The bus rolled into Arequipa at about 5.30am. While our room wasn't ready we were able to rest in another room for a few hours which was well needed, before switching to our room and freshening up.

We went to a crepe restaurant for some brunch which was delicious, then made our way to the main square where we thought a free walking tour was taking place at midday. Unfortunately we got the square wrong so we missed it! The main square was full of life with street vendors and pigeons. It is surrounded by Colonial buildings made from the white volcanic stone from the area, giving the city its nickname "The White City".

Instead we made our way to the Museo Santuarios Andinos, where Juanita is kept. Juanita is the name given to a young girl who was sacrificed to the Gods on the Ampato Volcano in Inca times. The museum tour started with a video that explained how Juanita was likely sacrificed, the expedition in 1995 during which she was found and what has been discovered by studying her.

It was found she was sacrificed during a ceremony where she was likely given a sedative then struck on the head. She was buried in the foetal position to be ready for her rebirth in the next world, along with pottery and metal offerings. Juanita would stay here, in an icy grave atop the volcano until she was discovered 5 or 6 hundred years later.

The expedition was enabled by the eruption of a nearby volcano. The ash from this eruption melted the ice cap uncovering the graves of Juanita and others.

After the video we were given a tour by one of the university students. She showed us artefacts that were found in the grave sites, as well as the clothing that was found on Juanita. The red and white colours of her clothes suggested she was royalty as only they could wear red and white.

Finally at the end of the tour we saw Juanita herself. Kept in a refrigerated enclosure that is cooled to -20°, she still sits in the foetal position, with her hair and skin still in tact. Aside from some damage to the skin on her face from exposure she is remarkably well preserved and a fascinating site. This level of preservation compared to other remains discovered is what has made her famous.

We had hoped to also visit the Catalina Monastery which is supposed to be quite fascinating and it's own small city within the walls. Unfortunately the entrance was quite steep and you apparently need a guide on top if you want to learn anything about it, so we decided against it. Instead we returned to the hostel where from the rooftop we watched the colours changing on the daunting El Misti Volcano as the sun went down.

For dinner we went to a potato restaurant. On a plate with 8 different and colourful varieties of potato you then choose a topping, either something traditionally Bolivian or otherwise. Washed down with a cup of vino caliente (hot spiced wine) it was a delicious meal.

LAPFWT