Arequipa

My few days in Arequipa will be ones that I will always hold very dear to me. My friends Mr. and Mrs. Pletch were incredibly hospitable and provided me with a wonderful backdrop of a town so far from home.
The streets of Arequipa are narrow and cobble stoned with white stone walls lining both sides and colonial lamps lighting up the night. Cathedrals, churches and convents surround the city with a sense of serenity, bringing a wonderful spirit to the people who were kind and empathetic and genuine. Walking through Arequipa is a unique experience, and it filled me with happiness, as if it were my home.
I met up with Chris, Kim and Mathieu, my friends from the Mochu Picchu trip and we booked a white water rafting trip as well as a two day hike in Colca Canyon. The rafting trip was great fun, full of 3+ terrain and rock jumping where I managed to gain the courage to pull a front flip from 5 meters. However, it was way to short and I wish I would have gone for a second run.
The nights in Arequipa were quickly filled with restaurants serving Alpaca, Ostrich and Guinea Pig as well as night clubs filled with beautiful salsa and merenge dancers. We met some nice young women at the travel agency who took us out for a night on the town, to places not typical for seeing gringos out on the dance floor. It was wonderful fun and I am sure that my salsa moves are much improved.
The two day hike in Colca Canyon was difficult and euphoric. We started out at 1AM on an overnight bus trip that took us over pot holes and gravel stones, quite uncomfortably I may add, to the Condor Crossing where we sat for three hours as the great Peruvian condors warmed up in the morning to the sun peaking over the eastern mountain side. They started to move, and spread their 10 foot wingspan out into the sun´s rays as they leaped from the rocks and soured through the canyons with majestic praise. They soured over head and down through the canyon in circles looking for prey and giving thanks to the sun god.
We then hiked down into the canyon, about an eight hour hike that took us on a loop and over the river that had created this gigantic wonder. Colca Canyon is said to be twice as large in length and depth as the Grand Canyon in the US. On the hike, one could easily admire the intricate sides of the canyon, rocks of all colours and in patterns created only by the uniqueness of water. The condors would build their nests in these giant cliff sides in cracks and caves hundreds of feet above our hiking boots. At the end of the day, we made it to our bungalows, a place called Oasis for their three pools and tranquil spirit. The camp is without electricity, meaning the beers we bought were warm. However, when the sun went behind the Canyon sides, we were left with the largest abundance of stars I have seen so far on the trip. The complete southern hemisphere illuminated by the distance galaxies.
We woke up at 3:30AM to start our trek up the canyon side in order to avoid the heat. The moon light was our best friend as it lit the white dust under our feet and kept the 200 foot drop offs on the side in a hidden shadow. With our expedient guide, we made it up to the top in only 3 hours...an Olympic feat for sure.
It was difficult saying goodbye to my friends in Arequipa, a place of which I quickly came to love. The white city (known because of the volcanic stone that they build houses, buildings and churches with) is one of my favorite in the world. I felt so at home.