Peru Days 14 - 16

Since Huacachina, we travelled to Nazca where we spent one night in a room con desayuno (with breakfast) and the best shower ever! The water was hot and strong and powerful - if we were in Canada it would probably have been too powerful for our liking, but as it was, it was perfect to get all the desert sand out of our hair and bodies from many many many days in the desert.

Unfortunately as soon as we went back outside we were covered in dust and sand again.

Que sera sera!

In Nazca we churned over the idea of taking a flight to see the Nazca lines, but in the end we decided that 1) they are lines in the dirt 2) since most Peruvians don´t have the money to see the lines this way, why should we? and 3) we´ll skip the flying sickness from a small plane - we know how they drive here!

So instead we went out to the Mirador tower in the desert and climbed the tower for 1 soles each and got to see a few of the designs on the ground. We´ve figured it out - the Nazca´s just liked art. That´s what we think. And it´s such a huge desert, they were probably for directions as well. It definately wasn´t aliens!!!!!!! We went to a museum in Ica that had Nazca art, and the lines in the sand are just the same as the pictures on their clay pottery and blankets.

After a night in Nazca we caught the afternoon bus to Arequipa. A long, long ride of about 9 hours, we arrived in the dark to Arequipa. Arequipa is the second largest city in Peru, and it is a mountain city - we are 3,000+ feet above sea level right now, so for the past couple days we have been acclimatizing and taking our altitude pills to help.

Today we toured all around Arequipa, visiting colonial houses which were a real treat, with many open courtyards, beautiful gardens, and rooftop views. We also visited some churches, and we saw not even half of what Arequipa has to offer yet. The food and accommodations and internet cafes are better here than elsewhere, so we´ll probably stay a couple more days. The background of mountains is beautiful - we only wish we could see more of the mountains from the city!

Next though... tomorrow morning we paid for a tour of Canyon del Colca. Then we´ll see many many mountains! We´ll tell you all about it later, after we´ve done it!!! xoxoxoxo