Saturday June 11

I had a very interesting day. I first visited a Nazca cemetery which is over 1000 years old. The Nazca mummified their dead and buried them with pottery. The site was discovered about 100 years ago, and was not protected until the 1980's. Before then grave robbers dug up the graves, primarily for the cloth and the pottery. Until then mummies, human bones were strewn over the ground. They are now restored in their graves, on view. There are still numerous bones, just lying around. There're also over 1000 graves still left to be opened.
We also had a little talk about local gold mining, which is still done completely without machines. Miners chip out ore, about 60 kg a day, and carry it 6 km to the road. At the factory the ore is ground with a small machine, and then reduced to a powder by manual labour. 60 kg of ore might produce 1 g of gold, worth 40 dollars to the miner. A tough way to make a living.

In the afternoon I took a ride on a small plane over the Nazca Lines, one of the mysteries of the ancient world. It's worthwhile checking the Nazca Lines out on the Internet.
The ride was a bit of a thrill, there lots of sharp turns. My stomach was quite happy to land.
Tonight I am off to Arequipa on an overnight bus.
Till later..

Friday June 10

I took a boat tour to the Ballestas Islands this morning. The fog is still with us. It doesn't affect the vision as much as makes everything look grey.

The islands are in the Humbold stream which delivers very rich ocean water. This attracts thousands of birds, seal, penguins, and sea lions. The biggest attraction are the birds that nest here, literally thousands and thousands. Before the islands were discovered by the natives the guano (bird droppings) were 30 meters deep. Every year it grows by 2 m. That's a lot of goano!! It has been harvested for many years, because it is a great organic fertilizer.
The scenery is very rugged, and the ride is a bit of a thrill.., lots of bumps and spray. I was happy I wore a rain jacket.
After the tour I continued my journey south to Nasca. Nothing but desert, although we started to see small mountains as we turned inland. I finally saw sun, by the time I got to Nasca it was beautiful.
Nasca reminded me a lot of rural Mexico, not very clean, not very attractive.
I did find a place to buy postcards. The lady also sold me stamps. They were not self-stick. She had to put glue on each one, and stick it on the card.
The bus ride down was great. Complimentary coffee, and the bus had Wi-fi. It was interesting reading the Hamilton Spec, while traveling through a Peruvian desert.
My hotel room was very nice, clean and large.

Peru.. ready or not, here I come

Thursday June 9
I flew to Peru yesterday, and the biggest excitement was waking up Wednesday morning in the middle of a storm, without power. Luckily I had packed and didn't have to do that at 5 am.
The flights were pleasant, the food very bad, but I landed in Lima at 9 pm, on time. Took a taxi to my hotel, and was in bed by 10:30.
Thursday Morning was not great.
First I had to find a bank for some cash. The first one didn't like me and didn't give me any cash. Luckily the second one, a Bank of Nova Scotia was more agreeable.
Breakfast was another let down. Instant coffee!!!!
I had researched what bus to take to Pisco, and had to take a taxi to the terminal. Each company has it's own terminal. Luckily the driver went in with me to buy the ticket. That's when I found out, that contrary what the Lonely Planet says this company does not provide several trips a day. Back in the taxi to try another one. Again no luck. Finally we lucked out with a third company, and that bus left 10 minutes after I got there.

The other problem was that the bus doesn't go into Pisco, but drops you off at the highway, 6 km from town.
The drive was also depressing. There is a constant coastal fog, and the drive is through a desert (next to the Pacific). It is a true desert, no greenery, mucho rocks and sand. In addition to that the poverty is staggering. I have seen a lot of shacks, but nothing as bad as the "villages" along this highway.
I visualized being dropped of in no-man's land.
As it turned out there was a buzzing business district ready to meet all the buses, and there were plenty of taxis.
Pisco was a pretty little town, until 2007, when it was hit with a major earthquake, and 70% of the town was leveled. Several hundred people were killed, 136 while at mass. It is still quite a mess.
My hotel has been rebuilt, and it is one of the nicest I have ever stayed at. Free wi- fi, breakfast, lovely room, all for 20 dollars.
Pisco is a nice little town. I had a great cerviche dinner, with a large beer. 10 bucks, including tip. I like it.