Arequipa (Part 3)..

'Santa Catalina' is Arequipa's best kept open secret, secret because we never guessed that within those walls was a town within this town. The monastery was built in 1579. It was opened up to the public only in 1970. Its an amazingly beautiful religious building. Unlike the grandiose churches we visited Santa Catalina was designed to be a place where the nuns lived. This makes it different from all the other colonial religious structures built around Arequipa.

Santa Catalina from the Outside

The building is made from the signature white stellar stone quarried from the volcanoes that abound around Arequipa.  And like all the other buildings of note suffered damage during the earthquakes of 1958 and 1960. It was restored

Entrance to Santa Catalina

The map shows the layout of the little town inside those walls

The Parlor

The Nuns communicated with the outside world through windows made of wood. Exchange of products that they might have needed also happened here.

First Courtyard

We started our tour , map in hand at the First courtyard and followed the signs around this little town. Along some of the corridors we found several paintings, most of them depicting scenes from the bible. The suffering and Crucifixion of Christ was told in elaborate details through the art of their time. The paintings are supposed to belong to the Peruvian Viceroyalty period.

Clay Oven

Inside we found a world which we never thought existed. The architecture was exquisite and charming in extraordinary ways. There was so much attention to detail . The colours of the walls were vibrant. There were flowers along the walkways. There were pretty little praying halls.

One of the streets leading to several rooms where the nuns probably lived

Communal Laundry made of Clay Jar

Streets lines with Germanium

The Bell tower

The Kitchen

The communal Kitchen (seen in the picture about) was supposed to have been built in 1871 and had a full fledged bakery, dispensary and multiple stoves

Confessionals

Confessional - An Enclosed Room

It took us a good two hours to explore the entire city, walking in and out of tiny rooms and into beautiful corridors opening up into courtyards at regular junctions.
No matter how beautiful it was , I still couldn't comprehend the kind of rigorous discipline it must take to stay put within those walls, the ability to shut oneself from the world outside.
Some choices seem so hard.

M

Arequipa (Part 2)..

Travel Diaries : Oct 1


We almost forgot Juanita. I had this feeling that we had missed something precious as we walked back to our hotel room and then it came to me in a flash and we hurried back to 'Museo Santuarios Andinos'...A detour we never regretted. :)

We were not allowed cameras inside the museum. The cost of an entrance ticket was 15 soles . This did not include guide charges. The tour started with a video presentation.

'Juantia', the ice princess, a beautiful young girl ,  sacrificed to appease the Gods, was discovered on the top of Ampato volcano, her body preserved for nearly 500 years. She was discovered by the anthropologist Dr Johan Rienhard. The video explained how her body was first found and spoke about how the eruption from a neighbouring volcano melted ice which made the excavation of Juanita possible.


The video spoke about how human sacrifice was viewed in those times. The Victim was apparently chosen at birth and was not allowed access to the outside world. So they grew up with others like themselves, chosen for a special cause. When the time came , the best amongst them was chosen. The video explained that best probably meant, Good at several things and endowed with talents as opposed to beautiful. Only the unblemished were chosen for this important occasion and so the victim was mostly a young virgin girl. Most times the victim viewed it as a rare honor bestowed upon them. It was believed that the victim would live on in the other world and thus it was some kind of chance to be immortal.

Part reconstruction, the video took the viewer on Juanita's journey from Cusco , where she arrived accompanied by a court of very important people. There she was greatedby the Inca , and there was some sort of ceremony where he transfers his divinity. As they climbed the mountain and reached the top, she was given 'Chi Cha' a local brew made from corn.

Initially the cause of her death was unknown. But research yielded that she was killed by a precise blow to her right eye brow.  It is also known that she was subjected to a fast to make the effects of the Chi Cha, (which was to serve as a sedative) faster. Analysis of her stomach has shown that she had Cocoa leaves close to 8 hours before she died. DNA analysis of her heart revealed that her ancestors were from Asia.

We were given a tour of the museum where other artifacts uncovered with the mummy were kept. Explanations on the Inca concepts of duality followed. Also there were more pictures and information about the Mummy itself. Like the clothes she wore  were red and white causing speculations that she was probably royalty.  She was discovered in the foetal position(to signify that she would be reborn if I remember right). There were couple other bodies discovered, a boy and a girl on the same mountain. The mummy of the boy had been hit by lightning couple of times as there were metal objects that had been buried with him.

Finally we got to see the Mummy itself, carefully preserved at -20 C , the same temperature at the top of the mountain where she was found. As I stood there seeing the Mummy I could not imagine what this young girl must have been through.. It was disturbing in some ways that someone so young was sacrificed for the greater good

Cheers,
M

Arequipa (Part 1)...

Travel Diaries : Sep 30

I didn't take to Arequipa too well initially. Flew into the city feeling woozy and extremely tired. Before I knew it I was hit by a severe bout of nausea and I worried myself sick if it could be the altitude. Luckily plenty of water and a good hours sleep proved to be all that I needed...
We were soon out exploring the white city, gorgeous in every way. The city sits on the Andes mountains at a height of 2380 m.  In search of restaurants we roamed Jerusalem street on the look out for Peruvian food.
The most famous dish in Peru is 'Ceviche'.   Though traditionally made of fish, there are several variants available. I was lucky enough to sample some of the Vegetarian alternatives. :)

'Plaza De Armas' , the main plaza with the Cathedral in the background

Strolling along the Main Square , we sat watching people feed pigeons. We were to discover that this was a ritual in most Peruvian cities. The Plaza was bustling with activity, and the laughter and noise was contagious.  Ironic as it may seem , inspite of the hustle and bustle the plaza seemed to lull us into a certain sense of calm and we lingered on watching the crowds and soaking up the sights and sounds. It was a day for pictures, bright and sunny and absolutely gorgeous. The cathedral in the background is twin towered and was originally  built in 1612.  It was later rebuilt following damage by Earthquakes and a Fire and boasts of beautiful intricate woodwork on the insides

The Ritual of 'Pigeon Feeding'

The Plaza is surrounded by Cafes, restaurants and life in general seems to revolve around this splendid center - the pulsating heart of the city. All the buildings are built from 'Sillar' a white volcanic stone and hence the name 'White City'

"Many of the almost 250 colonial buildings entitled as Human Heritage by UNESCO, are close to the main square. Some are turned to banks, stores, restaurants and departments. This practical way of preserving the city by finding a practical use to the historical buildings, provides a great experience to the visitor who feels like visiting a living museum."

                                                                                 - Wikitravel 

The Fountain at the Plaza

We spent the rest of the day discovering the town, resorting to our favourite pass time of tottering the streets.. There were numerous little cafes tucked away.

Pretty Streets of Arequipa

The traffic is just as choatic as it is in the Indian subcontinent. Small and weird reminders of home in a distant faraway :). The policemen intervene to regulate and decongest Arequipa's busy roads every now and then

Policeman..

There are several tours on offer and we decided to try a city tour. It was a four hour ride taking us to various points within and a little away from the city and the open bus gave us vantage photographic points

Saint Lazarus Neighbourhood

The neighbourhood of Saint Lazurus , is held to be the most traditional in Arequipa. The place was built by Dominican Priests around 1538 and was to serve as the fulcrum of the evangelist movement. It served as a center to develop and build a new Spanish city. The entire neighbourhood is built with white stones , and  is lined with quaint cobblestone streets. Inside is a cathedral (which we did not visit), and  a market place named n honour of the general who first owned it. 'Pan De Ripacha'  a special kind of bread made from wheat and baked on wood is something specially made only here.

Life in Arequipa..

Alpaca Sheering..

We visited a Alpaca shearing center. Alpacas are native to the land of Peru and closely resemble their cousins the Llama. Alpaca wool has been considered valuable since Inca times.

Local Dance Form.. Men on Horses perform to the tune of vibrant peruvian music and finish off with cheers of 'Bravo Bravo' from onlooking spectators

Paucarpata Terraces with ,El Misti, volcano in the background

We drove past the 'Paucarpata Terraces' which are now considered part of 'Peruvian Cultural Heritage'. The terraces serve as agricultural systems painstakingly built into the the rugged mountain sides by the people of the Andes(Pre Inca). Its amazing how advanced the people of this region were . Apart from the obvious function of preventing erosion, It has been established that the terraces served as sophisticated climate control mechanisms. The bigger stones were placed lower down and the smaller stones occupied the upper parts. This apparently trapped heat retaining it at night when temperatures fell . Vegetables like Potatoes, Corn, Onions were all grown here

Volcanos around Arequipa..

Arequipa is surrounded by three volcanoes. The Largest 'El Misti' stands at 5822 m above sea level and is classified as a Active volcano. It last erupted in 1985 Geologists predict an erruption is due, but when thats something impossible to say. Its a strato volcano and is built by many layers of hardered lava. in 1998 there were many Inca mummies discovered on the top of this volcano.
El Misti lies between two other volcanoes Chachani (6,075 m) and Pichu-Pichu (5,669 m/18,599 ft).

The volcanoes can be seen from most places in the city and the snow covered peaks are a captivating sight.

Local Taxis

Afternoon we head out to see 'Santa Catalina' and 'Juanita' the Ice princess.

Later Guys,
M

Foray into South America...

17 days ... close to 8 cities ..2 countries..
Back home.. More tired than should be from a holiday, happy , sun burnt and dizzy from one of the most exciting rides ever. South America is a beautiful continent.
It seemed easy enough to plan a vacation with information available on the net. We thought we had done our research, but when we got there we unearthed so many little gems tucked away, we heard tales from other travellers who we ran into and we left convinced that this was one place we would have to return ..

We landed in Lima, hurried across to Arequipa - stunningly beautiful , and intriguing, Before we knew it it was time to take the road to Cusco the cultural capital of Peru. Everywhere in Cusco we saw the imprints of Spanish colonisation, and the tenacity of the Inca civilization lingering on - Beautiful Churches, town centers and markets. Cusco played host as we acclimatised ourselves for the 4 day Inca Trail. From Cusco we took the road to Machu Pichu, along the way stopping along loads of Inca Ruins and listening to the history of how the mighty Inca empire was colonised by the relatively smaller numbered Spanish colonists.Four day arduous trek, sun burnt and blistered it was a surreal moment standing in front of Machu Pichu.With Machu Pichu done we headed to the sleepy town of Puno , Visited the reed islands before crossing the border into Bolivia. La Paz is a gorgeous city. The highest capital in the world is a pleasure to visit . Uyuni came next , A bumpy bus ride and we arrived at something that looked like the sets of a wild west movie. Glad we didn't stay on. The Salar De Uyuni was otherworldly.. Back to La Paz. A day in Lima the urban capital of Peru so different in character from her other Peruvian counterparts..And it was time to fly home.

Everywhere we went we met super friendly people. We did manage to confuse a few cause we could pass as Peruvians :), but their discerning eyes told them otherwise. So they would stop and enquire about the nature of our origins and when we said India their eyes lit up.. It was super sweet. From the co -passenger on the plane who insisted on dropping us off in our hotel, to random conversations with people sitting over crowded coffee tables (some of whom we discovered were Human Rights lawyers defending victims of dictatorships), to numerous people who invited us to Dinner and Lunch the next time we were around, the hospitality of the people here never ceased to amaze us. This should probably emphasise the fact that no matter what history says the Human race has a resilient kindness that cannot be annihilated by perpetuating stupid labels and stereotypes.

We shall return and I did feel like Ulysses when he said...

"How dull it is to pause, to make an end,

To rust unburnish’d, not to shine in use!

As tho’ to breathe were life! Life piled on life

Were all too little, and of one to me

Little remains: but every hour is saved

From that eternal silence, something more,

A bringer of new things; and vile it were

For some three suns to store and hoard myself,

And this gray spirit yearning in desire

To follow knowledge like a sinking star,

Beyond the utmost bound of human thought. "

Cheers,
M

Old Habits Die Hard..

S's doggie Karna...

When he was really little...Making himself comfortable on our Moda... Look how little he is...Awwwww :)

And now much bigger ... Cosy nonetheless... Struggling to fit in :).. Old Habits really do die hard..

M

London Street Food..

I love the Food markets...They serve some of the most delicious food with the option of choosing from a wide variety of cuisines, and at a price that really is value for money.

The first one I visited was the 'Borough Market'. it happened to be a cold winters day, my first here. So all bundled up we hurried into the market. But everything there made me stop and stare...
All kinds of food, deliciously mouth watering spread out , the market a picture of gastronomic activity.
Every shop giving away free samples that we willingly devoured , which rather than help only made the choice of what to eat much harder... :)

One of the shops in Borough market..

Malaysian Curry..

Mulled Wine..Yummm!

Pasteries , cakes ... double yumm..

After a lovely day out we decided there was no better place than the market at 'Camedon'...
So thats where we went... This time we tried Mexican..

Camedon Market

The market itself is beautiful. It was a lovely day and we joined scores of sun worshipers in their quest to celebrate summer. I loved the Gothic pieces places along the market. The pubs were overflowing with people...

We also got to sit by the cannal and watch the Camedon locks in action

Much later we discovered the 'Exmouth market', close to where I work on Clarkenwell road. Its tradition on Friday to visit the food market and I personally recommend the Ghanaian food. The cake shop is an absolute favourite too.
Unfortunately I have never carried a camera on these ritual visits and so no pictures:(

Word of our market expeditions got around and a friend at work recommended another one in the same area...'The Whitecross market', much bigger and much more crowded but lovely nonetheless. Its close to Barbican and is fairly easy to find. The street was packed and when we got there the queues were already fairly long with hungry people waiting their turn with ravenous eyes :)

Feel like 'Italian'?.. Whitecross Market I love the Street Food scene in London and I just hope we uncover many more as we roam the city :) M

David Grossman..

I stalk the book reviews in The Metro .. I really do :)
This week I read something which was so deep and meaningful that I should put it up here . It was an interview with the Israeli Author David Grossman. He had spoken about his new book 'To the end of the Land' as part of which he walked across Israel ...

He says

"We never used to hike because it was so dangerous. But just being exposed to the dramatic landscape, you meet people in a disarmed way. Meeting settlers in any other context would have evolved into a clash. But out there, none of us were representative of anything. In nature, you can be more loose. You're not entrenched in your position"

Am quiet fascinated with the idea of using travel  as a tool for book research. There are times when you read something that strikes so deep a chord in you because you have known it to be true.  Its something I have felt for long though I have no journey of this magnitude to speak of.
A few years back when I discovered hiking it changed my relationship with travel forever. After that I was never satisfied with just being a tourist, (not that there is anything wrong with it) I realized that travel was how I could be part of lives that I had not known, of worlds I was not part of. Especially in a country like India inherently riddled with complexities that I found too hard to grasp, Travel gave me the rare chance to see things and make up own mind. I don't think it was by accident that Gandhi undertook a mission to travel through India before he launched the Freedom movement, That philosophers like Adi Shankara walked the land called India thrice...And more recently Chris McCandle's great adventure in Alaska...

In the article, Grossman goes on to add

"Everything in Israel is about positions.Rarely can you escape yourself and your history there.. "

Beautifully put..

The article stayed with me long after I finished reading. I saved this issue of the metro to show it to anyone who would care to read.

Hmmm..This is one book I definitely want to catch

Google took me to his article on the Israel's recent attack on the Flotilla. Some perspectives are so incisive!


M