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The South American Altiplano (LA Y, Z8 Y, AA Y)

The South American Altiplano (LA Y, Z8 Y, AA Y)

Old Oct 22, 2013, 5:47 pm
  #31  
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The South American Altiplano - Exploring Arequipa - continued

Like many large cities in Latin America, the Plaza de Armas in Arequipa is a primary gathering point for the community. Almost all buildings surrounding the square are composed of sillar, and the vivid white facade of the long archways really stand out, especially on a clear sunny day. This is a great place to relax with a drink, people watch, and just soak in the lively atmosphere.

On the north end of the plaza stands a massive cathedral aptly named La Catedral, with two towers soaring above everything else in the vicinity. The cavernous interior is certainly a sight to behold. There are intricate statues, exquisitely carved flourishes on the arched ceiling, and an impressive pipe organ located at the rear of the main hall.


Plaza de Armas


Archways composed of sillar


La Catedral


La Catedral interior



Less than half a block away from Plaza de Armas is the Museo Santuarios Andinos, famous for an exhibit showcasing the frozen mummies that were discovered on Mount Ampato some 60 miles northwest of Arequipa. The most famous of which, Juanita, caused a sensation in the scientific world when she was found in September 1995.

To maintain her well-preserved condition, Juanita is only on display annually between the months of May and November. Other mummies are rotated in throughout the remainder of the year. Unfortunately, I visited in April, and was not able to see Juanita. However, the other specimen in the exhibit was just as fascinating, and the museum itself has an extraordinary collection of ancient Incan artifacts retrieved from the same location. No pictures are allowed inside.


Museo Santuarios Andinos

Extending from the Plaza de Armas is a pedestrian street named Calle Mercaderes that is lined with cafes, restaurants, and shops. This four-block car-free zone is quite popular with tourists and locals alike, especially during weekends, and I found it to be the perfect place for a quick bite to eat. On the Sunday that I was there, a large holy procession made its way down the street, along with hundreds of curious onlookers.


Holy procession


Calle Mercaderes at night

In addition to La Catedral, there are a number of Catholic churches located all over Arequipa. These are often some of the most ornate and well-maintained buildings from the colonial period, and many are worth taking a look inside. One of my favorites was Iglesia de San Francisco, located approximately three blocks north of Plaza de Armas.

While the interior was elegant as expected, what I really enjoyed was the large tree-lined square in front of the church. This part of town was noticeably quieter, and I spent a good amount of time here reading and listening to music on my last day in South America. Behind the church building in a narrow alleyway is a small artesanal market selling all types of handicrafts and jewelry.


Iglesia de San Agustn


Iglesia de San Francisco


Plaza San Francisco

While I'm no foodie by any stretch of the imagination, I did want to celebrate the end of my journey by splurging a little and sampling a nicer restaurant in Arequipa. Within the past decade, Peru has raced to the forefront of a South American gastronomical revolution, redefining haute cuisine by fusing traditional mestizo recipes with international influences.

Looking online, I found a highly rated restaurant called Zingaro just half a block south of Plaza San Francisco. The space was beautifully decorated inside, and the sillar walls and arched ceilings were purposefully left in a rough state, recalling the old colonial architecture seen throughout the city.


Zingaro Restaurant



Of course, I started the meal off with a refreshing Pisco Sour, the national drink of both Peru and Chile. Wanting to stick to more traditional recipes, I decided to order perhaps the most famous Arequipeo dish of all, the Rocoto Relleno, as an appetizer. This is essentially a large stuffed pepper served with potato pie, all covered in melted cheese. For the main course, I went with another local favorite, Chupe de Camarones, a hearty soup overflowing with rice, vegetables, and river shrimps. Both were absolutely delicious! Surprisingly, the entire meal cost under $35 USD including tip, which is fairly reasonable by American standards.


Pisco Sour


Rocoto Relleno


Chupe de Camarones

Taking a stroll around Arequipa at dusk afforded some stunning colors in the skyline. At times, it felt like I was staring at a painting, with the deep shades of lavender and violet blending into the Chachani volcano in the background. Since my flight to Lima was scheduled to depart at 9:50 pm, I had plenty of time to linger around Plaza de Armas before heading back to Hostal Las Torres de Ugarte and hailing a taxi for the airport.


Plaza de Armas at dusk


Calle Simn Bolvar and Chachani
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Old Oct 22, 2013, 8:48 pm
  #32  
 
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Wow! What an amazing trip report! Thank you for taking the time to write this. It brought back a lot of great memories of my backpacking trip through Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia last year. I wanted to go to Bolivia really bad but I was traveling north. I love the quirky hostels along the way and the crazy bus rides that are really an adventure. I agree with the first class feeling claustrophobic with the low seats since I decided to pay extra from Peru to Ecuador. Did you feel safe on those busses? Theft was a big thing in Ecuador, I'd imagine the same for Bolivia?
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Old Oct 23, 2013, 4:52 am
  #33  
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Thanks Mike! I really want to go to both Ecuador and Colombia, though I have heard of safety issues in Ecuador - my friend was actually robbed there. Hostels are definitely the way to go in South America when traveling alone! I didn't feel unsafe on any of the long bus rides, though I always made sure I had all valuables in safe places on me while sleeping. I never left any money in my backpack.
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Old Oct 23, 2013, 11:08 am
  #34  
 
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Thank you so much for your report.

I plan to take a similar trip. I will avoid going from Puno to Bolivia by bus. I think there is a flight from Puno to La Paz in fact.

1. What month were you there?
2. Can you pay the airport tax with a credit card or US dollars?
3. I assume many places do not take credit cards? Like restaurants?
4. Do the long distant buses have loos like in the US?
5. Did the high altitude pills work? Or you really need coca.

Even going to Colorado I get splitting headaches. I drink a lot of water when I go and take aspirin.

Thanks. Your report is really helpful to me.

I will certainly take LAN. Looks a zillion times better than AA. And their meals suck.
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Old Oct 23, 2013, 1:57 pm
  #35  
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Hi Bretteee, thanks for your comment! One of the reasons why I wrote in such detail was because when I was doing research for this trip, I found a lot of the information online to be scattered and often times out of date. Hopefully this will help people who are planning their independent travel through the Altiplano. To answer your questions:

1. I was there from 3/23 - 4/8 of this year.
2. The La Paz airport tax can only be paid in cash. $25 for international departures and 15 BOB for domestic departures. There are ATMs at the airport if you don't have cash.
3. Surprisingly, a fair number of restaurants did take credit cards, especially in Chile. Less so in Bolivia. Always have cash ready.
4. Yes, all tourist-class long distance buses have bathrooms. Some routes are also run by VERY cheap local buses that don't have bathrooms, but you most likely will not be taking those. For example, the bus we were forced to take from Desaguadero to La Paz due to the strikes didn't have a bathroom.
5. Yes the altitude sickness pills work! If you have any doubts, take them. They help you acclimatize quicker. Coca leaves are more of an instant fix. They relieve nausea and headaches very fast.

If you are going from Puno to La Paz, I would highly recommend that you also do Copacabana. It was a beautiful little town, and worth the detour I think. LAN service and catering are definitely better than AA. I hope you have a great trip!
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Old Oct 23, 2013, 2:50 pm
  #36  
 
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Wonderful report and photos! I just did a trip to the Salar last month also with Red Planet and had a great time. There was actually snow in La Paz the day I flew there, we were diverted to Santa Cruz airport for a few hours until we could land in La Paz.
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Old Oct 23, 2013, 6:12 pm
  #37  
 
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Wow ! What a fantastic TR !
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Old Oct 23, 2013, 9:09 pm
  #38  
 
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Great report! its a cool change for all those F flights and 5* hotels reports for sure
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Old Oct 24, 2013, 12:23 am
  #39  
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Awesome hauteboy. Who was your guide at Red Planet? I thought Gonzoles did a fantastic job. Did you guys stay at the lodge near the hot spring on the second night as well? Flying out of La Paz is amazing... the longest roll I've ever experienced! Kind of expected at 13,000 ft though.

Thanks for reading UAFlyer and bertuzzi!
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Old Oct 24, 2013, 12:28 am
  #40  
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The South American Altiplano - LAN Airlines 2106 Economy Class (AQP → LIM)

After returning to Hostal Las Torres de Ugarte and gathering up my belongings, I had the reception call a taxi for me. Although the airport in Arequipa is only about six miles from the center of town, it still can take upwards of 20 minutes to drive there since no freeways are located in the vicinity. Total cost for the one-way trip was 20 soles plus tip.


Rodrguez Balln International Airport

I got to the airport almost two hours prior to departure, which I soon found out was complete overkill. The check-in line was fairly short, and I quickly had my large backpack tagged and boarding pass printed out. Unfortunately, they could not issue my remaining boarding passes to San Francisco via Dallas, so I had to retrieve my backpack and check in again with American Airlines once in Lima.

Afterwards, I took a walk around the pre-security area and noticed there was a substantial amount of construction going on. I learned that the airport was in the midst of renovating the small terminal building, as well as installing its first two jet bridges in the departures hall. Last I checked, the first phase of construction was completed at the end of September 2013.


Departures


Check-in line




Airport renovation in progress

When I tried to enter the security screening area, the agent checking my boarding pass told me it was too early for my flight, and I had to wait a while longer. I assumed that the departures hall was probably very small, and this was just a method of crowd control. Approximately an hour before departure, I tried to go through security again, and once more, the agent told me it was too early. When I asked him when I should return, he said ten minutes.

Finally, after returning for a third time, I was allowed through the screening area, and found myself airside within five minutes. I was disappointed to see that the departures hall looked more like a depressing hospital waiting room than an airport. I think there may have been one tiny shop selling snacks. Otherwise, there were some uncomfortable seats for waiting, and lots and lots of fluorescent lighting. At 9:20 pm, boarding commenced, and we lined up by seat rows.


Clinical waiting area


Lined up for boarding

LAN Airlines 2106
Airbus A319
Arequipa (AQP) - Lima (LIM)
Sunday April 7, 2013
Departure: 9:50 PM (scheduled) / 9:50 PM (actual)
Arrival: 11:20 PM (scheduled) / 11:05 PM (actual)
Duration: 1h 30m (scheduled) / 1h 15m (actual)
Seat: 5A (Economy)


Boarding was efficient, and both the front and rear doors of the aircraft were used. It was quite beautiful to see the city lights illuminating in the distance while walking across the tarmac. During the daytime, there are spectacular views of the nearby Chachani and El Misti volcanoes as well. Once inside, I found my window seat at 5A and stored my small backpack under the seat in front of me. Like most LAN Peru domestic flights, there was no business class cabin on our Airbus A319 aircraft.


Boarding by stairs


Arequipa lights







Take-off out of Arequipa was smooth, and we hit no major turbulence during the short hop up to Lima. With just about one hour of airtime, the flight attendants only made one round of drink service. We were handed a small snack box, which consisted of some crackers and chocolates. Juices, soft drinks, coffee, and tea were also available.


I love eating Kraps

After a short duration at cruising altitude, we slowly began our descent into Lima. The flight attendants came around one more time to collect waste items, and prepared the cabin for landing. Once on the ground, I headed over to baggage claim to retrieve my large backpack and then made my way to the international departures check-in area, where a long line greeted me at the American Airlines counter. With more than two and a half hours before my departure to Dallas, however, there was plenty of time to spare.
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Old Oct 25, 2013, 9:12 pm
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Reading about premium cabins and 5 star hotels never gets old, but your report is a great change of pace for the TR forum, glu800. Great pics and narrative! Absolutely enjoyed it.
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Old Oct 26, 2013, 3:50 am
  #42  
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Thanks for reading dat4life. Haha, yeah I think my TRs may be a little different from most around here. It's sort of like a dirty backpacker in a room full of aristocrats I love reading the fancy reports as well, but sometimes a little variety can be nice
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Old Oct 26, 2013, 3:58 am
  #43  
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The South American Altiplano - American Airlines 2194/1267 Economy Class (LIM → DFW → SFO)

My original return itinerary included the direct LAN flight from Lima to San Francisco, departing at 1:15 am. However, a few months before the trip, a modification was made to my ticket, and I noticed that LAN had changed all of their Lima to San Francisco departure times to 9:00 am.

I wasn't about to endure a ten-hour overnight layover at the airport, so I quickly called in and was able to have my itinerary changed to American Airline's brand new 1:40 am departure from Lima to Dallas/Ft. Worth, and then on to San Francisco. This route was inaugurated on April 2nd, so I experienced their seventh day of operation, departing on April 8th.

Thankfully, the long check-in line moved quickly, and I soon had my backpack tagged all the way through to San Francisco. Of course, I still had to retrieve it in Dallas/Ft. Worth and go through international customs there. After security, I did some last-minute shopping around the departures hall and then headed over to Gate 24, where boarding had already commenced. Since our flight was bound for the United States, a secondary security screening was conducted at the gate, and all passengers were required to have their carry-ons inspected.


Check-in line


Boarding


Secondary security screening

American Airlines 2194
Boeing 757-200
Lima (LIM) - Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW)
Monday April 8, 2013
Departure: 1:40 AM (scheduled) / 1:37 AM (actual)
Arrival: 8:55 AM (scheduled) / 8:53 AM (actual)
Duration: 7h 15m (scheduled) / 7h 16m (actual)
Seat: 33C (Economy)


We boarded through the jet bridge, and although I already knew American Airlines operates a 757-200 for this route, I must say it was still a little sad to witness the single aisle and 3x3 configuration upon entering the aircraft. I really missed LAN's 767-300ER at this point. Seat pitch was a rather tight 31", one inch less than LAN's arrangement. There was no AVOD system, but there were shared screens overhead.


American Airlines 757-200









We pulled back from the gate three minutes early, and soon took off without incident. From what I could tell, this was a completely full flight. Upon reaching cruising altitude, flight attendants began the first round of service. Drinks were offered, along with a dry and flavorless sandwich as a late-night snack. Dessert consisted of a small pack of Charada, essentially a knockoff of Oreo. Afterwards, cabin lights were dimmed and most passengers went to sleep.


Late-night snack

I was able to get a couple hours of light sleep, although I didn't feel even close to being refreshed when the cabin lights were turned back on in preparation for breakfast service. A lot of people complain about the sad state of catering among domestic carriers. I don't blame them. After being handed my tray and opening the foil cover, I stared at what looked to be an omelet, but I wasn't exactly sure. I still don't know what that blob was below the eggs. Let's compare that to a picture of what LAN served on my flight from San Francisco to Lima.


Breakfast

The series of events that followed were truly bizarre, and I've never experienced anything like this on a flight before. I noticed that the flight attendants were taking an incredibly long time completing breakfast service. I was sitting in 33C near the rear of the aircraft, and even before reaching my row, the captain came on and announced that we were beginning our initial descent into Dallas/Ft. Worth. Now, typically, by the time these announcements are made, there is maybe a good 20 minutes before landing.

Still, the flight attendants seemed unfazed, and took their time finishing serving breakfast to the three rows behind me. Approximately ten minutes later, after finally completing the service, cleaning carts were rolled to the front of the aircraft, and the flight attendants began collecting the meal trays. Clearly, from looking out the window, everyone could tell we were maybe just a few minutes away from landing. By now, another announcement had already declared that we should have our seats upright and tray tables stowed. Except virtually everyone on the plane still had their finished meals sitting in front of them!

Finally, the captain came on again and announced that flight attendants should be seated for landing. By then, they were maybe halfway down the aisle still collecting meal trays. Other flight attendants began rushing through the cabin and started hand carrying items to the rear galley, while I could see others literally throwing food trays and garbage on top of the cart, which was about to collapse from the huge pile of trash. It was absolute chaos.

I think maybe within 30 seconds of touching down on the runway, the last flight attendant was still running down the aisle checking people's seat belts and collecting any remaining trash. I know it was only their seventh day of operating this route, but in all my years of flying, I have never seen such disorganization and pandemonium on a plane before landing. Fortunately, we arrived at Dallas/Ft. Worth safely, and even got to the gate two minutes early!


Dallas/Ft. Worth

After going through immigration and customs, I still had more than two hours to kill at the airport, so I grabbed a second breakfast, browsed the shops around Terminal D, and then proceeded to my gate. An announcement came on informing passengers that our flight had been oversold, and two volunteers were needed for a later departure. Since I wasn't on a tight schedule to get home, I put my name in and hoped for a nice compensation. Towards the end of boarding, however, I was informed that they no longer needed my seat. Unfortunately, that also meant I was one of the last people to board the aircraft.

American Airlines 1045
Boeing 737-800
Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) - San Francisco (SFO)
Monday April 8, 2013
Departure: 11:40 AM (scheduled) / 11:49 AM (actual)
Arrival: 1:35 PM (scheduled) / 1:27 PM (actual)
Duration: 3h 55m (scheduled) / 3h 38m (actual)
Seat: 29D (Economy)




Our 737-800 looked extremely new, and was a welcome change from the last leg of my itinerary. A standard drink service was offered after a late takeoff, along with light snacks for purchase. Our flight attendants were decidedly hands off, but much more efficient and orderly this time around. The flight was smooth and uneventful, and after a long nap, I was awoken to the announcement that we had begun our descent into San Francisco. We landed more than 15 minutes ahead of schedule, and I quickly retrieved my checked backpack and headed out the door. It was good to be home.




737-800
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Old Oct 26, 2013, 6:18 am
  #44  
 
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Thanks for another fantastic report, glu800 - I've thoroughly enjoyed several of your previous reports, and this was even better due it its subject matter being a part of the world I'm fascinated by, and which I would love to visit. I almost made it happen this year, but funds were a bit tight. Perhaps next year!
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Old Oct 26, 2013, 8:00 am
  #45  
 
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Great report. I'm missing Peru even more now :-)
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