[2015]
[Friday 13 February 2015]
Arequipa: 3-star Hotel Casa Andina Classic Arequipa - Jerusalen 603 Seque 00000, Perú, Telephone Number: +51 54 202070
- DAY 4: Arequipa B
With its large traditional square and colonial buildings, Perú’s second largest city Arequipa has a very Spanish feel. Known as the ‘Cuidad Blanca’ (White City) and set against the backdrop of the misty volcano, Arequipa offers some truly wonderful cultural and historic sites including the Church of the Society of Jesus, the frescoes of America’s Sistine Chapel at the San Ignacio Dome and the labyrinth Santa Catalina Convent. The tour ends with a relaxed walk around the local areas of Cayma and Yanahuara. The rest of the afternoon and evening are at leisure.
…Before dawn a cock started to crow repeatedly. Janet got up early, 6-ish. She had in mind for me to stay in bed and perhaps join her later, but I got up just after she did and we went down for breakfast together.… After I had my breakfast, I left
Janet to it and returned to the room…. Janet came back later.… We went down a little before 9am and boarded the coach.
Saturday 14 February 2015, 09:14:38
Mariel our guide
We went first to a viewpoint above the valley of the same Chili River that flows through Arequipa. It was supposed to afford views of Andean volcanoes, but today these were obscured by cloud and haze. There was no hint of any volcano visible. I noticed someone ploughing with a yoke of oxen.
Saturday 14 February 2015, 09:19:22
Viewpoint above the valley of the Chili River
Saturday 14 February 2015, 09:18:28 (movie screen-capture)
Viewpoint above the valley of the Chili River. No volcano visible.
Saturday 14 February 2015, 09:23:20
Ploughing with a yoke of oxen
Saturday 14 February 2015, 09:23:20 (detail)
Ploughing with a yoke of oxen
Janet and I had one each of the local ice-creams: light brown in colour with crushed ice and chopped coconut and topped with a shake of cinnamon. Next stop was at the suburb of Yanahuara, with its church (dedicated to John the Baptist) built from sillar, a pearly white volcanic rock, on one side of the main square. People arrived at the church for a baptism.
Saturday 14 February 2015, 09:48:16
Parish church of Yanahuara
Saturday 14 February 2015, 09:48:16 (detail)
Parish church of Yanahuara
Saturday 14 February 2015, 09:48:32
Parish church of Yanahuara
Saturday 14 February 2015, 09:48:56
“Parroquia de Yanahuara” (“Parish of Yanahuara”)
Saturday 14 February 2015, 09:58:50
Totem pole. There was a viewpoint over the city to the left.
Saturday 14 February 2015, 09:59:18
Plaza
Saturday 14 February 2015, 10:00:38
People gathered at the church for a baptism
Saturday 14 February 2015, 10:00:38 (detail)
People gathered at the church for a baptism
At the end of the square was a viewpoint overlooking the city
centre.
Saturday 14 February 2015, 10:06:42
Downtown Arequipa seen from the viewpoint. Are those the elusive volcanoes in the distance?
On the opposite side from the church was the municipal building.
Saturday 14 February 2015, 10:08:02
“Callejón del Cabildo” (“Alley of the Council” or “of the Town Hall”)
Saturday 14 February 2015, 10:09:16
“Callejón del Cabildo” (“Alley of the Council” or “of the Town Hall”)
Saturday 14 February 2015, 10:10:32
Municipal building
We boarded the coach. Next stop: Iglesia de la Compañía (Church of the Company [of Jesus]), also constructed of sillar. The façade and tower looked very similar to those of the church in Yanahuara. There we left the coach,
i.e. didn’t board it again.
Saturday 14 February 2015, 10:34:04
Iglesia de la Compañía (Arequipa)
Saturday 14 February 2015, 10:34:12
Iglesia de la Compañía (Arequipa)
Saturday 14 February 2015, 10:34:30
Iglesia de la Compañía (Arequipa)
Saturday 14 February 2015, 10:34:46
Iglesia de la Compañía (Arequipa): writing on the wall
Saturday 14 February 2015, 10:37:32
Iglesia de la Compañía (Arequipa)
Saturday 14 February 2015, 10:37:32 (detail 1)
Iglesia de la Compañía (Arequipa)
Saturday 14 February 2015, 10:37:32 (detail 2)
Iglesia de la Compañía (Arequipa)
Saturday 14 February 2015, 10:45:22
Iglesia de la Compañía (Arequipa)
Saturday 14 February 2015, 10:45:32
Iglesia de la Compañía (Arequipa)
Saturday 14 February 2015, 10:45:52
Iglesia de la Compañía (Arequipa)
Saturday 14 February 2015, 11:01:54
Iglesia de la Compañía (Arequipa): cloister
Saturday 14 February 2015, 11:02:10
Iglesia de la Compañía (Arequipa): cloister
Saturday 14 February 2015, 11:02:20
Iglesia de la Compañía (Arequipa): cloister
Saturday 14 February 2015, 11:06:58
Iglesia de la Compañía (Arequipa): cloister
Saturday 14 February 2015, 11:07:08
Iglesia de la Compañía (Arequipa): view from the cloister
There was a visit to a room with a dome, the Chapel of St. Ignatius, where every inch of the walls, supports and dome, was covered with decorative painted designs of plants and animals. Photography wasn’t allowed, though.
Photo of the Chapel of St. Ignatius, Arequipa, found on the internet
From there we walked to the main square (Plaza de Armas), where there was some sort of festivity going on—
Saturday 14 February 2015, 11:13:48
Plaza de Armas, Arequipa
Saturday 14 February 2015, 11:19:12
Plaza de Armas, Arequipa
—and then to the Convent of Santa Catalina. Within its walls was a maze of streets and alleys. We were divided into two parties of 13, each with its own guide.
Saturday 14 February 2015, 11:34:18
Convent of Santa Catalina: plan of the convent
Saturday 14 February 2015, 11:34:54
Convent of Santa Catalina
Saturday 14 February 2015, 11:45:48
Convent of Santa Catalina: “locutorio” (English “locutory”), where relatives might visit novices and converse through one of the grilles
Saturday 14 February 2015, 11:48:20
Convent of Santa Catalina: “locutorio” (English “locutory”), where relatives might visit novices and converse through one of the grilles
Saturday 14 February 2015, 11:50:30
Convent of Santa Catalina: exiting the “locutorio”
Saturday 14 February 2015, 11:50:54
Convent of Santa Catalina
Saturday 14 February 2015, 11:51:20
Convent of Santa Catalina
Saturday 14 February 2015, 11:51:40
Convent of Santa Catalina
Saturday 14 February 2015, 11:52:08
Convent of Santa Catalina
Saturday 14 February 2015, 11:52:32
Convent of Santa Catalina
Saturday 14 February 2015, 11:53:36
Convent of Santa Catalina
Saturday 14 February 2015, 11:53:46
Convent of Santa Catalina
Saturday 14 February 2015, 11:56:18
Convent of Santa Catalina: the accommodation of a fully professed nun, with the bed in an alcove
Saturday 14 February 2015, 11:56:36
Convent of Santa Catalina: the accommodation of a fully professed nun
Saturday 14 February 2015, 11:57:10
Convent of Santa Catalina
Saturday 14 February 2015, 11:57:28
Convent of Santa Catalina
Saturday 14 February 2015, 11:57:56
Convent of Santa Catalina
Saturday 14 February 2015, 11:58:08
Convent of Santa Catalina
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:00:36
Convent of Santa Catalina — Psalm 130: “De profundis clamavi ad te, Domine” (“Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord”), used as a prayer for the dead
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:01:08
Convent of Santa Catalina: View through the “De profundis” door to the mortuary
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:02:28
Convent of Santa Catalina
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:03:06
Convent of Santa Catalina
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:05:30
Convent of Santa Catalina: accommodation for a nun—
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:05:54
Convent of Santa Catalina: accommodation for a nun — with the bed in an alcove, as before
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:10:04
Convent of Santa Catalina: kitchen — right: a water filter
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:10:26
Convent of Santa Catalina: water filter (hollow cone of porous stone)
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:11:20
Convent of Santa Catalina
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:11:56
Convent of Santa Catalina
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:12:50
Convent of Santa Catalina
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:13:58
Convent of Santa Catalina: part of the convent damaged by an earthquake and not restored
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:15:02
Convent of Santa Catalina
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:16:08
Convent of Santa Catalina
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:17:00
Convent of Santa Catalina: laundry. The wash basins are large amphorae, sawn in two.
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:20:16
Convent of Santa Catalina: bath
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:21:12
Convent of Santa Catalina: Cantua buxifolia, Peru’s national flower
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:21:26
Convent of Santa Catalina. Two amphorae, like those used in 12:17:00, can be seen.
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:23:10
Convent of Santa Catalina
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:23:18
Convent of Santa Catalina
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:24:06
Convent of Santa Catalina: a nun’s accommodation
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:24:18
Convent of Santa Catalina
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:25:46
Convent of Santa Catalina: kitchen
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:25:56
Convent of Santa Catalina: oven
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:26:42
Convent of Santa Catalina: back in the nun’s accommodation of 12:24:06
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:26:50
Convent of Santa Catalina: the bed in an alcove, as before
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:27:14
Convent of Santa Catalina
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:27:46
Convent of Santa Catalina
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:28:14
Convent of Santa Catalina
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:29:00
Convent of Santa Catalina
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:29:12
Convent of Santa Catalina: large kitchen
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:30:50
Convent of Santa Catalina: well
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:31:18
Convent of Santa Catalina
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:32:28
Convent of Santa Catalina
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:33:08
Convent of Santa Catalina
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:33:20
Convent of Santa Catalina
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:34:20
Convent of Santa Catalina
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:34:32
Convent of Santa Catalina
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:35:58
Convent of Santa Catalina
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:36:28
Convent of Santa Catalina
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:37:28
Convent of Santa Catalina
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:38:32
Convent of Santa Catalina
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:38:32 (detail)
Convent of Santa Catalina
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:39:34
Convent of Santa Catalina: ahead, our party standing, looking at a large “monstrance”
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:40:12
Convent of Santa Catalina: looking left from the location of the monstrance
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:40:20
Convent of Santa Catalina: looking right from the location of the monstrance
Saturday 14 February 2015, 12:42:42
Convent of Santa Catalina: the monstrance itself
Boris took a small group of us, who’d expressed the wish, to a nearby restaurant, where most of us followed his suggestion and had “lomo saltado”: beef tenderloin slices, sautéed with onions, tomatoes, aji (peppers), and other spices, served with chips underneath and rice separately.
Janet wrote: “Unfortunately we got stuck with a couple who wouldn’t shut up. The husband was one of those whose only interest was himself — and I kept glazing over.” I refer to him on later days as the “garrulous fellow”. Sometimes what he said was of interest to me, but discourse was impossible because he was only interested in voicing his own opinion. Everything she said was inconsequential and mind-numbingly boring. My appetite was a bit off, but
Janet relieved me of some of the food. There was thunder while we were there. There was only light rain as
Janet and I went back to the Plaza de Armas, where I sat on the tripod stool while she went in a supermarket (a few from our party appeared as I sat there). She wanted ice cream but settled for apple pie, which she enjoyed then and there, saying that it only lacked custard. Then we got a taxi back to the hotel. It had threadbare and patched upholstery, and didn’t strike us as roadworthy.
Janet had asked “How much?” — five Nuevos Soles — so it mattered not that he was haring rather alarmingly around a more circuitous route than seemed necessary.
Saturday 14 February 2015, 14:57:52
Taxi back to the hotel
Back in our hotel room…
[Sunday 15 February 2015]
[2015]
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