The overnight bus from Naxca to Arequipa was quite pleasant. The seats are like first class on a plane. I slept most of the way.
Today was more to my liking. Lots of walking. I arrived at my hostel at 8, but couldn't get on my room until 11. So I left my luggage and walked around town. I couldn't believe it, they actually had a parade for me. Military, boyscouts, girl guides; I was impressed. Arequipa is a lovely city, nice architecture, and the weather is perfect. High of 22, not a cloud in the sky, no humidity.
I spent the afternoon visiting the Monastery de Santa Catalina. This convent was started in the 1600's for the daughters of very wealthy Spaniards. It is huge, over 20 000 sq.m. It looks like fortress, with high walls all around.
The basic rule was that if a girl wasn't married by the age of 12, the parents would pay a dowery to the convent to accept their daughter. From 12 to 16 these girls were novices, and lived in their own part of the convent. At 16 they had to make a choice whether to become a nun or leave. It would be embarrassing to the family if she left. Once she became a nun she lived in the main part of the convent, never leaving it, even to go into town. The life style depended on the wealth of the family. Most nuns had their rooms and, if you could afford it, their own houses, within the convent, and they would have servants and slaves. At one time there were 80 houses in the convent.
In 1860 the church outlawed this type of extravagant life style for the nuns, and the convent closed for 100 years, and reopened as a museum in 1960. It is a beautiful place, lovely gardens, very peaceful.
In the evening I sat in the main
Plaza, in front of the cathedral, and watched the locals.
Tomorrow is another day.
Today was more to my liking. Lots of walking. I arrived at my hostel at 8, but couldn't get on my room until 11. So I left my luggage and walked around town. I couldn't believe it, they actually had a parade for me. Military, boyscouts, girl guides; I was impressed. Arequipa is a lovely city, nice architecture, and the weather is perfect. High of 22, not a cloud in the sky, no humidity.
The basic rule was that if a girl wasn't married by the age of 12, the parents would pay a dowery to the convent to accept their daughter. From 12 to 16 these girls were novices, and lived in their own part of the convent. At 16 they had to make a choice whether to become a nun or leave. It would be embarrassing to the family if she left. Once she became a nun she lived in the main part of the convent, never leaving it, even to go into town. The life style depended on the wealth of the family. Most nuns had their rooms and, if you could afford it, their own houses, within the convent, and they would have servants and slaves. At one time there were 80 houses in the convent.
In 1860 the church outlawed this type of extravagant life style for the nuns, and the convent closed for 100 years, and reopened as a museum in 1960. It is a beautiful place, lovely gardens, very peaceful.
In the evening I sat in the main
Plaza, in front of the cathedral, and watched the locals.
Tomorrow is another day.
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