Day 5: Arequipa and Corire

After Hell (see previous) we grabed a 6:30 bus to Corire, throughout which I was fast asleep. I got the very middle seat in the back, and therefor had the whole length of the bus for my legs. After arriving at about 9:15, we ate a huge breakfast. We each had two pastries and coffee, and got three empanadas for lunch for later. We went all out for this meal, spending 9 soles or a little less than $3. We walked to Toro Muerto which took about 30 minutes. From there we got directions to the petroglifos. We tried not to hard to follow them, and got fairly lost. We wandered around for about an hour and half, before stumbling onto the first base station.

I think I´ve never even heard of somehwere like this place. Besides the actual Petroglyphs themselves, which were absolutely amazing, this place was so odd. A previous visitor and commented ´geoligicamente, mágico´or geologically magic. There isn´t much of a better way to say it. It was a desert, as far as I could tell. There were huge sandy mountains on either side. looking down into the valley from which we had come, we saw only green, but looing around us, only sand and rock. Still, it didn´t look like a normal desert. I supposed and Berry agreed that there had at one point been a river where we were. It´s too hard to explain in words. We spent all day wandering about, and didn´t see anyone at all for the 4 hours we were up there. We ate and walked back. I would guess we walked 10 sandy miles during the day, which was very welcome after the hours and hours cramped in the bus.

We came back, hung out and planned. I met some missionaries from San Diego while Berry made a phone call. I think the wil be a subjec to of a later, more philosophical post. After that we grabbed a bus back to Arequipa, and walked around. I was in the mood for a change, so we went to a Chifa. New Havenites thinkMain Garden, D.C. folks think that (or an) chinese place around 14th and Columbia Ave. It was just as in the States, and very welcomed. We went back to our hostel, crashed and will head to the canyon tomorrow.