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Archive for April, 2009

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Welcome to Cusco…massage?

Thursday, April 30th, 2009

Cara working in the room Courtyard…ish Our house

If you shut your eyes, the center of Cusco could be interchanged with any backpacking tourist mecca around the world from Kathmandu to Bangkok to Bombay. With offers of guided tours, massages, and bland restaurant food amidst gaggling conversations of English, French, German, and Hebrew, you also want to put in ear plugs.

With eyes open, packed stone houses with terra cotta roofs lead away from the chaos way up to hills crowned with grass and trees. One of these nose-bleed houses will be our home until June.

In some ways, the neighborhood of San Blas is like the South Side Slopes in Pittsburgh: walking distance to chaos – if you have a strong heart and lungs – with breathtaking views of the city below. But tucked away on side streets in this neighborhood are candle-lit restaurants, eclectic shops, and quite a few bars and lavanderias. This was an irresistible combination for us, and luckily Pittsburgh has trained us for the many stairs.

Plastered on doors throughout this artsy neighborhood are postings for live music, lost dogs, and apartments for lease. Naturally, the door we knocked on was the home of a painter whose colorful works hang throughout the house. His influence is apparent in the wood furnishings, planked walkways, modern decor, and the vast array of windows overlooking the city. The mini-apartment also has the modern amenities of cable TV, kitchenette, and a hot shower complete with growing tree limbs entering from the courtyard.

Instead of a shower on these cold mornings we rely on strong stovetop coffee and a morning climb to a nearby bakery to wake us up. In peaceful Plaza San Blas, we eat our pastry and no one offers us a massage.

Goodbye, Arequipa

Friday, April 24th, 2009

Volcano Misti from Yanahuara

We will miss:

  • Mankalu and Sarza for the best set lunches around
  • Volcano Misti for its beautiful views wherever you are in the city
  • Sunny days and cool nights
  • The laundromat that spells Adam’s name “Aron” but always remembers us
  • The numerous plays, concerts, and art gallery shows
  • Evenings relaxing in the plaza and strolling the walk-street
  • Happy hours that last from 6pm to 11pm
  • El Gato for entertaining us and never actually biting us
  • Colonial House Inn for its generous and friendly staff, great location, and tranquil atmosphere

Chile Up There

Thursday, April 23rd, 2009
Candelabra Cactus When we rented a truck to visit Lauca National Park in Chile, we were shown the wrenches, jack, and spare tire. Jorge told us we would be fine as long as we had ... [Continue reading this entry]

Land of Pisco

Monday, April 20th, 2009
Cara waits for grapes to ferment Outside the Zapata distillery Arriving at a bus terminal at night is inevitably a bad start to ... [Continue reading this entry]

Holy Week, Arequipena Style

Wednesday, April 15th, 2009
Procession in the Plaza de Armas  Easter Soup Like most of our experiences in Peru, our Semana Santa (Holy Week) revolved around food. We found ... [Continue reading this entry]

Going Shopping

Saturday, April 11th, 2009
 Potato vendor in market Alpaca, potato, wine In Pittsburgh, we cook almost every night, but in our first week in Peru it was hard to imagine ... [Continue reading this entry]

Cebiche & Flamingos

Tuesday, April 7th, 2009
Cebiche, yum Crabs, birds, and beach Flamingo taking flight  Some people go to the beach to swim and suntan. We ... [Continue reading this entry]

Hoy Adobo

Sunday, April 5th, 2009
Elsa’s Adobo On Sundays, various restaurants around Arequipa set out signs saying: "Hoy Adobo" (Today Adobo). After brief investigation, we learn that the nearby suburb Cayma is THE place to enjoy this local specialty. A ... [Continue reading this entry]

Colca Canyon

Wednesday, April 1st, 2009
Cara sitting at a viewpoint Refreshing pool in “Oasis” Andean Condor Circling 3 hours from Arequipa, through ... [Continue reading this entry]