Around Arequipa

Today I started out by going down to the plaza for breakfast and watching the morning start to get busy. I found a place open on the second floor balcony overlooking the plaza and had a nice breakfast.

The main thing on my agenda is the Monesterio de Santa Catalina, a cloistered convent built in 1850. It is over 20,000 square feet with walls 15 to 30 feet high. There are only approximately 20 nuns living there now in one corner of the monestary and the rest is open to the public. Inside it is like a small city.

Maria de Guzman, a rich widow, was the founder of the monestary. The tradition at the time was for the second son or daughter to enter the religious service and the convent only accepted women from high-class Spanish families. Each family paid a dowry for their daughter´s entrance and each nun had between one and four servants.

I had some time to kill before the Monestary opened so I went to check out the Cathedral de San Francisco.  It had some old retablos in the naves on the sides of the church. 

Sacred Heart of Jesus

St Clara de Assisi

Virgen de Amparo and Cristo de Amor

Virgen de Guadalupe

St Francis de Assisi

The Monestario de Santa Catalina was a complete wonder of beauty and archetecture.  I took over 100 pictures.  It seemed everywhere I looked was picture perfect.  The paintings in the arches in this entry courtyard are fom the 15th century.

Orange tree courtyard

Orange tree courtyard

On Zabcodober square

The laundry area

I wanted to book my Colca Canyon trek so i stopped to several tour operators and decided on using Peru Schweitz Explorer at Calle Jerusalen 314.  Luz, who worked there was very helpful and it was only half a block from my hostel.

For dinner tonight I went to Sol de Mayo restaurant.  It has been around for over 100 years and is known as one of the best restaurants in Arequipa for traditional Peruvian Food.  So of course I had to try some traditional Peruvian dishes.  The restaurant has a sprawling courtyard with indoor dining all around it.  The food was good and the ambiance of the courtyard in the late afternoon was great!

Anticuchos de Corazon - Grilled Beef Heart

Cuy Chactado - Fried Guinea Pig