South America Day 22: Paracas to Lima

January 2012

Up early for a trip out to the Ballestas islands. Know as the poor man's Galapagos we were unsure if we should make the trip (as Galapagos was our next main stop), but we're glad we did, they were no disappointment.

On the boat out you see another image in the sand, similar to the Nazca lines.

The Ballestas Islands were just full of thousands of birds, sea lions, penguins and other wildlife.

We then spent an hour on the Boulevard back at Paracas before catching the bus to Lima.

Once in Lima we had dinner at a place next to some pre-Inca clay ruins, at Huaca Pucullana, we shared the ceviche (noticing the trend), I had the chowder for main and DH had beef strips. We then walked our way back into town.

Stay
La Castellana, Lima

Eat
Restaurant Huaca Pucllana, Lima

Do
Ballestas Islands, Paracas

South America Day 21: Nazca to Paracas

January 2012

Up late to leave at 9:30 am. We stopped at the Nazca viewing lines to get a different perspective of the lines.

 We drove for about 3.5 hours to get to Ica, a oasis in the middle of the desert.

After a lunch of sandwiches, DH took a buggy up into the dunes for sand boarding.

We drove for another 30 minutes before stopping to taste different varieties of Piscos.

Due to Pisco being hit by a large earthquake a few years back accommodation is best sought at nearby Paracas.

We had dinner near the sea that night, Inca cola, sole ceviche and avocado salad while DH had the grilled sea bass.

We visited the Paracas hotel to try Pisco sours in there lounge, realising that anything we had tried previously had been heavily diluted!

Stay

Refugio del Pirata, Paracas

Eat

Huaca chinero, Ica
Cebicheria El Chaita, Paracas

Do
Viewing tower, Nazca

Sand boarding and buggy in Ica

El Catador – Tony Labis for Pisco tasting, Pisco

Pisco Sours in the Hotel Paracas