Unique places and people that soothed our souls

We wanted to thank each of you for the messages of support you have sent us, both for Caroline's health and to ensure we had not been impacted by the terrible events in Chili. We are both doing well and about to enter Bolivia, which is far north from the recent earthquake. Caroline is also doing much better thanks to the medication she was given. Our prayers and thoughs are going to Chili and its poeple.

After we left Nazca and the hospital, we continued south towards Arequipa, the second biggest city in Peru. Initially, we had hoped to go to Cuzco and visit Machu Picchu but unfortunately the site has been closed for almost a month due to a landslide. Since it is the rainy season here, both the roads and the railroad have been seriously damaged, making it impossible to reach the famous ruins. It probably won't open for another two weeks at best so we decided to continue towards the Lago Titikaka directly, through Arequipa.

Regaining peace and serenity in a magnificent monastery

It took us about eight hours to ride between Nazca and Arequipa, which we did in an afternoon and a morning. It was a little less tiring to cut the ride in two, especially since we still wanted to take it slow. We went through desert landscapes again and slowly gaining altitude as we were getting closer to the colonial town. Finally, we saw the three volcanoes that surround the city and knew we were getting closer. As always when we enter a city, we searched for a hotel to park the bikes and once done, we would wonder at our leisure in the new town to discover. This time we had a surprise as we looked for a hotel: we bumped into the couple of Germans we had met in Huacachina and decided to meet them later for dinner. It would be nice to enjoy their company: it is amazing how often you cross other travelers' paths.

Our walking shoes on, we went to the Monasterio Santa Catalina, so big that it occupies many blocks within the city, with tall walls to protect the seclusion of the nuns. It had been constructed in the sixteenth century and despite multiple earthquakes was still standing tall and beautiful in the city, thanks to multiple reconstructions. The monastery had been build by the Spanish to welcome young women from good families who had decided to dedicate their lives to God and move to Peru to do so. The monastery had remained secrete until 1970 when it opened its doors to the public and nuns relocated to an adjacent building. As soon as we stepped into the citadel, it was like entering another world and time where everything was peace and quiet. There were very few people when we visited and the afternoon sun was making the old stones and bright colored walls even more enchanting. Flowers were in each corner, complementing nicely the warm colors used in the courtyards and alleys, trees were harmoniously casting their shadow and the sound of the wind in the leaves was making the place simply magic. We walked a little but soon just sat on an old stone bench, letting this peace fill our hearts. It felt right to be there and soothing after the rough couple of days we just had.

A little later, we continued our discovery of the monastery, walking through the maze of little arched streets, entering the cells of the nuns who lived there. It was all so well preserved, with all the comfort and beauty that you could possible want. We climbed up hidden staircases to admire the city, found a little plaza behind a corner with a refreshing fountain, passed gardens with roses and fruit trees, where the sweet scents was luring you to take a nap there. By the end of the tour, we were not ready yet to return to the external streets and the activity of the city. It was all calm and whispers here, with all the surroundings in perfect harmony. This place impacted our spirit in such a positive way that we were still internally happy when we walked towards the main square of Arequipa. We took some more time to just sit and watch the people around us interacting as well as the buildings surrounding the plaza. It is sometimes amazing how a place or a setting can just make you feel so different from the inside.

The rolling hills of Peru in the verdant highlands

We had a good time with our German friends for dinner and we all came to the conclusion that Arequipa was a town to love and just perfect to take a break. We stayed another day, visiting the rest of the colonial city and getting all our paperwork ready to cross the Bolivian border in a couple of days, where we would have to get Chad his visa. Driving towards the Lago Titikaka, we were still ascending and finally leaving the desert for a more green setting. Both sides of the road were plains with little bushes and from a distance, we spotted our first Vicunas, an animal that looks just like a smaller and skinnier lama. They were so entertaining to watch and soon after, down the road, there were the lamas, much bigger and with thick fur. They were just everywhere in the fields, eating grass and sometimes scared by the bikes when they heard our engines. What had started as a great riding day was now a ride in a place filled with exotic animals all around us. There was really no doubt to have: we were in South America! There were fewer and fewer houses and our ride was only taking us through green hills with rivers and lakes, where all these lamas, alpacas and other animals were feeding.

It was also getting colder with the altitude and we had to stop a few times to put additional layers on. Our lunch with a hot soup was providing as well the additional heat we needed to continue and enjoy the ride. Since we had some time before reaching Puno where we would sleep, we made a little detour through Sillustani where there were ruined towers built by the Inka and Colla people to honor their dead nobles. While we were looking forward to seeing what a funerary Chullpa looked like, we were certainly not expecting the beauty of the setting surrounding the ruins. The site was covering an extended piece of land on little green hills bordering a deep blue lake. Lamas and Alpacas were feeding right there, around the ancient tombs that were still standing as tall as 12 meters (4 feet) for some of them. This place too, in a similar way to the monastery, was soothing and so peaceful. We were walking through the site, invigorated by the fresh air and the sun, admiring all the colors of the land around us and taking pictures of the different types of Cullpas that all these cultures had left behind them.

Leaving Sillustani, we passed again in front of several similar compounds, with lamas, sheep and alpacas hanging around in front of them. Most of them had also a few people taking care of the animals and they were waiving at us in a friendly way when we passed. Intrigued, we decided to stop at one of them and engage a conversation with the young guy that was looking after his animals. We asked a little more about the houses, who was living there and if we could take pictures of the animals and the compounds. He smiled at us and told us that we would also be welcomed to visit his family's humble house if we wanted. He led us in, showing us the different buildings, what their were cultivating and some of the craft that he and his family was making. His brother also showed us around, gifting us with a very private glimpse of their lives. Everything was so simple here, no electricity or other modern commodity, and they really seemed happy and integrated within their environment. Their friendliness and openness was a true gift to our hearts.