We left Copacabana and after about two hours by bus we arrived in Puno Peru. Puno, like Copacabana in Bolivia sits on the Peruvian shores of Lake Titicaca. Its economy is primarily agricultural and livestock (llamas and alpacas) based. The town is famous for its access to the floating man-made islands on lake Titicaca. We spend only a short time in Puno and soon headed on our road trip to Arequipa.
Arequipa City-After several hours of driving in the dark we arrived in Arequipa. We got off the bus into a taxi and headed directly to our Airbnb for a well needed rest. The next morning when we awoke and looked outside, we observed this giant mountain that appeared to loom immensely over the city scape, It felt so close to us. We did not expect this, so we inquired and were told that is Misti. Misti stands at 5,822 meters or 19,101ft above sea-level and forms part of a series of volcanoes in that region of Peru. The entire city scape and concurrent culture of the city is dominated by the presence of this mountain.
The city has a Spanish colonial era layout. The main historical center consists of a central plaza, surrounded by the Basilica Cathedral, shopping, restaurants, museums set off by lovely palm tress and other ornamentals. This is where you will find the locals gather to listen to music, sale their wares and air their grievances by protesting. The Santa Catalina Monastery is a major attraction in Arequipa. small city within the city.
This very popular monastery is a small self contained city that was founded in the late 16th century. It consists of many cramped but charming streets lined with tiny colorful, houses. These houses we learned, were inhabited by the nuns that lived in the monastery centuries ago. As we wondered around streets, we realized we were exploring a very old but well designed city of plazas, fountains, and cottages. The internal spaces in many of the cottages were creatively designed for the outside light to filter inside. As we prepared to complete our tour, we wondered into a lovely garden, it was like stepping back in time. A space which appeared intentionally designed for serenity and tranquility. It had seating, and planted with flowers and several types of fruit trees.
Over the ensuing two weeks, we immersed ourselves in the food, music, and the culture of the city by walking and hiking around the city. We found Tipika restaurant to be a welcoming and friendly place were you could have tasty meals for a resonable price. We absolutely enjoyed the chicharron de chancho Arequipa. we were impressed by the variety of fruits, meats, food and vegetables for sale in the market. The market was like no other we had encountered. Two memorable moments for us in this beautiful market were having our heads measured for customed felt hats at Elyca Sombrereia and drinking fresh juice from the juice bars.
Visiting Colca Canyon
Nuevo Nomads 
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Still travelling? 🤔. Hope you’re having the best time ever. You are very brave. Live life to the fullest girl. Happy birthday wishes.
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