The White City and Frog Juice

Arequipa, the white city. Named so for the signature white volcanic stone used in building most of the important structures downtown - and also, because in the 17th century, only Spaniards and other "white" people lived in central Arequipa, where the access of locals and black slaves was restricted. It's been named a Unesco World Heritage site for its unique architecture and building material.

Ringed by 3 volcanos and frequently shaken by seismic activity, it's a wonder there's anything left of the city. Indeed during the last major earthquake in 2001, one of the towers of the collossal cathedral collapsed, since to be rebuilt.

Arequipa is getting closer to the highlands. At 2350 meters, the city is a good acclimatisation point before moving on for higher ground. It's also Peru's second largest city, though with 1 million inhabitants a good way behind Lima with its population of 10 million. The city is beautiful and laid back and full of nice restaurants and cafes. Not a bad place to rest for a few days while recouperating from the Colca treck. 

I've pampered myself and had a cheese icecream (queso helado - thankfully made without actual cheese - from the lovely girl in the photo below) and chocolates filled with pisco. I've also had a haircut. Once again my friendly hairdresser wasted time trying to blow-dry my hair into a sleek, disciplined bob. I could have told her that by tomorrow morning, it would be its usual unruly self.

A basic rule of thumb seems to be that the higher one goes into the mountains, the more Catholic religion is mixed with local beliefs - the worship of the sun, moon and mountains. Many people here comfortably combine praying at church and offering to mother earth. 

Shamans also still ply their trade. They can cure disease by rubbing a guinea pig on the naked body of the patient. The guinea pig subsequently has to be killed, since it has absorbed the disease and is therefore impure. This is a very challenging environment for guinea pigs!

Bad luck is cured by whipping with herbs and spitting herbal water onto the body of the patient, whereas problems with memory can be treated by drinking frog juice. The recipe is to peel the skin and remove the intestines of a frog, boil the rest for 5 minutes, then put it in the blender with milk and some mani and other local roots. 

I am not intending to try these remedies any time soon.

Tomorrow I will head on up towards Puna (3830 m), lake Titicaca and possibly spottier internet connections. Top of the world mum!