Today was our first day exploring Arequipa, and it was both fun and exhausting. According to my iPhone, we walked about 18,000 steps. But the best part was getting away from the commercial center of the city and discovering some beautiful plazas.
Before I tell you about that, a brief interlude.
Several years ago, I bought Robin a digital camera. I did my research and chose a very good Sony. Unfortunately, it didn’t have a viewfinder, and we both found that using the LCD screen on the back made taking pictures difficult.
So I went back to the drawing board and eventually bought her a Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60, which does have a viewfinder.
Ultimately, Robin decided she didn’t particularly like carrying a camera, so it sat in a drawer for years.
This past summer, Robin gave me photography lessons for my birthday. Although the class focused mainly on film photography, the instructor encouraged us to bring in whatever cameras we owned. I brought the Lumix, and he declared it an excellent camera—even if it was ten years old. He encouraged me to take it on our trip and showed me how to get the most out of it.
Today was the first day I really used it, and I’m very happy with the results.
I’m curious whether you’ll notice an improvement in the quality of my photographs as I switch from my iPhone 13 Mini to the Lumix.
End of interlude.
Here are some of the things we saw as we wandered around Arequipa.
I suspect you’ll continue to see lots of pictures of churches and old buildings. Clearly, they interest me.
One of the places we discovered was the Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús, near the Plaza de Armas. It’s famous for its elaborate Baroque stone carvings.
One thing we’ve noticed in Peru, which differs from our experiences traveling elsewhere, is that photography is often prohibited inside churches. So, once again, the interior photographs I’m sharing are from the internet rather than my own camera.
Robin and I were both struck by how gorgeous the church was. The visit also made me interested in learning more about the Jesuits.
One of the “rules” Robin and I established years ago, when we visited Max in Salamanca, Spain, is to walk through open doors even when we have no idea what’s on the other side.
That rule paid off today.
We wandered into a gallery and discovered some incredible artwork.
The building was called:
Inside were several galleries featuring an extraordinary variety of work: abstract sculptures, modern paintings, realistic paintings, and some remarkable statues.
We continued walking and eventually reached Plaza Yanahuara, near the language school we’ll be attending starting Monday.
There we had our first taste of the local ice cream. Delicious!
We wandered back to the apartment, took a siesta, and then went BACK to Plaza Yanahuara for dinner. We had a simple meal of grilled chicken and potatoes, which was also delicious. Since it’s so close to the school, I suspect we’ll be eating there again during our stay.
Tomorrow, we’re planning to visit the cathedral and monastery.
It continues to be a wonderful adventure.
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