Arequipa Peru

After a 9hr bus ride, surviving on cookies and bananas we arrived in Arequipa, Peru.
We had heard that Puno was a shithole...and driving through it confirmed the rumours, which is why we chose Arequipa. We heard it was a lovely, modern city....so Ivan booked what SOUNDED to be like a gorgeous and romantic hotel, hoping to score points...highest recommendation in the book (again, I have realized that my standards to not meet backpacker standards!).

The hotel is indeed beautiful and romantic as you walk through the European style courtyards...it is stunning, and I could feel my excitement building as we walked through the grounds and past the gardens...until we get to our room....my heart sunk...it was like a tree fort...adorable..Yes, charming...Yes....filled with nature...YES! Yes, I like camping....no I don´t like sleeping in a ¨nice hotel¨ with nature. Poor Ivan could tell I was not happy.....I guess thats what you get for marrying a high maintenece wife and bringing her to a third world Country. We booked a whopping 3 nights thinking we would be romantic, and laze about...but the less time I spend there the better. There are bats hanging on the ceiling and there was a trantula in the bath last night.....okay okay, maybe they were just moths and a little spider...but Yuck! I think Ivan will soon be filling out the divorce papers for me...what a whiny wife.

I am rapidly becoming more humble, less healthy and more dirty on this trip. I don´t think I have EVER eaten so much processed food and white bread in my entire life. Every time we go on a bus or a hike or a tour, we have to pack snacks...and while the fruits are lovely, the only other thing always available is cookies...which I am CERTAIN Ivan is just loving...as that man could live on cookies alone. Every hotel we stay at generally includes breakfast...Ivan always eats the rubbery, grey eggs, and I opt for the bread and butter, puffed Quinoa and yogurt. I have to say we have enjoyed some very lovely breads here.

We arrived in the evening and went out for some of the BEST pizza I have had since Croatia....thank god the Lonely Planet is so reliable for food! Los Lenos restaurant is charming, rustic and cozy. The wood burning ovan is in the back corner and creates a beautiful savory aroma and warmth to the thick, old colonial style walls. The pizza was really expensive, but we enjoyed it very much. Early to bed..along with the nature....with dreams of 5 star hotels and a bed I can Enjoy.