18/08/2019 – Arequipa, Peru

We had a nice lay in, and had some breakfast in bed. The accommodation has a kitchen we can use which we prefer as we can make our own food. We spoke to Trudie and Pete on a video call and then slowly got up. The room is very comfortable, our first room with carpet! The bed has a lovely memory foam mattress that we both slept well on. We left and walked through the historical district to the main plaza, where there were lots of locals and tourists alike, basking in the sun in the beautiful leafy plaza. It is a Sunday, which means a total rest day in Peru. Lots of shops and travel agencies and restaurants are shut, so the feel of the city was much more relaxed. We had a little wander around, and stopped to watch a big brass band in front of the huge cathedral.

The buildings here are mostly white, and are made from volcanic stone. We went back to the coffee shop we had happily stumbled across yesterday, and got some coffee and some bao buns to share. We wandered home along the cobbled streets, enjoying the view of the sunset and of the volcanoes surrounding the city. We made an omelette for dinner, packed our things, showered, and got into bed, setting our alarms for a 01:30 start!