Patita con Mani – Peru, South America
We arrived in Lima, Peru on Wednesday and reality (or my lack there of) finally began to set in. Our Spanish is pretty bad and our Quechua (the indigenous language) is nonexistent. It is easy enough to get around, but reading el menu ($1.00 to $2.00 set lunch menu) can be a challenge. I usually just ask the waitress what her favorite is. A few days ago, her favorite was the patita con mani. She assured me it was muy rico. Sounds great. Turns out it was a clear something that resembled chewy squid with cartilage, but perhaps less appetizing. When I asked a local later, they giggled as they told me it was cow foot.
From Lima we took an overnight bus to Arequipa. The bus was great and included nonstop entertainment, even a game of BINGO where the Peruvian winner was asked to give a short speech. He spoke for about 10 minutes, thanked everyone (especially the bus company) for giving him this wonderful opportunity. It was almost like the Oscars.
The highlight so far was our trip to Colca Canyon, the second deepest in the world at about 3,500 meters. We hired a guide to take us on a three-day trek through the canyon. The trip included several bumpy bus rides (sometimes standing for two hours), steep hiking, and swimming at a gorgeous oasis. The first day was a holiday for the indigenous people of the Andes. They packed into our bus in their colorfully embroidered dresses and hats headed from the farm to the town to dance in the streets.
When we arrived in Cobanaconde, we hiked down the gorgeous canyon towards the handful of villages below. The steep three- to four-hour hike is the only way the locals can access their homes and the village above. Mules and llamas help to make the job a little easier. That night we stayed in cozy cabins, complete with a soccer field perched in the canyon walls. Day two and three involved more hiking, swimming in hot springs and views of the Andean condor (the heaviest flying bird).
A few more days in Arequipa and then it's off to Bolivia.
Did you like this article?
Share it
Place a comment| Now you can also comment with your Facebook Account |
Rate this story
Follow Us
Subscribe to the BootsnAll articles RSS feed
Related articles found in:
Arequipa, Lima, Lyle Gentry, Peru, South AmericaRead similar items found across the BootsnAll Travel Network:
Author Bio for BootsnAll Writer – Rex Crum
Yenokavan Canyon – Ijevan, Armenia, Middle East
Peru: Arequipa and the Colca Valley
What are the stupidest things travelers argue about? BootsnAll staff writer Jessica Spiegel talks about the ones she hates most, and includes a plea that we never argue about them again.
[Read more]
If you are wondering whether it would be worth it to bring your young children on a trip with you, reading Rachel Denning’s experiences and advice will likely convince you.
[Read more]
Somali pirates and Halloween pirates seem to get all the press these days, but there is a rich history out there of the real thing. Steve Bramucci takes us to five places where pirate tourism is easy to find.
[Read more]
Would you like to pretend you are Michael Palin, or perhaps someone else who gets to stay in historic colonial hotels in the East? Here’s a cheaper way, as Inga Kastrone takes us on a tour if 8 of the finest of these landmark properties.
[Read more]
You are probably aware of the big wine industries in Argentina and Chile, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Eileen Smith lives in Chile and here she explains where to look and what to taste throughout the continent.
[Read more]
