Choose another map, showing:

• South America (central)
• South America
• The World

Other entries in Arequipa

Observations of Real Life in Arequipa

Arequipa sits at about 7,300 feet elevation surrounded by 3 volcanoes and several mountains.  El Misti and another volcano are still active and can be seen to spew smoke periodically.  They are 50 years overdue for a major erruption!  Hopefully, I'll be gone before that occurs. 

Arequipa is very dry and usually sunny with hazy skies.  It is around 75 degrees during the day and as the sun sets, the temperature plummets to mid-50s - just like Colorado.   

Because of the geography, Arequipa is also a prime target for earthquakes.  Their last major earthquake was in 2001.  You can still see the aftermath of it.  Yesenia has told me stories and it did not sound fun!  The kids were at home at the time and she was downtown.  Everything came to a total stand still and she had to run home through the rubble and damaged streets.  Since I have been here, we have had several tremors.  At first I didn't know exactly what was happening since they were relatively minor.  Two weeks ago, I was teaching the 4th grade, when Yesenia jumped up from the desk and rushed the kids out and down the steps into the playground.  I thought it was a fire drill - but soon found out it was a tremor - actually 2 tremors.  The phone started ringing off the hook as parents started to call.  I was surprised I didn't feel it.  However, last week I was teaching the kindergarten and another one occured.  I felt this one right away!  We have to get the kids out of the building immediately - making sure they cover their heads as they are leaving.  Supposedly, the tremors signal a change in the weather.  Hopefully, it is only the onset of summer and not something else!

I have been amazed at the amount of manual labor used in Arequipa since it is the second largest city in Peru with approximately 1.5 million people.  All the construction is manual with wheel barrels and shovels, concrete mixed in the street, stones chiseled and laid by hand, makeshift scaffolds etc.  Many of the streets are brick or cobble stone.  I did see some asphalt being laid (actually using a truck!), but the asphalt was not very hard with the look of sand.  

The work inside houses is also very manual.  Most people do their laundry and dishes by hand.  If they have a clothes washer, they use it sparingly and it is usually outside.  Most have large sinks on the roof or back patio where the wash is done and then hung up to dry.  I have yet to see a dishwasher!  Most houses do not have hot water or if they do, it is only turned on a particular times of the day and only for bathing.  None of the kitchens I have been in have hot water, so all the dishes are washed in cold water! 

Arequipa is known for its colonial architecture with the Casonas (old Spanish homes turned commercial) built out of sillar.  Sillar is petrified volcanic ash and has the appearance of a white porous stone.  It is very beautiful especially after renovation.  Due to past earthquakes, many of the Casonas unfortunately, are in need of major renovation.  However, there are still plenty of examples of the beautiful sillar and colonial Spanish architecture all over town.

The most common means of transportation around town are the combis and the taxis.  The streets are filled with these small yellow taxis constantly honking and trying to make a third lane on a two lane street.  They don't pay attention to any stop signs and just start honking their horns as they approach so others coming from the other direction will hopefully stop.  It is amazing that there are not more wrecks the way they try to squeeze through spaces and continually turn right from the center lane! 

You can go almost anywhere in town for 2.5 soles (less than a dollar).  However, you have to be very careful which taxis you use.  Arequipa has a problem with people being mugged in taxis - even large men or when there are multiple people.  It is best to call for a taxi on the phone (especially at night) rather than hail one in the street.  Before you get in, you check out the driver and double check that the license matches the numbers inside.  When you get in, you make sure you lock the doors and put all personal belongings on the floor.  I am very careful and also Mark provided me with pepper spray, so I am prepared.  I haven't seen it this bad any where else in Peru!  Guess it is part of the Arequipa experience.

All the neighborhoods hire their own security guards.  They walk the streets 24 hours a day.  The security guards in our neighborhood blow a high pitched whistle everytime someone touches foot in the area - even when you are getting out of a taxi in front of your house!  I haven't gotten used to the shrill pitch and still climb the walls every time I hear it (which is constantly and at all hours of the night).  It reminds me of fingernails on the chalkboard. 

One morning at 3:00 AM, I was awoken by a shrill scream (later I found out it was actually a whistle).  I looked out, but didn't immediately see anything.  Shortly, I saw Mark coming back to the house in his bare feet.  I found out later that when he got up to go to the bathroom, he looked out to see the guard being mugged by 4 guys.  Looks like he had fallen asleep and the guys probably had something in for him.  Luckily Mark saw and interrupted it.  Ever since, the guards whistles have been more frequent and much louder! 

The houses in Arequipa do not have much of a yard.  Usually behind the locked fence is a small yard with flowers and possibly a little courtyard in the back.  If a family has a dog, it usually is kept on the roof.  So as you walk by buildings, the dogs start barking and sometimes look like they are going to jump down on you!  It is pretty funny to see the dogs pacing along the walls on top of the houses! 

Every place you go in Arequipa, you are bombarded by vendors.  You can buy just about anything on the street.  There are vendors for shoe strings, pots and pans, telephones, batteries, thread, clothing, toilet paper, newspapers, candy, drinks, - anything!  And, people are cooking food right on the curb and selling it!  In the morning, women are on every street corner selling juice, rolls and sandwiches.  People pull up in taxis or walk by and stand there and drink the juice.  Once finished, they give the glass back to the vendor who washes is for the next customer.  If you want a "to go" drink, just bring your own bottle and they will fill it up for you!

Besides vendors, you have many men, women and children begging in the streets.  The women carry their babies and try to sell candy to the people in the passing cars.  Children do acrobats in front of the vehicles or try to wash your windshield if you are stopped at a light.  Many people compete for the same corner!

Another problem in Arequipa is the number of counterfeit bills and coins.  Everywhere you go, they check the money to make sure it isn't counterfeit.  If it is, they just hand it back to you and you are SOL.  If you need to change money from Sols to dollars or vice versa, you can do it with the money changer vendors on the street.  They stand around on streets near banks with a small calculator and a wad of bills.  If you use these vendors, you need to make sure they are not giving you counterfeit bills!  Most locals do use them, though, because they can usually get a better exchange rate than at a bank.

I really enjoy walking around the town.  There is always something interesting to see or watch if you keep your eyes open!

Add to del.icio.us Add to reddit

Photos / videos of "Observations of Real Life in Arequipa":