hello Arequipa (09.03.2022)

Eleven hours of bus ride is a long time and the road to Arequipa is not the smoothest in certain sections due to the road conditions. Despite the circumstances, we managed to get some sleep on the well-equipped bus and finally arrived at the bus station in the second largest city in Peru at 10:30 local time. After collecting our luggage, we took a small shuttle organized by PeruHop and made our way through the crazy streets to the historic center of the city, where our hotel is located. This time, we are checking in at Hotel Casa Andina (https://www.casa-andina.com/es/destinos/arequipa/hoteles/casa-andina-select-arequipa) for five nights, as we will be using the city as a base for some excursions.

After more than 24 hours of continuous travel (check out at 09:45 in Huacachina the previous day) and over 13 hours on the bus, the need for a shower and a change of clothes is great. Unfortunately, we had to wait until 14:00 for the room to be ready, so we used the time to stroll through the city and establish contact with beautiful Austria. The first impression of the city confirms the feedback of some travelers we have spoken to about Arequipa. The city center, with its beautiful colonial buildings, is charming and well-maintained. We have lunch at a trendy Bobo restaurant that offers a colorful and appealing selection of Peruvian-Italian cuisine (https://13monjas.com/). Even though they didn't have Coke Zero (too commercial - haha, reminds me of Vienna 1070), the food was excellent. So we look forward to more culinary experiences in the next few days.

In the afternoon, we joined a Free Walking Tour. The approximately 2.5-hour tour of the city with a very proud local (we had been warned in Lima that the locals here are like the Tyroleans of Peru) provided a comprehensive first impression of the history, economy, food, and people. Arequipa, with its slightly more than 1 million inhabitants, is the #2 city in Peru and economically very strong. The city center, where we spent our time, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000 and offers a colorful mix of commerce and gastronomy. The name Arequipa can be traced back to the fact that many white Europeans and especially Spaniards settled in the city and forbade the locals from living in the downtown area.

The city is located at an altitude of over 2300 meters, which can be noticeable in physical well-being. We noticed it relatively soon with slight fatigue and more difficult climbing of stairs than usual ;-).. The city is surrounded by a variety of volcanoes, five of which are also active. On beautiful days (unfortunately not today because it's cloudy), you can see, among other things, the Misti volcano (5822m) and Chachani (6075m). The microclimate is moderate due to the influence of the Pacific Ocean, with few rainy days per year (around 18), of which an average of five occur in March. So today we have already experienced one, yay.

After the tour, we walked around for a while, but then decided, due to the weather and tiredness, to go to the hotel to write on the blog, plan for the next few days, and relax. Kathi found a suitable place for us to end the day with worthy soul food at a local fast food institution (https://lalucha.com.pe/). The next few days promise to be action-packed, that's all I can say.

The Daily Two:

Insight: During the walking tour, we also made a stop at a producer of various camelid wools. Camelids include llamas, alpacas (we had the opportunity to observe one live during its "bathroom break"), guanacos, and vicuñas. We were allowed to touch the different wools and learn about their qualities. It was new to us that vicuña wool is so exorbitantly expensive and clearly surpasses cashmere. For example, a sweater made of vicuña wool costs around €3500. The majority of these animals are found in the highlands of Peru and Bolivia. More about the various qualities and background of the animals: https://www.edlerzwirn.com/vikunjawolle/#:~:text=Preise%20der%20Vikunjawolle&text=Der%20Preis%20f%C3%BCr%20das%20Rohmaterial,der%20edelste%20Zwirn%20der%20Welt.

Moment of Happiness: Taking a shower at the hotel may seem trivial, but today it was the absolute highlight after the long hours of travel..