Today I have a very light plan, just joined a half day morning tour to the countryside, seeing some lookout of the El Misti and Chachani volcanoes, some famous houses and a mill farm in the surrounding neighborhoods outside of the downtown areas. And then back for lunch, and just plan for my trip to Chile tomorrow. I am planning to take a morning bus to Tacna - the border town (already bought the ticket), and then I will have to find out how to cross the border to Arica, Chile, either by train or taxi, there are bus too. But I prefer the early two options. As of this morning, I still don't have a hotel booking, and not sure what time I will arrive in Arica. I shoot out a few emails last night to a few hotel in Arica. The first one comes back is US$37 a night. Everyone says Chile is the most expensive country in South America, I am afraid it is true, although I am only staying in Chile for 2 and a half week. I think I will be able to manage the higher cost. Now I am realize the next 10 days I will be running a bit hasty, visiting 3 cities separated by long distance before the Easter Island. I probably could have used a few more days to see Chile, but probably not going to change my tickets again which costs a lot of money. Will just do my best to see whatever I can.
Back to the countryside tour, the highlight is the Mirador de Yanahuara, Mirador de Sachaca, and Molino de Sabandia, the low point is the alpaca clothing shop where has a mini zoo containing all 4 members of the llama family. Like vicuña, guanaco is also not domesticated and it is the first time I see this guy, they can hardly be seen in the wild in Peru too if I understand correctly. Anyway, the whole point of going to that shop is not for the zoo, but trying to get you buy some alpaca products. Try a type of ice-cream called Churrito (a mixture of milk, coconut, vanilla and cinnamon) in the little shop after climbing the Sachaca tower, the ice-cream tastes really good. I like it. At one of the sightseeing point - La Mansión del Fundador, or the mansion of the founder of Arequipa. I try to walk closer to a llama to take a picture, that breast spits at me, Bitch! I don't know if it hits me or not, probably do, but with little spit, I can smell it all the way back to Arequipa. Molino de Sabandia is a old mill, the area looks quite beautiful, you can see the owner of the mill sitting in some private areas sipping his tea, very relaxing.
I think this tour is not a must for visiting Arequipa, but if there is extra time, and instead of wasting bargaining with the taxi driver to go to this place and that, the tour can save you some times to dealing with the taxi drivers. It does go to a few good lookout places, where one can takes a lot of pictures. I would recommend people to take the morning tour (9:00am-1:00pm) though, partly you still have a good afternoon to spend to do whatever you like, and the weather tends to be better in the morning, it seems so far, for the time I have been staying here anyway.
Have a good lunch menu for 5 Soles (less than US$2). That is so much better than the two lunch buffets I had in the Canyon already. What the hack! Pick up my laundry, go back to the hotel, grab my laptop, start my cafe tour, go to two cafes where Wi-fi is available, the first says they have it, I connect to it and it does not work. The second does, so I sit there sipping my tea and typing my blog entries for 2 hours. Dinner, I have gone completely western, I just feel the need to have something satisfying and something I am totally comfortable with at the very last. Probably not as exciting as the Cuy dinner, but it's a very satisfying dinner, for 35 Soles (less than US$12), I have a cream of mushroom soup, two BBQ meat combo with fries, and a coca cola. They are good too. (see the picture). The beef is probably a bit raw for me, a couple friends of mine would love it. I eat it anyway.
Get another email from another hotel in Arica, they offer me a room for US$16 a night, so I quickly confirm it. I still have not had an idea about the train crossing the border, the tour details in Arica. Guess I'll find out tomorrow. The bus is scheduled for 7:30am in the morning, which means I must leave the hotel before 6:30am, probably no breakfast. I better sleep early tonight. More in Chile...
Photos here: Day 37
