Of Condors and Canyons

We have spent an amazing two days touring around the Colca Canyon. This was a trip which Steve and Rachel recommended to us, and we are so glad that we signed up for it. We left Arequipa at 5:00am, and were quickly met with blocked roads and protesters. We wondered for a moment if we were back in Northern Ireland, but quickly found out that it was a strike being conducted by people protesting against free trade agreements with the USA. Our bus driver and tour guide showed great initiative by taking a detour through a shanty town. Once again we were met with more protesters who had strewn the road with boulders to block access. Our bus driver, whose name was Elvis [!], and the tour guide opened negotiations with the protesters. $20 ensured our passage through the protest, and we watched as the boulders were rolled away, and put back into place after we had passed. There is a certain irony in paying $20 to break up a strike against free trade!!

Once out of Arequipa, a long and winding road began to snake its way into the high Andes. We followed serpentine tarmac, which soon gave way to bumpy, hole infested, rubble roads which shook the bones. We stopped for some refreshments consisting of a cup of Coca Mate, which helps with altitude sickness. The coca leaves floated in the cup, but the brew tasted good and certainly seemed to stave off the effects of the high elevation.

Eventually we reached the highest point of the road which was around 14,800 feet. The air was thin and our chests felt heavy, but thankfully these were the only symptoms we experienced. The views were incredible, and the clear blue sky was captivating.

Our hotel was an interesting experience. The rooms were clean and basic, although they were freezing cold. The highlight for us, however, was the ceiling. This drew our attention, not because of its architectural beauty, but because it consisted of corrugated iron, with what resembled coal sacks stretched across to serve as a makeshift suspended ceiling. Once settled for bed, we heard the patter of tiny feet, or should we say the thunder of rabid feet - as a rat scurried around above our heads for the entirety of the night. We didn't sleep much, needless to say. At times he [or she] would scratch on the coal sack materials, making us wonder would we be the recipients of a rat bomb!

Thankfully, however, today was memorable for better reasons. We travelled up the Colca Canyon, and saw condors soaring on the thermals arising out of the 4000 metre gorge. To say that this was immense would be an understatement. These are the kinds of experiences which dreams are made of.

On the way down from Condor Cross we toured through the terraced countryside which is unspeakably beautiful. As we meandered down in the bus we felt that we were entering sensory overload with the azul sky and architectured landscape. The photos really don't do it justice.

Climbing back out of the canyon we were overwhelmed by the privilege of being allowed to see this amazing part of the world. Next week marks the beginning of a busy period of ministry, and its been great to look around us and breathe in God's creation in its depth and beauty.

As we travelled home, across 14000 feet altitudes we read the Scriptures, and marvelled at what God had to say to us from the McCheyne reading plan:

'Thus says the Lord; heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest? All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord' - Isaiah 66:1