Nazca

Saturday, Lovers’ Day 2009

The Nazca Lines. No one has yet come up with the definitive who, what or why of these geoglyphs, biomorphs, and straight lines on the Nazca Plains between Palpa and Nazca. The only way to properly see them is to take to the air, and that is exactly what we did. Our pilot was in his mid-twenties and our Cessna 170 tail dragger came off the assembly line in Wichita, KS, in the early fifties. As the plane only carries three passengers, we had to split up: RA rode with two Brazilians and Jeanne, Gray, and I flew together.

We were each given a small map with the route of the flight with a depiction of each of the figures we would fly over. It did not matter which side of the plane you sat on as the pilot did a steep turn one way and then reversed course and did it the other way. Those of you who have taken flying lessons know about turns about a point and this young pilote had it down pat, maintaining altitude and airspeed while narrating his moves over the intercom system. The plane performed well, as all of us over 50 do J, and we soon had the flight of a lifetime under our belts. Google the Nazca Lines if you want to learn more about this mysterious and interesting archaeological site.

After a quick breakfast at the hotel we were off on a tour of Nazca itself. We saw the Pardeones Ruins, more lines from the top of a small hill, the still operating underground Cantallo aqueduct system, visited an extremely entertaining potter and a small gold extracting operation where they still use mercury in the process of obtaining that precious metal.

We boarded our fancy bus after a quick lunch of Chinese food and were in Paracas about 1800. We watched a pretty sunset from our beach front room at the Hotel El Condor before having a light dinner and retiring to our rooms to prepare for our boat trip to the Ballestas Islands on Sunday morning.

Riding in Comfort

It has been a long time since we’ve ridden a motor coach anywhere and today was a real eye opener. The smallish, but modern terminal of the Cruz Del Sur bus lines with restaurant, internet and telephone facilities, coffee bar, and lounge was clean, colorful, and busy. The buses are black with colorful logos on them and many aree double-deckers. We had assigned seats on the upper level near the front so we could look out the front as well as to the side. It was sort of fun looking down on virtually all the traffic we passed on the road. Before leaving the Lima city limits we were served an airline type hot meal and settled in to watch three movies during our seven and half hour ride to Nazca.

We will be picked up at the hotel at 0550 in the morning to go to the airport for our 30 minute flight over the Nazca Lines. We’ll fly in a four-place Cessna aircraft (probably a 172) and it looks like I will be able to ride up front in the right seat. It has been over 25 years since I have done that, so it should be interesting. After the flight we will return to the hotel for breakfast and then take a three hour tour of Nazca before getting back on the bus to head for Paracas.

Touring Lima

We spent about four hours on a very informative tour of the major areas and historical sites of Lima yesterday afternoon. Our personable and well informed guide led us around this city of eight million plus souls while slightly overloading our tired brains with lots of unfamiliar names and bits and pieces of Peruvian history. We continue to be amazed at how clean and tidy the city is, how well the traffic moves and see a pride of ownership in private homes and cars. Of course, we keep comparing it to our last overseas destination, India, and it is giving us another perspective on India and its “condition.”

This afternoon we will board a bus for the seven hour ride to Nazca to position ourselves for the flight over the Nazca Lines tomorrow morning.

Clean, clean, clean!!

First impression: CLEAN! Lima, Peru, sure ain't India. We had a good flight down and we all got a bit of sleep despite the hot meal served to us at 0015. Off for a short walk before taking a city tour at 1400; more later.

All Together Now............

Gray arrived about 2300 last night so the group is now assembled and the Passage is about to begin. We’ve met other travelers who also arrived in Miami a day early in order catch a flight that leaves in the middle of the night; our flight leaves at 2330 this evening. We are leaving our car here in the La Quinta Hotel parking lot (we are allowed fourteen days parking with a stay at the hotel) while we are gone. Jeanne and Gray moved into our room (ala Delhi) this morning before we jumped into the car and headed for South Beach. After dragging Ocean Drive in both directions we parked the car in the vegetation covered (i.e. camouflaged) parking ramp and explored the art deco area of Miami on foot. After a nice lunch (sitting outside!) at The News Café we drove back to the hotel and are now cooling our heels until we catch the hotel shuttle to the airport about 2030. You’ll next hear from us from the land of the Incas…………..

In one week..............

We've been in Panama City Beach, FL, for almost two weeks now and getting ready to head for Miami via my brother's place in Ft Pierce. Jeanne (my sister from Vashon Island, WA) arrived about a week ago and her husband Gray is now on Vashon after his last stint on the tug Attentive in Alaskan waters. He will join us in Miami on the 10th prior to our flight to Lima on the 11th.

I've been busy here labeling our India pictures and organizing a 45 minute presentation of our India trip. Now time for new adventures with new traveling partners. This has been a much easier trip to organize: no visas, no shots (already done for the India trip), and set up by the travel agent. We just have to get into the guide books in the next few days to educate ourselves about what we are about to see and experience.

Emptyng the bucket

After nine weeks in India, RuthAnn and I returned to cold and record snow fall in Wisconsin--time to go someplace warm for the rest of the winter. We will be spending two weeks in Panama City Beach, FL, with my sister Jeanne, from Seattle, and a friend Jeannie Lane from Rochester, NY, joining us in our three bedroom condo. We have two weeks at the end of the condo rental before embarking on a five day western Caribbean cruise with my parents and an aunt and uncle. What to do during those two weeks? Jean and Ross Copas, two of our traveling companions in India, (www.theindiabuttbuster2008.blogspot.com) spent a few weeks in Peru last March and after hearing about their trip, we decided that Peru would be a good place to spend most of that two week period. Machu Picchu and the Nazca Lines have long been on our bucket list, so Peru it is. Amazon.com has provided us with two excellent guide books and www.latinamerica4less.com has arranged a very nice tour for us from February 11-21. My sister Jeanne and her husband Gray will be accompanying us on this short but busy first time visit to South America. We are all excited about this trip and hope that you enjoy coming along with us. We will post as time and Internet access allow.