The last few days have been relatively quiet. In Arequipa, we went on a fabulous tour of a convent that was founded about 500 years ago! And there are still nuns living the same life now! It is a huuuge convent with its own streets and squares. They lead a very hard life, with very little contact with the outside world and very little conversation inside...I would have made a lousy nun! After that we went to see Juanita. She was a 12 year old virgin sacrifice to the gods. She was...

Come join the conversation!

We had a very enjoyable day in Arequipa. It is a fantastic city--quite safe and very pretty. We went on a tour of the Santa Catalina Convent which was very interesting. In its day it was home to 500 people (200 nuns plus servants, children). It is made out of the lava rock but in the 70s they painted it blue and a sort of rusty colour. The nuns were typically the second born daughters who were sent there to pray for the sins of the family...boy we second borns always get the short end...

Come join the conversation!

That is about the extent of the Spanish I have learned so far...nine new eggs!! Not much hope for me is there? After our last update, we met our tour group and leader. It is a very full trip with 34 people on it! Our group leader has an interesting nickname, Flo. His real name is Lawrene, but he did several tours in Europe and his name sounds like Florence, so that«s how he got the nickname! Most of the people on our tour are from either the UK or Australia, with a smattering of Kiwis,...

Come join the conversation!

Lima-Pisco-Nasca-Puerto Inca-Arequipa

We've been on the road for four days now. We've been driving down the Pan American Highway along the Coast in our comfy private bus. So far the scenery has not been what I would call interesting. To the right is the ocean and to the left is...the most of NOTHING I have ever seen. We have passed through the most arid desert in the world where they haven«t had any recordable rain since the last ice age. Once in a while we drive through a little...

Come join the conversation!