Family fun in Peru

Arriving, via the record breaking bus trip from La Paz in Lima we had a couple of days to get to enjoy the city before our nephews Ian and Jack arrived.

 Old town Lima had a wonderful colonial feel with some superb buildings. Our only issue was the weather which really must get the Lima citezens down in the winter which is unremittingly sea mist for about 5 months of the year, no wind, no rain no sun just mist mist mist and more mist.

 They seem to survive by holding endless and wonderful parades, In our days in Lima not one went by without us running into one at some point. Our first, started at about 9.00 am with endless school marching bands and we have no idea when it finished as we were long gone!

 We also explored the cathedral, which had opened up the crypt which was full of the usual crypt like things, coffins, skulls and all the mummified bodies etc. It also had about 12 of the most extravagant side chapels I had ever seen. Next door was the Bishops Palace which was also very plush with one of the most wonderful staircases I have seen.... We of course danced down it!

 Another cathedral in town.... this one was meant to rival the main cathedral and caused a bit of a row we read.

 There was also a wonderful museum of pottery... Mostly Inca and pre Inca stuff, and well worth the visit.

 It also had a wonderful selection of minerals including the largest lump of Fools Gold I'd ever seen.

 Followed by another visit to the parades....

We also went to 'La Catedral del Pisco' to try pisco sours the national drink, they are very nice but very strong.

The following day Ian and Jack arrived.

We had a stroll around town then took them to another Pot museum. This one had a selection of erotic pottery.

The rest of the museum was quiet interesting too.

 The next day we headed south to the town of Paracas through the desert and where the marine bird life is spectacular

 Jack decided to enjoy the local transport systems, these Tuk Tuks come in all colours and shapes, I may get a montage together.

 The birds were incredible out on the isle about 20 min by fast speed boat off shore. We were very lucky in that it was a windless day and only the large Pacific swell was present, if there had been some wind the ride would have been really rough. I also felt rather sorry for the name given to the Guano (local tongue for excrement) cormorant. Although it did not seem to mind and it flew and dived around us quite happily.

 Sea Lions were also in evidence with Liza finding them very cute and wanting to bring one home (this with the Lamas, spider Monkeys and bats.....Humm)

We left Paracas and took a 3 hour bus further south where we came across the oasis town of Hunacachina surrounded by sand dunes where after lunch Ian and Jack tried sand boarding down the dunes.

 

 A very brief shot of Jack standing up.... this did not happen much. Sand arrived in places he did not even know he had places.

We (well Ian Jack and I) also hit the dunes in a sand buggie. Due to camera and sand issues we did not take a camera but spent two hours being very environmentally unsound driving roller-coaster like up, over round and through the dunes. We also body boarded down three of the bigger ones. Surfing down sand is sure warmer than snow but I think the possibility for friction burns was significantly higher.


We then caught another bus to Nasca where the next day after a bit of a wait we had a flight over the famous Nasca lines, of which little is really known, everything is supposed any your guess is as good as mine as to the reason for their existance.

You can just see the man in the hillside on the left if you know what you are looking for here!

And a bird on the plateau of this hill here..... (it is actually fairly clear once you know it's there.... honest!!!)

The rectangle and the bird immediately below the corner are about 700y old so it is thought... Again if you can see them in the photo!... I need photoshop and an image  intensifier here but I'm sure you know what we mean!!

Well here's a map of our route and a pic of what the lines really look like when you know what's there!!!


We returned to Nasca and found that our planned bus on-wards was not available with the result that we have had to enjoy another day in Nasca which allows us to write up the blog and plan for the following week so not a totally wasted day.....

Upwards into the high altitude of Machu Pichu...... Love to all