Nasca Lines Day 284 29/06/2015

The main reason why we had stopped off at Nasca was to go and see the enigma known as the Nasca Lines. These lines and shapes in the desert look innocuous from the ground but flying above them reveal perfectly strange lines hundred of metres in length as well as also depicting animal and bird shapes such as a monkey, whale, hummingbird etc. The shapes were only discovered in 1922 when an airplane flew over and the pilot could make out some strange shapes in the sand. These shapes have been studied by many famous archaeologists, physicists, astronomers etc. What they have discovered is that the Nasca people created these shapes between 200BC and 800AD. What they don't know as the Nasca's had no written records was to why. Some believe that as only the equivalent of 1 hour of water falls on this barren land per annum, the lines were created to point to the dry water sources so they could pray for rain. Others believe that the shapes point to the stars and certainly looking at the major constellations and also where the sun rises in the winter and summer solstice this bears resonance. However as neither theory can be proven as indisputable fact both theories flourish. Despite the late night before we got up early so we could make sure we could book a slot for a flight that day. We were still tired after being woken up at 3am to the whole room shaking for 4 or 5 seconds. The next morning we checked the internet to find out that 82 kms away there had been an earthquake on 5.5 on the Richter Scale. Nobody was hurt and was the 116 earthquake Peru has experienced so far this year. Probably the locals didn't even notice it but it shook us up a bit! We went to Aeroparacas offices, which is one of 3 companies recommended by Lonely Planet (there are other companies but there have been some bad accidents over the years and there is still a warning on the Foreign Office's web site about some of them). We checked that there was indeed a flight mid morning, the company's safety record was good, there was always 2 pilots on the planes and the fee of $80USD was not too much (so we weren't ripped off) and not too low (so safety was compromised). We set off to the airport 4kms away at 0930 and on arrival there was a lot of tourists waiting for their flights. The delay was due to the hazy conditions but these soon cleared and at 1100 we took off in a light aircraft with 2 pilots, us two and a family of three. As the weight has to be balanced Simon and the father of the other group sat in front and Di being the lightest had to sit on a seat on her own at the back. Our 30 minute flight took us over the Nazca desert and with commentary from the co pilot we saw the following line formations: Whale, Trapezoids, Astronaut, Monkey (Simon's favourite), Dog, Hummingbird (Di's favourite), Spider, Condor, Alcatraz, Parrot, Tree and Hands . We took lots of pictures but as the light wasn't great they didn't really show the full detail of the lines. We were soon back on the ground, slightly relieved (especially Di) that it was a smooth flight (we had read reports of people being sick on these flights) and whilst the enigma of the lines is still there, we were slightly underwhelmed by the experience. However like most things we were glad to experience it so we could recall being there and have an opinion. After a tasty lunch in a cafe back in town, we headed back to our hotel, and enjoyed sunbathing, reading and swimming in the large outdoor pool (gosh the water was cold though). That night we visited the planetarium on the hotel grounds to be given a lecture on more theories of the lines, also talking about the famous German physicist, Maria Reiche, who spent 40 years recording and clearing the lines and also was shown the star constellations in the clear southern hemisphere sky above us. We saw the southern cross, Scorpion, Venus and Jupiter close together (in a few days time there will be an eclipse between these 2 planets, a once in 300 years event). Maybe we will see it when we are on the boat in the Galapagos? The chap giving the lecture also had a telescope outside where we viewed Saturn and could make out the ring. In addition the moon was full and was giving out so much light. Through the telescope we could really see the craters on the moon and took some great pictures on the iPhone. We headed out for dinner in the town, which had a subdued atmosphere as Peru had just lost to Chile in the Copa America semi final!

Early morning at the Nasca Lines hotel 

Our plane for our flight - Cessna 207 

Back seat driver! 

Our pilot and co pilot 

Taking off over the Rio Nasca 

Trapecios 

Astronauta 

Mono (monkey) 

Enjoying the views 

Colibri (Hummingbird) 

Arana (Spider) 

Condor 

Coming into land over Nasca 

Enjoying a dip in the (very cold) pool 

Ready to sunbathe 

The moon 

Nasca Day 283 28/06/2015

Our bus to Nasca wasn't leaving Arequipa until 1330 which gave us time to visit the Monasterio de Santa Catalina in the morning. We had breakfast and used the computer in the hotel to pay for our Galapagos trip before packing our bags and heading out. The monastery occupies a whole block near the centre of Arequipa and is practically a city within a city. We decided to pay for a guide to take us around and show us the main sights. Founded in 1580. it originally housed over 200 nuns, now only 20 live in the new monastery which is part of the same complex of buildings. It's a maze of narrow streets, colourful plazas, hidden staircases, lovely courtyards and living quarters. The tour lasted just over an hour after which we had the opportunity to wander around at our leisure. Sadly it was badly damaged by the 2001 earthquake and a number of the buildings remain permanently damaged. We decided to have an early lunch and headed back to the lovely french cafe we'd been to a few days before. Unfortunately it was closed and instead went to a nearby cafe serving crepes with a huge number of different fillings. There must have been a Beetle rally on in the city with the cars driving passed the cafe and eventually parking up in Plaza de Armas (maybe part of their Father's Day celebrations?). Back at the hotel we collected our bags and got a taxi to the bus station, checking them in for our journey to Nasca, being searched, photographed and videoed as we are now accustomed to with Cruz del Sur trips. We left just after the scheduled departure time and headed north west, eventually dropping down to the coast at Camana and joining the Pan America highway. It seemed strange to see the Pacific Ocean again after being inland for so long. The landscape here is very much the same as northern Peru despite being hundreds of miles away, with a stripe of dry, arid desert that separates the sea from the Andean mountains, misty with the sea hoar. The road continually snakes around the seas edges with the sand dunes falling away steeply to meet the ocean. It's the first time in c6 weeks that we've been anywhere near sea level. We sat downstairs in the premium seats which meant that we had our own TV screens and passed away the hours gazing out of the window at the barren landscape and watching movies. (James Brown, the King of Soul for Simon and Wild for Diane). The road heads back in land south of Nasca where we finally arrived just after 2300. Our hotel was only a block away so we walked the short distance (although managed to take the back road by mistake - so much for Google Maps!), checked in, enjoyed a cold beer and headed for bed.

Monasterio de Santa Catalina - one of several plazas

The nun's living quarters before the Pope's reformation in the late 19th century 

The view from the roof 

Enjoying the view over Arequipa 

Another plaza 

The boundary with the new monastery 

A great view of volcano Chachani 

One of Arequipa's many colonial streets 

The beetle rally in Plaza de Armas 

Arequipa bus station 

Arequipa Day 282 27/06/2015

You can see the main square from the dinning area at the Kuntur Wasi and we were both a little sceptical that the Andulicia bus was no where in sight. Maybe we shouldn't have joked about the tuk tuk yesterday! We packed, checked out and walked to the shop where we'd bought our tickets from. The guy behind the counter was very jovial, told us the bus was in Chivay and gave us our money back. Reyna buses also travel between Cabanaconde and Arequipa and, with their bus parked on the square, we headed to the shop and bought tickets for the next departure which unfortunately wasn't until 1400 which would mean we wouldn't get back to Arequipa until c1930. Still, at least we'd get back. As we sat in the square wondering how to pass the time numerous westerners appeared. They'd all come on tours and were waiting to be picked up for the journey back to Arequipa. We decided to see if we could get seats on one of the minibuses and were successful at our first ask at a price of BS50, BS16 more expensive than the local bus but it was a better guarantee of getting back and would arrive much earlier despite stopping off on route as part of the tour programme. We set off just after 1000 and were lucky enough to see condors gliding on the termals as we passed Cruz del Condor. They certainly are magnificent birds from a distance and we recalled how lucky we were to have watched a family with young chicks learning to fly when we first visited Patagonia 13 years ago. The minibus stopped at a couple of lookout points on the road to Chivay before reaching La Calera hot springs. Lucky for us nobody wanted to go into the springs which meant an even earlier arrival time back in Arequipa. From here we headed to Chivay for their lunch stop. We waited on the minibus eating our sandwiches and crisps whilst everyone else tucked into their buffet lunch. We set off to head back up to the high plateau, stopping briefly at the mirador de volcanos and by a herd of llamas for photos, arriving back in Arequipa just after 1600. After dropping off our bags and showering at the hotel we headed back out to visit the city's cathedral. It dominates the main plaza stretching for the whole length of the square. Originally built in 1656 it has since been destroyed by fire and earthquakes. The inside is surprisingly plain and baroque in style. Unfortunately a large area was cordoned off to visitors including underneath one of the stain glass windows which apparently has the head of Lenin depicted on it! It was still relatively early so we had a drink in the pedestrian lane behind the church before looking for somewhere to eat. We'd spotted a restaurant near the Plaza San Fransisco but on closer inspection the menu was a bit restricted for Diane (the fussy eater!) and quite pricey so we headed back to near where we'd had a drink and ate in Misto. Surprisingly given all the tourists around it was very quiet, although the food wasn't up to much so maybe that was why.

Relieved to have gotten a lift back to Arequipa 

Pre-Inca terracing in the middle canyon 

The wonderful 360 view in the middle canyon 

Looking east towards Chivay 

Mirador de volcanos ...and below 

Arequipa cathedral 

Canon de Colca Day 281 26/06/2015

After breakfast we headed out to buy provisions and our boleto turistico (70 Nueve Soles each - £15!) to give us access to the Canon de Colca. Our plan was to walk to Sangalle at the bottom of the canyon, 1200m of descent and then the same reascent. The local shop also sold bus tickets so whilst we were there we bought them for our return trip to Arequipa with the bus leaving at 0900 tomorrow. From the square the route to the canyon heads north across farmland before dropping steeply down in to the canyon. Luckily the path is a continuation of zig zags making it slightly easier on the knees although we were both glad that we'd taken our poles with us. You could see the green oasis of Sangalle at the bottom of the canyon where there are natural swimming pools by the side of the Rio de Colca. Despite all the walking we do it's very rare for us to descend first. After just over 2 hours we reached Sangalle and stopped at one of the cabanas for drinks. Coming down had been thirsty work. After an hours rest and not wanting to delay the inevitable any longer we set off just after 1200 to head back to Cabanaconde. The sun was now high in the sky enhancing the colours across the canyon, as well as making for a hot and dusty walk back up. We stopped for lunch on the way up taking in the views. After c2 hours Diane started to flag but the sight of a hummingbird gave her a new lease of life. The area is renown for condors that nest on the rocky outcrops and are best seen early in the morning or late evening. Unfortunately the effect of the pollution from all the tourist buses is taking it's toll and they are now only occasionally seen. We weren't in luck today but the hummingbird certainly made up for it. We eventually reached the high plateau and had a rest before walking back through the farmland, passing a pack of mules heading down into the canyon carrying roof tiles. We stopped off in the square and quenched our thirst with 2.5 litres of water. The water we'd taken with us had got warm in the heat of the sun and whilst it would help to avoid dehydration it didn't help to alleviate the dryness we both felt. There was a tuk tuk parked up in the square and we joked about how long it would take to get back to Chivay in it. We were both filthy from the dust and headed back to the hotel to shower and enjoy a celebratory beer. We ate in the hotel again (no free pisco sours this time!). Argentina had just drawn with Colombia in the Copa Cup. Thinking they'd go to extra time we headed off to bed only to realise from the cheering of the hotel staff that the game went straight to penalties. Argentina won and are through to the semi finals.

The early morning view from our room 

The main square in Cabanaconde 

 About to head down into the canyon 

Sangalle - an oasis at the bottom of the canyon 

The view west 

And east 

An inviting sight 

A lovely hummingbird 

Flagging on the way back up 

Flagged! 

Heading back across the farmland to the village 

Local transport carrying goods down to Sangalle 

Cabanaconde church 

Cabanaconde Day 280 25/06/2015

We had breakfast at the hotel, finished packing our bags and checked out. We were a bit displeased with the Casona as they charge an extra 10% on the advertised price. It is hidden in the t&c's on booking.com but not easy to see and certainly not visible when you compare the price with other accommodation. Still it's a nice place and will be good to come back to after our trip to the Canon de Colca. We got a taxi to the bus station for our 0945 bus (advertised as 0915 but the lady told us yesterday that it wouldn't be going until 0945). Infact we didn't leave until after 1000 with the delay appearing to be down to the driver screwing the wheel to the axle! The first part of the journey took us back on the road to Puno which was good given we hadn't seen it on our journey here a few days ago. Arequipa really is in an amazing setting surrounded by volcanos which create a demarcation between the plains to the west and the andean mountains to the east. The outskirts of the city lack the colonial charm of the centre and are very typical half built/half demolished ramshackle townships. Despite being Peru's second largest city only c1 million people live here compared to 10 million in Lima. On the bus, we stopped along the way to drop people off/pick people up, chugging our way up the hills with gears crunching and the occasional stalling! The road continues through the high, bleak altiplano passing through the Reserva Nacional Salinas y Aguada Blanca where vicunas are protected. Eventually we turned left leaving the road to Puno and heading west to Chivay. The road continues to climb to eventually reach a high point of 4800m, passing the mirador de volcanos, before dropping down into Chivay. We stopped at the bus station, picking up passengers who then got a bit frustrated that we didn't leave for another c30 minutes and started to stamp their feet and bang on the windows, not that it seemed to perturb the driver. The local dress is very different here to in Arequipa and Puno with embroided clothing and hats. The road from Chivay to Cabanconde follows the south bank of the Canon de Colca, passing several villages and pre-Inca terracing. We stopped frequently to drop people off and pick up passengers, including a lady with two mill churns and a man with his spade and rack. Cabanaconde is just west of Cruz del Condor, the popular mirador for spotting condors floating on the thermals in the early morning. We finally arrived in the late afternoon and walked up the hill to hotel Kuntur Wasi where we'd booked to stay. The hotel is a bit of a maze with more staff than guests but at least had a bit of character. Our initial room was on the ground floor built into the rock face and we asked to move to the first floor for more light and better views of the surrounding peaks. We walked back down to the square to get a drink, watching village life. A man tided up his llama outside the bar, another man walked passed with his cow, then another with his horse then a lady with her sheep! A real menagerie of animals! We had dinner at hotel which was surprisingly good and were treated to free pisco sours, before watching the last 10 minutes of the Peru v Bolivia game in the Copa Cup along with the hotel staff. Luckily Peru won and are now through to the semi final.

Cabanaconde set in the high Canon del Colca 

Our bus from Arequipa 

Enjoying a drink in the square 

The main square with the high andean peaks behind 

A moody sunset