Arequipa

[Cali vet]

Of the places we visited in Peru Arequipa would be my choice of a place to live. It reminds me more than anything of Tucson Arizona in November with cold nights and cloudless skies with brilliant sunshine in the day time. Like Tucson it's in a broad valley close against the mountains on one side and surrounded by high desert. (Unlike Tucson the mountains are snow covered.) Lake Titicaca is a relatively short bus ride away and the Peruvian jungle a short hop on a plane at cheap fares. The city center is striking with it's colonial architecture and beautiful Plaza de Armas. It's Peru's second largest city but in "el centro" at least it has the feel of a much smaller city like say Manizales in Colombia. It's loaded with upscale restaurants with a Bohemian flair that serv everything from sea urchin to alpaca, osterich and roast guina pig or "cuy". I feel a little gloomy now back in Cali knowing I can't just rent a car and drive out to the country or take a big luxery bus just about anywhere I want. I'm also back to looking over my shoulder knowing I stick out as a gringo again. Now if I could just convince my calena wife that five or ten degrees celcius at night is perfectly survivable...

[NW Jim]

... in response to Arequipa, posted by Cali vet on Sep 2, 2003

CV, know you're a married guy and not trying to get you into trouble, but what about the women?

[Cali vet]

... in response to Re: Arequipa, posted by NW Jim on Sep 2, 2003

Well for one thing I just did not see the voluptuous figures you see regularly in Colombia however I didn't get to travel in the coastal regions where I understand there's a significant African influence on the racial mix. In the interior where we traveled the the influence appeared to be about 95% Indian. You also see the effect of the major Japanese emigration that followed WWII. Also this reminds me that while Chipichapi seems to be an epicenter for voloptuoseness a goodly percentage of it is surgicly enhanced. That did not seem to be "de moda" anywhere we travelled in Peru including Miraflores the upscale suberb of Lima. On another note as there is so much US tourism I was aware for the first time of sour, dissaproving looks from the fiftyish and sixtyish "better halves" of gringo retirement couples...which I enjoyed hugely of course.

[Pete E]

... in response to Re: Re: Arequipa, posted by Cali vet on Sep 2, 2003

Whats he doing with that Girl?Doesn't he know he should have someone his own age and 40 lbs overweight?
Yes women notice,and they feel put down,because they know you are not going for anyone like them.
There are alot of negatives sometimes with Colombianas but
it seems worth it when we take a hard look at the alternative.Women you don't even want to know what they look like with their clothes off.Why bother with that?

Pete

[Red Clay]

... in response to Arequipa, posted by Cali vet on Sep 2, 2003

Glad you found someplace there that you like. It is nice to be able to travel outside the large cities and feel safe. I still practice the usual measures to prevent pickpockets, etc., everywhere in Peru.

I gotta get to work, you have seen more of the country than me and I'm married to a Peruana.

[Cold Warrior]

... in response to Arequipa, posted by Cali vet on Sep 2, 2003

that Arequipa was something like peanut butter i spread on bread.