1216 At El Cheff (yes, double f) Corazon, cheap Chinese place nr Plaza de Armas for tallarin con lomo saltado and to drink a glass of 'chicha de maiz morado'. Woke up 10-11ish but stayed in bed til about 1115. Could be worse. Will go to Museo San Andino or whatever after this.
1220 The drink is a dark red/purple lukewarm concoction which does taste faintly of maize (reminds me of maize tea I got at a 7-11 in Thailand) and doesn't taste ridiculously sweet. Interesting anway.
1239 Food not bad, noodles with bits of not super high quality beef and some tomato and with some rather 'soggy' chips half mixed in. Bill is 8 so pretty good value, so far Peru is shaping up to be tolerably cheap which has to help keep my average daily spend down. Think as yday I have to go to till to pay, so may not tip, depends how it works. No, chap just took the money I left on table as wrote last sentence, so will make it 10 with tip. Tempted to make it 9, more for 'getting coins as change' than tightness, but will resist.
1304 Portion was huge btw. Back at hotel. San Andino is super arsey and you can't *enter* w camera or phone. They provide lockers. However, they also suggest a jacket so come back to hotel via fruit shop to pick it up and will drop camera and phone off here. Might be a tour in English at 1325 so dashing off, not that is v far. It's 20 and then you have to tip the guide after, fing pricey, if I understood the guy's English they are showing a different preserved body than Juanita, as if it makes that much difference to me really. Anyway, let's pop off.
1736 OK, I ended up on a private tour (ie just me) but still, quite interesting. Probably about 55 mins altogether, first 20 or so being a National Geographic video. Felt obliged to tip guide 10 but meh. Then back to hotel to drop jacket off, recollect phone/camera, eat some fruit, Skype parents, then out about 4 to see Casa Moral, back via cash machine and supermarket to hotel. Went up to see if could book for Sat/Sun night but no one there, will try again later.
Casa Moral stirred my usual 'I wish I could live in a house like this' feeling followed by equally usual 'no I don't, it would be a bit crap even if I had the money'. Interesting though.
Santuario Andino video etc kept going on about how sacrificial victims were nobles chosen at birth and how it was an honour and they would have been scared but proud etc. Maybe. But I can't help wondering if they were fucking terrified and reluctant but no one likes to say that. Probably they are right. It was indeed not Juanita on display, it was another victim, guide said Juanita is on something like Apr-Dec then they switch as the light is damaging. There was something slightly solemn and a smidge ghoulish about staring at this frozen corpse in a triple-layered glass box (ie box inside box inside box) but it was interesting all the same. Can't remember name they gave to this one, v poss something remotely like Sora Sora and meaning something to do with corn but not at all confident, suppose hardly matters when it is just an after the fact 'nickname'. The museum did seem to downplay Zarate's (sp) role in discovery compared to what guidebook says but what do I know.
2002 Cool, just paid for Sat/Sun nights, guy said I can keep the key with me so while don't intend to could probably leave something in room while away (tho I am not paying for Fri night). Obviously slightly worried might lose key but not v likely I guess (tho there is a visit to some thermal spring or something and I do intend to go in as long as it's not a swimming kind of deal). In some sense 5 nights in Arequipa is overdoing it but OTOH I did some stuff today plus it was potentially helpful to acclimatise a bit and I hardly want to be haring off to bus terminal when I get back Saturday and then I want Sunday to sleep off Saturday night and go book a bus and hotel for Monday, so it's all quite logical and not as if I'm sticking on here out of laziness.
Do feel a smidge tired which is bit worrying but meh.
0044 Finally in bed.
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