Time to talk of other things ...

The dramatic Convento de Santa Catalina in Arequipa   Convento de Santa Catalina de Siena ( Convent of St Catherine of Siena ) was built in 1579 in the Viceroyal architectural style and is located in the historical centre of Arequipa, Peru.  It served as a cloister for nuns of the Dominican Second Order from the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries, and still houses a small religious community today. The complex, which stretches over 20,000 square meters, is built from  sillar,  a porous volcanic  limestone rock from the nearby volcano Chachani overlooking the city and adobe (straw and mud), painted in the striking primary colors of blue and red. Unfortunately the years and acid rain have taken a toll on the lovely frescos painted along the arched corridors. But there are attempts to preserve and restore this treasure. The foundress of the monastery was a rich widow who did not have any children, Doña María de Guzmán who decided to join the order and donated her entire wealth in 157

 Floating reed island of the Uro-Aymara on Lake Titicaca At 12,500 feet, Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world, the strong sun prevents it from freezing even in winter, covering 3210 sq miles and bordered by Peru to the North and Bolivia to the South.  Lake Titicaca is the home to the Uro-Aymara Indians ,  consisting of indigenous Uru-Chipaya, Uru-Murato, and Uru-Iruito tribes, famous for living for close to 4000 years on reed islands made from ubiquitous totora reed   ( Schoenoplectus californicus ssp. tatora ), a giant bulrush sedge known as   chullu in the local Uro language.  This is the same sort of bulrush used by the natives of Easter Island to build their sea worth boats, and what inspired Thor Heyerdahl (1914-2002), the Norwegian explorer and  ethnographer, to work with Uros Indians in constructing large expedition reed boat  Kon-Tiki expedition in 1947, in which he sailed 8,000 km (5,000 miles) across the Pacific Ocean from South America to the Tuamotu I

Scenic Ruta del Sol between Cusco and Puno Ruta del Sol connecting Cusco and Puno We decided to travel the scenic  Ruth del Sol (Sun route) from Cusco to Puno on our way to Lake Titicaca. It passes through some of the most ruggedly beautiful Andean highland with a few well chosen breaks.  San Pedro Apóstol in Andahuaylillas San Pedro Apóstol (Church of Saint Peter the Apostle) in the small town of Andahuaylillas is full of surprises. The white-washed Adobe (mud and straw) exterior features three oversized crosses, a la Calvary, set amongst striking patterns of earth tone coloured river stones. But once you cross the threshold and enter the Church you would be forgiven for thinking you have entered the Sistine Chapel - nothing prepares you for the spectacular gilded wood carved altar, or the out of this world painted ceiling, the ornate baroque decorations or the vivid murals depicting the Acts of the Apostles. Murals by 17th century Peruvian artist Luis de Riaño and other itinerant