Colca Canyon and Arequipa in So. Peru

We headed south toward the famed Colca Canyon. The canyon is popular for its amazing views and the prevalence of condors that live near its high walls. Condors were sacred to the ancient indigenous population (bringing the spirits of the recently deceased up to the gods in the sky). Condors are so large they can not launch themselves from the ground and need the updraft from currents and thermals to start soaring and once underway, they soar so high, you can hardly see them. We spent two days camping on the cliff edge waiting for the fog to clear...

Amazing view off the cliff no??

We did catch sight of a condor in the afternoon, right behind Justins head. 

 so close we almost missed it...

Getting a little closer to the birds, we met this fella walking down the road after a hunt with his domesticated Eagle. Justin met him up close.

We traveled further south and toured the small city of Arequipa. Arequipa is home to one of the largest and most prestigious convents in the country. Back in the day, wealthy families sent second or third daughters to Santa Carolina as novitiates at ages 12-14. This gave the family someone devout to pray for the family's continued success and saved a fortune on marriage dowries.

Novitiates had to spend the first year praying and reflecting in their room for 23 hours per day with the door closed but with the window open so the supervisor could watch them.



Each girl could spend one solitary hour walking in  this enclosed garden under the supervisors watch. Sound familiar??

Space for free time....

After one year, the girls would take their orders and become full members of the convent. While they never stepped outside the convent walls again, they were allowed to have personal servants, work with fellow nuns and families could visit, with strict limits. Servants did the cooking and washing and remained enclosed behind convent walls as well. 

Early water bubbler, volcanic rock is the
filter with pure water dripping below 

Kitchen in a private room. 

 The convent created an ingenious washing machine system using clay water jugs and gravity. Each half jug had a dedicated spout and when you needed to fill your jug for laundry, just plug the common spout and let your jug fill. When full remove the rock and the spring flowed to the next jug. Laundry must have been a breeze!

Despite Melanie's harrumphing about the convents recruitment 

practices, the building was beautiful and peaceful. 

We visited an Alpaca and Textile museum. Alpaca World featured live animals, fiber sorting and weaving demonstrations. Peru has the most beautiful and intricate weaving we've seen. 

This little fella is only 3 days old!
Same "unimpressed" facial expression as his mother...

Traditionally women learn fiber sorting from their mothers. 

All sorting is done by sight, separating shorn fibers 

based upon fiber quality, length and color.

Yes, there are two women working in this huge pile....

 

Weavers use berries and seeds to naturally color the fibers

She is weaving 12 colors and all four sides of the fabric are finished. 

Finishing up Southern Peru, we turned our sights to Chile. Northern Chile is next!