Like most of our experiences in Peru, our Semana Santa (Holy Week) revolved around food. We found two copies of the holy week schedule – one at the tourist information office where we scribbled down a list of dates and times. The other was posted at the cathedral but disappeared after Monday. Instead, we relied on changing traffic patterns and vendors pushing snack carts to seek out the daily processions. These carts begin and end each procession, selling their candy and chocolate-dipped apples, grapes, and strawberries by candlelight and shouting “Manzanas!” (Apples)
Thursday night, there are plenty of apple carts but no procession. As darkness falls, new vendors set up picnic tables and grills surrounded by stools. Over wood fires, they cook skewers of beef heart and a tripe-intestine-potato mixture. For the less adventurous (i.e. Cara), carts of noodles, fried chicken and french fries are also nearby. To wash it all down, steaming cups of ponche are served with an optional shot of anise liquor, in spite of the city-wide dry proclamation for the holiday. The entire population seemed to flood the shut-down streets alternating between eating and streaming through the open doors of the area churches until after midnight.
As we were forewarned, Friday was dead. Most restaurants including our standbys were closed. But it was worth looking for one that was open just to enjoy Friday’s specialties, chupe de camarones (a rich shrimp soup) and other seafood-intensive dishes on this meat-free day. The one solemn procession was the only sign of life on this mournful day.
Saturday, life was back to normal in Arequipa. Reminding us of home, Saturday night, the lines at the candy shops were out the door filled with parents buying last-minute chocolate bunnies and eggs. We decided to wait until Sunday to get our chocolate fix.
We did not wake up for the five o’clock burning of Judas in effigy, though Adam grunted at the accompanying fireworks. Fortunately, they serve Sopa de Pascua (Easter Soup) all Sunday long. When we ordered the soup, we were given the option of 3 meats or 1 – which we were thought were more than sufficient until our hostess boasted to us that she had 5. After our soup, we rounded off our Easter celebration by attending the resurrection bull fight. But we were too full to eat any of the food offered there.
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