Spent the morning wandering around Arequipa. Saw the Santa Catalina monastery – which is like a little town inside more than a building. It occupies a whole city block and the nuns are protected from the other citizens of Arequipa 
by a towering wall. SC had a Mediterranean feel to it inside with bougainvilleas, trees and walls painted blue, white and burnt orange. It was begun by a wealthy nun in the late 1500s – and recruited girls from wealthy families in Arequipa. Apparently, they lived a hedonistic life in the seclusion of the convent till, in the 1800s, a no-nonsense Dominican nun put a stop to this and ‘reformed’ the place. Then I wandered over to the Museo Santuarinos Andinos – an excellent museum that devotes itself to the child sacrifices found in the volcanoes around Arequipa (appealed to the disastrix in me!). The museum is well-structured and we had a well-informed guide, which made all the difference. For some reason, the girl at the counter told me it was 15 Sols and then said something to the girl handling cash – and let me in free! I wasn’t complaining but unfortunately my espanol wasn’t good enough to figure out why! 
There’s not much in there; clothes, weapons, a map of the route the Inkas took, burial items etc. – but it all comes together really well (and is linked up with a 20min A/V intro we were shown first). The details and stories of the sacrifices are quite interesting and it was quite dramatic to see Sarita’s mummy (Sarita is not Indian – she was so named because she was found on Sara Sara). Juanita was not on display at the time – but I do remember seeing a documentary on her on National Geographic. BTW, this pic of Juanita is courtesy www.panorama-peru.com.
Off on an overnight super-cama to Lima this evening – writing this at the bus terminal. Met an Indian couple here – he was a banker and she worked with an NGO; in London. They had a couple of weeks off and were travelling in Peru. They were off to Nazca from here while I headed further north to Lima. So its Lima for the next 2 days before I head up to Iquitos on the Amazon…
Spent the morning wandering around 
by a towering wall. SC had a Mediterranean feel to it inside with bougainvilleas, trees and walls painted blue, white and burnt orange. It was begun by a wealthy nun in the late 1500s – and recruited girls from wealthy families in 
There’s not much in there; clothes, weapons, a map of the route the Inkas took, burial items etc. – but it all comes together really well (and is linked up with a 20min A/V intro we were shown first). The details and stories of the sacrifices are quite interesting and it was quite dramatic to see Sarita’s mummy (Sarita is not Indian – she was so named because she was found on Sara Sara). Juanita was not on display at the time – but I do remember seeing a documentary on her on National Geographic. BTW, this pic of Juanita is courtesy www.panorama-peru.com. 
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