Hiking into the deepest canyon in the world

The Colca Canyon is the deepest in the world (over 1500 metres deep in places) and is thought to be twice as deep as the Grand Canyon in the USA.

Unlike most of the Grand Canyon, portions of the Colca canyon are habitable, with pre-Colombian terraced fields still supporting agriculture and human life.

We did a three day hike into the canyon. We stayed overnight with local families farming in the canyon (always special to have close contact with real locals) and we visited a beautiful oasis in the canyon at the end of the second day.

A perfect way to refresh and recharge before the exhausting hike back out of the canyon!

Here are some views of the canyon as we walked down, down, down...

We arrived at the bottom at twighlight (with aching knees) and were welcomed by the last rays of the sun glittering off the river.

The rock formations were really beautiful.

One of the highlights of the hike for me were the cacti. They are awfully photogenic. Who would have thought it.

Love can be prickly...

The canyon is home to a couple of little villages and there is even a prep school. Here are some little kids running to class.

We hiked along the canyon for a day and ended up at this beautiful little oasis with refreshing pools to swim in. Bliss. Here we are lazing and having fun with our great hiking group - Glen from the UK, Mariann and Jesman from Portugal and Spain and Jan and Niels from Holland.

I couldn't resist doing my customary bomb drop.

Our cool guide

Amazing how the locals put every bit of land to use through terraces.

The locals in the region are an extraordinarily healthy bunch, most living to well over 100 years, some as much as 115. Apparently it is due to the local diet - almost entirely organic vegetables and fruits. No ice cream or chocolate! The walks up and down the canyon probably also help.

The hike back up the canyon was pretty brutal but Ally and I powered up with gusto and applauded ourselves for being the fittest and healthiest we have been in our lives. That night on the bus, Ally got horribly sick (tummy bug we think) and I came down with a horrible throat infection. Funny how pride comes before a fall...

Some of the birds I got to see




We met this cute little Peruvian child on the bus back from the canyon. Made my heart melt and I felt the stirring of paternal instincts. That night on the bus up North, we had a sick baby directly behind us who threw up and screamed hysterically for 7 hours non stop. All broodiness vanished immediately!

And finally, a signature farewell leap. What a great experience. No wonder the canyon is known as the "canyon of wonders".

Arequipa

Arequipa is Peru´s second-largest city and being not very fond of large cities, I had no great expectations. My mistake. It is a delightful place, not least as it is home to a restaurant that serves gorgeous Argentianian steaks.

It also is scenically beautiful, standing at the foot of the snow-capped volcano El Misti.

Arequipa also has many fine colonial-era Spanish buildings built of sillar, a pearly white volcanic rock used extensively in the construction of the city, from which it gets its nickname La Ciudad Blanca ("the white city").

Here is a photo of El Misti, the Volcano. I could have climbed this 5800 metre mountain but felt too lazy. We opted to descend into the world's deepest canyon instead.


Arequipa is home to the greatest multitude of little yellow taxis I have ever seen in one place.


The view from our hostel roof (not bad!)


The town square at night. We walked the square (and the city) looking for laces for my boots. No-one stocked them, not even shoe stores (we visited at least 10)! I would have paid a small fortune for them by the end. Found them eventually and couldhave kissed the store owner. I hugged him instead.

Condors

Ah, and the condors! The condor population of South America is unfortunately dwindling, but here in Colca Canyon, we were able to see them at close range as they floated on the rising thermals and scanned for carrion far below them.

Question: Ladies, where does the red in your lipstick come from?

Answer: From the blood of squished bugs (yes, seriously!)


Five steps to ruby red lips

Step 1: Find a cactus in the Colca Canyon in Peru (not hard, they are everywhere)

Step 2: Chances are it will have parasitic bugs on it (most of them do)

Step 3: Carefully extract the bugs from the cactus (make sure you do not prick yourself)

Step 4: Squish the bugs. (You won't believe the copious amounts of bright red gunge you will get)

Step 5: Apply to the lips for a sexy, glossy finish. (Men will be impressed and want to kiss you immediately - or maybe not)

Yes, these bugs are the primary export of the Colca Canyon, sold by the locals to the cosmetic industry (by whom they are much sought) for use in lipstick. The locals painstakingly pick them off the cacti every 3 months. A kilogram of bugs (that a whole lot of bug) gets them $ 50.

Revlon probably wouldn't want you to know (or believe this) but it is true nevertheless!

Oh, and the bug juice is also used by western factories as a colourant for some yoghurt, mainly strawberry and black cherry (which happen to be my favourite flavours). Fancy that, I have been pouring bug blood onto my cereal all these years.

I am just suprised that Hollywood "splat" directors have not discovered it yet for their special effects. Or maybe they have. I am sure Tarantino would relish the idea of covering his actors in insect goo if it added to the realism of his scenes.

St Catalina Monastery (Arequipa)

We spent a fascinating couple of hours exploring the St Catalina Monastery in Araquipa. It is absolutely enormous (a veritable city within a city, covering a full city block) and is a photographic delight with its multitude of colours, ornate doorways and plethora of secret nooks and crannies.

The monastery has a very interesting and slightly sinister history (which of course, adds immeasurably to its allure).

It was founded in 1580 and a wealthy widow decided to retire from the world and become the first resident of the monastery.  Over time, the monastery grew and many women of wealth and social standing entered the monastery as nuns. Many of them brought with them their servants and household goods, and lived within the walls of the monastery as they had lived before.

While outwardly renouncing the world and embracing a life of poverty, they enjoyed their luxurious English carpets, silk curtains, porcelain plates, damask tablecloths, silver cutlery, and lace sheets. They employed musicians to come and play for their parties.

By the mid 1800's, word that the monastery functioned more as a social club than a religious convent reached Pope Pius IX who sent Sister Josefa Cadena, a strict Dominican nun, to investigate.

She arrived at the Monasterio Santa Catalina in 1871 and some serious shit hit the fan!!

She sent the servants packing and instigated strict reforms, including a stringent rule of no contact with the outside world, mortification of the body through wearing barbed wire underwear (we saw samples and they looked nasty, definitely not the lacey and frilly kind!), self flagellation with leather whips and strict fasting.

In 1970, when the civic authorities insisted the monastery install electricity and running water (none until then!), the now poor community of nuns elected to open the greater portion of the monastery to the public in order to pay for the work.

The few remaining nuns retreated to a corner of their community and the remainder became one of Arequipa’s prime tourist attractions.

Below are some photos from within the monastery. It is now beautifully restored and a very beautiful place.

On the very rare occasions that a nun was allowed contact with the outside world, it could only be through this double wooden barred window. No doubt the Mother Superior also listened in over the nuns shoulder. Not exactly a recipe for intimate chats!