Matarani, Peru

Monday we were at sea for the entire morning as we are sailing down the coast of Peru toward Matarani.  We got up early and swam for about one hour.  Bonnie and David were in the pool with us plus two other gentlemen who dropped in for a few minutes.  Later we dressed and had breakfast on the aft deck of La Veranda.  I then went up to the Observation Lounge to needlepoint with my lady friends.  Elda, the assistant cruise director, leads this am group.

We had a small lunch in Compass Rose and then got ready for our tour.  We are docking here in Matarani, Peru at 2pm.  We have a 7 hour tour scheduled - wow - what was I thinking.  When you dock in any port, the local authorities come on board and clear the ship so you can get off.  Well, yesterday the men were late getting on board to clear us.  Found out we had a medical emergency and they wanted all the details.  Did not want someone with a contagious disease coming into their country.  At any rate, we finally got off and headed to Arequipa.

Bridge built by Spanish is 1500's.

Arequipa is known as The White City - a nickname because of the pearly white volcanic rock sillar that is used in its buildings.  This is a UNESCO World Heritage city and to get there you dive about 2.5 hours from the coast over the mountains and the coastal plateau.  It is quite a ride.

While driving through the desert, you come across a true oasis.  This is a wonderful site to see. And the bridge was built by the Spanish in the 1500's.  It is truly beautiful to see.

The ride included this

Once we arrived in the city we visited the Santuarios Andinos Museum to see the Ice Maiden only to find out it is out of the Museum and into the lab for 3 months.  The museum is situated in the Catholic University of Santa Maria.  It houses some fascinating exhibits, the most notable being the famous mummy of Juanita, the Ice Maiden.  The mummy of this teenaged Inca maiden which they named Juanita, is one of the most important archeological finds of the last few decades in the Americas.  Found frozen in the Andes in 1995 by American anthropologist Dr. John Reinhard, Juanita contained many clues and information about her culture and life.  It is believed that she was the victim of a ritualistic sacrifice by Inca priests and her death brought about by a violent blow to the head.  They think she was thirteen when she died, she lay buried beneath the snow for 550 years, only being revealed after an eruption of the nearby Savancaya Volcano melted the ice on the mountain peak.

Since her discovery, the team has found three more graves up on the mountain.  We were able to see the artifacts that were buried with the others.  And to see one of the others remains.  We also saw a film doing a reenactment of the process for the sacrifice.  At least, what these people thought the process was.  I am sure no one knows for sure.

Oasis on the way to Arequipa

Another view of oasis

After the museum, we walked across the town square and were able to see the Cathedral.  The left tower of the Cathedral was destroyed during the earthquake of 2001 but has been rebuilt.  We had dinner in a local restaurant which was typical Peru food.  And we were entertained by some of the local dancers.  The men dress like women by wearing skirts.  It is said that during the time of the Spanish, the women were subject to rape so the men dressed like women to lure the Spanish men and then kill them.

Cathedral

Local dancers

We returned to the bus for the ride back to the ship in the dark.  We had a wonderful bus driver so we arrived at the ship safe and sound.  But it was late and we lost one hour during the night.

I will add more pictures tomorrow morning as the internet is really slow to upload them during the day.