Corpus Christi Cuzqueño

Corpus Christi Cuzqueño at the Plaza de Armas

On the next day we did the whole long journey back to Cusco. First walking through the jungle towards the hydropower plant, enjoying last views of the ruins. Then riding the bus again over that crazy road, the mountain pass and up to the high planes of Cusco. Because there had been several construction sites on the way it took us the whole day and when we finally reached Cusco it was almost midnight. At the end we found a deep and quiet sleep there in a hostel. The following day - our last in Cusco - the Feast of Corpus Christi took place. Cusco is famous for the celebration of this feast which here is based on Inca traditions mixed with Spanish Catholic rites. The whole plaza de armas is a huge single crowd through which countless huge statues of saints are carried by numerous man on their sholders. Each saint is accompanied by it´s own band which members as well as the bearers of the statue wear their specific costumes. The whole procession is accompanied by jugglers, dancers and all kind of costumed people. The most demanded spectator perches are the small balconies of the cafes and restaurants around the square which are full of locals as well as tourists. Around plaza de armas the folk fair goes on more profanely with bands playing in the streets in between huge beer tents. Their they sell beer in crates and chiriuchu a cold plate especially served on that occasion that contains guinea pig, chicken, sausage, cheese, tortillas, maize, spawn and algae . Here people  eat, drink and celebrate until the whole town seems to be drunk. It is a good spectacle to watch and we joined the crowed the whole day together with Luchin and Susan again. We also used the day for shopping, buying some souvenirs, delicious Peruvian organic coffee (which is also offered now in our cafeteria) and some things for our shop in Pucón. We said farewell to the navel of the Incan world and in the evening took a bus back to Arequipa. This time we had a real kind of horror trip. Leaving the bus terminal the bus crashed into the exit gate that way that it took the driver half an hour to get it free again. Until we finally came on the road, not feeling very confidently about the skills of the driver now, almost one hour had passed by. During the journey it came out that the bus did not have a functioning heating. Driving at an altitude of about 4000 m.a.s.l. over the high plateau this caused temperatures close to the freezing point inside the bus and a thick layer of ice on the inside of it’s windows. For sure you could not even think about sleeping there and even Peruvian passengers who already had brought their own blankets were complaining to the conductor who could not do anything neither. Best of all was, when I complained on the arrival in Arequipa I was just told that this was normal due to the low temperatures on the altiplano during night journeys. Fortunately Inés stopped me from causing a massacre right over there at the bus terminal.

The last day in Arequipa we spent strolling around the city, buying more souvenirs and being a little sad that our great journey already should come to an end. But in Pucón the kids and the cafeteria are waiting for us, why we went back there as fast as possible just spending one more night in Santiago before we took the bus back home.

It was a great time in Perú and for sure not the last time we have visited this amazing country. But now the daily routine is waiting for us and we are looking forward to our first winter season with our own busine