I felt a little lazy in Arequipa, thinking, I am going to stay here for two weeks, and take a holiday in my holidays ;-)
But I heard so many lovely stories about the Colca canyon that I decided to visit that too, but not with a tour bus that picks you up in the early morning and gets you back the same day . I hate tour buses. So I booked 5 nights in the Pachamama hostel in Cabanaconde. 
About 6 hours driving from Arequipa, the weather was beautiful, and once we approached the canyon the views were so beautiful! I took many many pictures, most were not good because the bus moved, and others, well I made a selection once arrived! 
Here we stopped, yes, at the Plaza de Armas! Two young men and three dogs were waiting for us, to show us the way to the hostel. Arriving in my room I saw this lovely little cat on one of the beds ;-) me happy! The restaurant has a pizza oven! great! you know, from 1730 hrs, it is warm here!
The next day, fully sunshine, so nice! I went to a mirador or vista point very closely, the Achachihua, and I spent there the whole day! I think that for two hours I just sat there watching and watching, what a view! I made a little drawing, I watched again, moved a little and watched again, ate my picnic and watched again. I think this was the most beautiful place I visited in a very long time!
In the evening, enjoying the warm restaurant for sure!
The next day, I decided to walk to the Cruz del Condor . It is a vista point at about 3 hours up, but not steep. I just followed the road, and suddenly I met these men working, clearing up fallen stones… and calling me: they had found a mice family hidden in some dried grass on the road! A mother and 5 little tiny blind babies. The man had taken the mother in his hands, then put her back, and quickly she took one baby and ran away. We saw where she was hiding, and I took the 4 other babies and brought them to her new nest. I hope she will not refuse to feed them, now that I touched them!
That was funny. I resumed my walk. It was a little misty, but me, very optimistic, thought it would clear up. 
It didn’t. I got higher and started to be in the clouds, it got a little colder but I was well equipped, and by the time I reached the Cruz del Condor nothing, but nothing could be seen.
So, instead of having a good time there I immediately went down again. Once sufficiently down, I got out of the clouds, and saw a herd of sheep walking. I could not catch them up, but encountered two young girls, 10 and 7, a few sheep and a young dog that still had to learn to watch a herd. We talked a little, and I made a picture.
Back here, I made a little walk to stay warm (because no sun means cold!) and then came to the restaurant to warm up. This was a nice day!