The White City

After weeks in Cusco, I was dying to get out and see something else. It was my first time traveling by myself, and I just wanted to start seeing more. A friend from Aldea Yanapay, Franzi, needed to renew her 90 day Visa so we had to go to Chile for the weekend. Our plan was; Arequipa---> Mollendo ---> Tacna ---> Arica, Chile. Seems easy enough, except it consists of about a million hours in buses. 

We got to Arequipa about 5 am after a 10 hour bus ride; I recommend taking over night buses if able to. A lot of websites and blogs I had read prior said that it is unsafe, but these people are seriously over cautious. I never found it to be unsafe at all- and then you don't have to waste a night paying for a hostel! Arequipa is a beautiful city known as the White City, because of all the huge, white stone buildings that surround. I was surprised when I got there! They had the same tourist type stores as Cusco, but not as many- and we found it more expensive. However, there were also a lot more "mall" type stores, nicer restaurants, and more fast food, etc. Arequipa seemed much more like a real city to live in, not like a city made for tourist. This was nice, but at the same time, we were bored after a day. So, if you have a short trip- I wouldn't save too much time for Arequipa. 

The day we went was a Sunday during February- which means Carnival! We got to see a parade which was awesome, but we also got to be the victim of kids throwing water balloons, silly string, foam, and anythign else they could find. Gringos were the ultimate target! At least in Cusco, we either recognized most of the kids, some went to Aldea Yanapay, and if you told them NO! as if you were their teacher, they wouldn't soak you. In Arequipa, the kids gave no mercy, haha. It was fun, but just a little warning if you are in South America ( not sure which Countries go this hard during Carnival )- you may want a change of clothes near by ;) At night, we went out to the Wild Rover- which as mentioned previously, is also a crazy, fun hostel in Cusco. It was a Carnival Party, and we all got masks to drunkenly decorate. Hostels remind me of Summer Camps with a lot of alcohol. We met some always awesome, Argentinean guys - seriously whose ever met traveling Argentines that aren't great !? But they really are traveling everywhere, especially guys, I'm surprised there are any people left in the country. 

After a hungover morning, we woke up in a hurry to catch our small 20 person bus to Mollendo. To get to the station, we just got a taxi and asked for the terminal de bus- I'm assuming it is the only terminal, because there were plenty of options here for Mollendo, back to Cusco, Lima, etc. 

xx SLW