Nazca

View of the Nazca line drawing called "El Arbol"

After a night of air-conditioned sleep, we hopped back on the Peru Hop bus.

Some Peruvian scenery through the bus window

Today, the group stopped at a Pisco vineyard and distillery (and tourist stop). We were given a brief tour and talk of the pisco-making process. Apparently, people had been making pisco in that spot for at least a hundred years. Pisco is the type of grape used to make the local sweet wine and hard liquor, also called "pisco". The national drink is the 'pisco sour', which reminds me a little of a margarita. The tour was kinda interesting, learning how it was similar to and different from the whiskey distillery tour we took last year. For example, pisco is distilled in a huge, copper-lined vat buried underground, then stored in clay "kegs". I only wish we could've seen the grapes.

The wine-taster

Froody, el catador

Pisco is aged in clay "kegs"

Eventually, we made our way to Nazca. It only merits a dinner stop on our bus route, but we wanted to stay a couple of nights and see the famous Nazca Lines from the air. Nazca is a small town in the desert and has been inhabited for over 2000 years. Being smaller, it is also much quieter than Lima and much cleaner.



We got up a little early and enjoyed some fresh juice and tea for breakfast, provided by our hostel. (Of course, Froody had bread with butter and jam. I got the lunchmeat and some cheese.) The airline we went with, Movilair, picked us up from the hostel. Once at the airport (pretty much dedicated to companies that gave tours of the line drawings), we got weighed, paid for the flight, then went to another window to pay the airport tax, then sat in front of a video about the lines. Finally, a small group of us were called together and eventually boarded the small plane.

I liked the flight. There was a lot of banking and flying at almost 90 degrees so that both sides of the plane could get a good look at the lines. The Nazca Lines encompass a huge area and, I think, were made over the course of a few hundred years. There are animals shapes, which are older, and geometrics, which are younger. I thought they were carved into the ground, but basically the dark rocks were moved over and the lighter-colored dirt was revealed. They've managed to last so long because it hardly rains in the area. The people, then and now, depend on a river that flows through the region.

Since we had an entire day and a half to spend in Nazca, we hired a guide to show us some of the local ruins, including the aqueduct.








Sorry for no pictures. Something's up with the Internet.

Lima --Paracas--Huacachina

Of course, we had to try some Inca Cola

We spent another couple of days in the historic Downtown area of Lima. SO HOT. But, we found some relief inside two museums and an historic hotel. The Mineral Museum (aka El Museo de Andres del Castillo) was situated in what was once an elegant home built in the 1860's. The tall ceilings, tile floors, windows and arches all over the home allowed for some respite from the heat. Not only was there an amazingly huge collection of crystals, gems, and metals, but also a small collection of pre-Colombian textiles (small) and pottery (bigger). The crystals were neat, but after a while it all looked the same, probably because they had about 50 examples of each one. There were some cool examples of native gold, silver, and copper. Not just the ore, but the actual metal attached to rock. There was also a phosphorescent room. The pottery came in fun shapes, and we were delighted to be able to recognize so many animals! There were cups, jars, and dishes that looked like penguins, birds, dogs, monkeys, even a flat fish and sea cucumber! Unfortunately, we could only take photos in one part of the museum, so you'll just have to go to Lima to see for yourself. 

That's one big piece of pyrite and galena

We also went to the Lima Museum of Art (Museo de Arte de Lima), where they displayed artwork from pre-Colombian times up through the colonial period and into modern times. Also housed in an enormous colonial building, my favorite part was the textile room. Not only because I work with textiles (knitting!) and could relate to seeing yarns, fabrics, and even an box belonging to a spinner, complete with a set of drop spindles and roving, but because it was the only room that was air conditioned.  

 Woman with spindle--pre-colombian

 Museum window overlooking a park

Entrance to Lima Museum of Art 

Incan Quipu, or talking knots

 Pre-colombian spinner's box, complete with roving and spindles

Pre-colombian snail pottery 

Enjoying some functional art

Not hot enough, we decided to spend part of the early afternoon watching the changing of the guard ceremony in front of the presidental palace. 

Just a snippet of excellent, precision marching.

Then we tried to cool off in the Gran Hotel de Bolivar. I was soooo happy for the pitcher of frozen lemonade! 

Air-conditioning and a pitcher of frozen lemonade! And our first taste of papas de huacachin.

 Grand Bolivar Hotel- Lobby

Grand Bolivar Hotel-- Lobby Ceiling

We caught the evening Magical Water Fountain Show, not realizing that everyone else in Lima was going to be there. Fortunately, it is a big park and the evening was cooling down. Watching the fountains was refreshing. 

This isn't the show, but some nice effects.

Finally, we headed out of the city and to the quiet beach town of Paracas. It was a bit cooler, being on the water and smaller so no big buildings to retain the heat, but it was still hot! We took it easy for a couple of days here. We spent on afternoon on the beach, rented an umbrella and chairs, thinking that would protect us. (Froody still got sunburned staying in the shade!) I got burnt, even though I was being careful! I am in my Winter skin right now and I hoped to get a start on my Summer tan. Oh, well. 

We did take a boat tour of Ballestas Island (Isla de Ballestas). Not only wonderful to be on the water again, but so much wildlife!! Here's the list of what we saw: a South American many-rayed starfish, Peruvian pelicans, Peruvian boobies, South American Sea Lions--fathers, mothers, and pups!, Inca Terns, Magellanic Cormorants, red shore crabs, barnacles, and Humboldt Penguins!! 

Janola and Froody

Stinky but lovely rock formations (full of bird guano)

Inca Terns on the rocks

The next day we headed further south, to the oasis of Huacachina. On the way, we toured the Paracas Nature Reserve. Beautiful desert bordering the ocean. Unfortunately, Froody woke up with a case of Paracas Belly. Fortunately, he made it to Huacachina without incident. :-) 

So, Froody stayed in our quiet, air-conditioned hostel room to rest and I went out and lived!! I took a dune buggy ride! It was a huge machine and fit 9 of us eager tourists! And in the late afternoon, the desert was full of these buggies. Part of the fun was getting out and sandboarding!!! It was so fun!

The dessert above the oasis of Huacachina

Dune buggies

Sandboarding is exhilarating!

Sunset, Huacachina

The next day we left Huacachina and made it to Nazca. That will be in the next post. 

Lima, Peru --1

Greetings from LIMA PERU! 

We left Seattle on a cool Wed morning. Our first leg took us to Las Vegas, where we had a good time just wandering the strip in the evening.

After a good night's sleep, it was on to Mexico City, about a 6 hr flight. With only a 6 hr layover, we decided it was best to hang out at the airport. Did I mention we're waiting for a midnight flight?

We arrived as scheduled early on Friday morning. While there was a wait to go through customs, it was still pretty painless. Our hostel sent a taxi for us and, after a hot drive through traffic worthy of a city of 10 million people, we checked in and took a nap.

Once we woke up, I signed us up for the free city tour given by 1900 Backpackers Hostel. Having a couple of hours to kill, we took a short walk around our block, where we found a fairly nice-looking restaurant, Mesa Central. Although this was not our first opportunity to speak Spanish, it was the first time we were trying to get something and not just make conversation. We went in just wanting some juice and maybe a little ceviche. The very kind and patient waitress eventually got us to understand that they were doing set lunches, one at 14 soles and another at 18 soles. Nothing to do but order one lunch (and some yummy strawberry juice) to share. We orded the ceviche pescado and the arroz mariscos. Oh, my! The ceviche was just delicious, the best I have ever had and the rice with seafood was also tasty. The rice was seasoned, the color was deeper than saffron rice, and the seafood was chunks of crab, octopus tentacles, squid rings, fish, and scallops, all sauteed. It was a very good-sized portion. (I hope we go back tonight for dinner!) The price for our lovely  meal and 1/2 liter of fresh strawberry juice? 25 soles (about $8)

Everyone loves food pictures, right??

Back at the hostel, we had time to meet and chat with some of the other guests who were also going on the tour. A couple of others from America, a couple from Germany, an older woman from Canada, another from Japan. Our guide was a young woman named Alice, a Lima local. To be honest, I cannot really remember everything and everywhere we went, but we did see the more famous sites in this part of the city, old Central Lima.

Lovely buildings and great color

One of many beautiful colonial churches

Gold and silver alter, in another church

Sure, Froody is smiling now, but we think this is the source of his Lima Belly

So many pictures I could share, but the Internet is a bit spotty here, so I'm going to quit while I'm ahead.