Arequipa and Lima

Arequipa was our next stop, actually the starting point for our next trekking adventure in the surrounding area. However, due to weather conditions, several agencies did not offer the tour we had planned, so we ended up spending a few relaxing and sunny days in this city 😎

Nevertheless, Arequipa didn't disappoint us. The well-preserved colonial buildings, colorful markets, and cozy cafes made this detour very worthwhile 😍

From there, we headed to Lima, the capital of Peru. It's not an incredibly exciting city, but you can't really skip it.

What's interesting is the situation of this 8 million city: it lies on the Pacific in the Atacama Desert and is the driest capital in the world, reportedly even drier than Cairo. The water supply comes solely from the glaciers in the Andes. Currently, climate change has a good influence because the melting glaciers bring a lot of water to the rivers. However, they have no plan B for when the glaciers are expected to disappear in 30 years...

In addition, poverty is high, and everyone has to earn their living with multiple jobs. For example, a large part of the cars in Lima is disguised as taxis, so they can pick up someone on their way to work and earn some extra money. However, tourists have to be careful because there are many criminals on the streets, and they usually drive to the most secluded ATMs. Luckily, this didn't happen to us! 🍀

To end on a positive note, we had very good food throughout Peru, especially in Lima at La Mar... mmmhh! Lima also has two of the top ten restaurants worldwide, but you have to make a reservation 2-3 months in advance... 🙃