Public Markets in Peru

Most of the cities and towns we´ve visited in Peru have had large public markets near the center of town. In them you can buy anything from colorful textiles to cow snouts to live animals for no more then a couple of dollars. Here are some pictures from the public market in Arequipa. Vegetarians and anyone squeamish beware, these photos are not for the faint of heart!!

these markets generally span several city blocks

frog juice, no joke

We´ve heard quite a few Peruvians boast of having thousands of types of potatoes in their country. At the central market in Arequipa, we finally got a visual.

llama heads, I´m really sorry for making you look at this, but CRAZY, right???

skinned frogs

you can buy all sorts of live animals...guinea pigs, bunnies, turkeys, parakeets, etc

Andean Apparel

Boy´s uniform on the island of Taquile

Lake Titicaca, Peru

We have found ourselves constantly admiring the beautiful colors and patterns of traditional Peruvian attire

Chivay, Peru

Exploring Lake Titicaca and Taquile Island

Yesterday afternoon we returned to Puno after an incredibly well photo-documented overnight on the island of Taquile in Lake Titicaca.

En route to the island, our boat stopped off at one of the amazing, floating Uros Islands, all of which are man-made from tortora reed. Inhabitants lay down a new layer of reeds every 15 days.

The women of the island, clad in a rainbow of textiles, cheerfully greet visitors.

Rives and Molly, (our friend from Colombia who we met trekking in the Colca Canyon), chowing down on some tortora reed.

After a 3 hours boat ride, we arrived at Taquile Island.

Our delish first meal on the island: fried trout.

The vegetarian option was less appealing... omelette with french fries. Peruvians manage to work fries in to every single meal!

We spent the night at the mud-walled home of a local family with four adorable little girls.

We spent the whole afternoon and evening hanging out in the town's main square with a bunch of awesome kids.

Sebastian, our friend from Berlin, showing one of our new little friends how to work a digital camera.

All of the boys and men on the island wear these funny hats. If a man is married, his hat is all red. The red and white caps worn by these lads signify that they are swingin' single.

The kids schooled us in soccer...

...though we blame the altitude (12,507 feet).



sunrise

Molly and Rives swimming in the frigid Lake Titicaca.

Best seats in the house for the boat ride back to Puno. What a trip!

Colca Canyon

Just got back from a three day trek through southern Peru's beautiful Colca Canyon. We met great people, saw the condors, tried alpaca for the first time (twice in one day), and the views were absolutely breathtaking. I could go on and on, but I think the pictures describe it best. Enjoy!

Colca Canyon, 4160 meters deep (more than twice the Grand Canyon)

condors!

Juan de Chu Chu, where we spent our first night in the canyon

our first taste of alpaca. not bad. I think it tastes a lot like pork.

us with our trek-mates at our first night´s lodging

view from our hut

Liz eating pacay, a delicious fruit that grows on trees throughout the canyon. Our friend Dionne from Lima taught us about them and we burned through loads of them!

success!!!

Mannequins of Arequipa

Walking around Arequipa, I couldn't help but notice that the mannequins here are a bit more expressive than I'm used to...they're pretty creepy!

Puppy! (Arequipa)

The hostal we're staying at in Arequipa is nothing special except for the adorable pug puppy, Carlitos, who lives here!

Farewell, Cusco. Good Morning, Arequipa.

We arrived in Arequipa at 6:30AM this morning after an incredible overnight bus ride. We heeded our own advice, and splurged on the 60 soles ($20) Flores luxury bus with enormous black leather seats, overhead lights, free dinner (some little bits of beef and onions with rice and a gooey, gelatinous pineapple desert), and a movie, (Attila the Hun... special), in English. When the bus pulled into the Arequipa bus terminal, we were so comfy that we didn't want to de-board! Prior to our trip, we were advised by a friend to purchase some Xanex to ease the pain of bus travel. We wrote the name Diazepam (the Peruvian version of Xanex), on a piece of paper, and, at a local pharmacy, the following conversation ensued:

Rives: (handing over the piece of paper) I need Diazepam, please.
Pharmacist: No. Need prescription for that.
Rives: My doctor says that I need it for my fear of flight.
Pharmacist: Need prescription.
Rives: He said that I didn't.
Pharmacist: Yes, you do... OK, I only give you ten pills. Generic is alright?
Rives: Yes, thank you. How much?
Pharmacist: Ten Soles ($3.33)

We really, really miss Cusco. There were moments when we considered ditching the Buenos Aires plan altogether and settling there instead. Every day we found another excuse to extend our stay. (ex: We could go whitewater rafting tomorrow! Velandia y La Tigra is playing tomorrow night! We need to eat a few more meals at Granja Heidi!) But we did it. We finally tore ourselves away from Cusco's divine clutches, and we're ready to take on Arequipa!

A Lesson in Colombian Music

New friends, Paulo and Jorje taught us a bunch about Colombian music the other day. I have lots of great new stuff on my ipod. I'll try and figure out how to put up an mp3 you can download, but for now here's a video by a relatively new Colombian band called Systema Solar, enjoy!

Peruvian Banksy?

Spotted near one of our favorite Cusco bars. No evidence to suggest it's actually Banksy, but certainly brings him to mind.

Granja Heidi (Cusco)

Thanks to Frommer's Peru 2006, we've discovered our new favorite restaurant in the world. It's called Granja Heidi. They ascribe to the slow food philosophy, but the food is well worth the wait. The restaurant was started by a German couple and the majority of their ingredients come from their farm just outside Cusco. Everything is organic and local, their homemade cheeses and yogurts are to die for! Believe it or not, we stayed an extra night in Cusco for the sole purpose of having every meal at this restaurant...

Each meal begins with a delicious amuse bouche, usually a small slice of freshly baked bread topped with some homemade cream cheese.

Delicious fresh squeezed juice (we prefer the banana-mango)

Crepes!

Amazing mixed salad with chicken (and our new friend Joanna!)

The tomato and indian spice milk of Granja's extensive milk menu (all from their own cows of course)

Stalker pic of Granja Heidi!

Andean Apparel (fashion inspiration from our travels)

Henry, 17

(percussionist, Velandia y la Tigra)

Hanging out in Cusco

We've had a great time in Cusco so far! Some pictures....

Today we went on a horseback ride to the Incan ruins of Saqsaywaman

We got off our horses and hiked for a bit. Photo op with our new Swedish friend Andreas.

The 3 hour trip cost 15 soles or about $5!!

We spent most of yesterday meadering through the cobblstoned streets of Cusco. This is the view from Qoricancha (Templo del Sol).

Qoricancha interior