Trecking North (Huge Update)

So I´ve finished teaching in Chile and I have started my travels North. I would have updated earlier but I haven´t come across a computer that I could upload my pictures and take the time to update. Luckily I´m staying at a hostel in Puno, Peru that has a computer that lets me upload pics. without paying extra.

I found a post on craigslist looking for travel agents in San Jose, Costa Rica. I applied and after three interviews I got the job. I fly out of Lima, Peru so before my flight I'm touring Peru.

I took a 24! hour bus ride from Santiago, Chile up North to Iquique, Chile. I paid a little extra for a cama "bed" on the bus and it was a suprisingly smooth trip. The first pictues are of my hostel in Iquique. It was right next to the beach and really chill. I spent a day and a half there to kick it and relax then I caught a 6 hour bus to Arica, Chile. Its on the border of Chile and Peru. I didnt waste any time there. Its not much of a city...probably more of a little border town. I took a collectivo (a shared taxi) from Arica to Tacna, Peru. Tacna also isnt much to look at or anything to do so I spent a day there and headed to Arequipa, Peru.


This was the view from Arica, Chile to Tacna, Peru. Kinda felt like I was in the middle east.



Up to this time I had been flying solo. It was cool cause you can kinda just do what you want and not have to take a partner or a group into consideration. Well i met two guys on the bus from Tacna to Arequipa who were both traveling South America alone and we all headed for the same hostel. Being that we were all in the same boat we all kinda naturally just started hanging out and exploring the city together.

Arequipa is the second largest city in Peru and its nicknamed The White City because most of its important buildings are built out of a white volcanic rock.





Our bare boned hostel was just a block away from the Plaza de Armas which is the center of the city. This made it really easy to explore the city from a centeral location. Above are two pictures of the cathedrials that border the plaza. The following are of the Plaza de Armas. We had coffee on a terrace resturant on the plaza and afterwards they let us climb to their roof for come birds eye view pics.







Arequipa has warm weather year round and we were enjoying the sun in shorts and sandals.
I have probably put on 10 pounds just eating in this city. I feel like thats all I have been doing non stop. Our favorite place to eat was at the centeral market. The following pic are taken there. You can find food, fresh fruit juices, fruit and veg., and a ton more there.










We were walking around the market when an old guy started calling us over. He just motioned for us to go into the room next to him. We look in and they are in the process of butchering bulls! Intrigued, we had to snap some pictures. We have found the people here a lot more welcoming than Chile. They are always game to just stop what they are doing and chat. Even the taxi drivers try to strat discussions when you get into their taxis.










I'm writing from Puno, Peru. Its on the boarder of Lake Titicaka. The plan is to explore around here for a day or two and then either head off to Cuzco, Peru and hike up to the Incan ruians of Machu Piccu or I might meet up with the guys I met to go fishing off the coast. I'll keep you updated. It might be another long while till I find a computer worth of throwing up an update.