BetsyHerbert

We left Lima two days ago in a monumental traffic jam and started down the coast. Highlights included a boat trip out to an island that is now a preserve that hosts thousands of birds, including penguins! After ten hours of driving through the deserted coastline, we stopped at a remote resort and spent the night. next day we checked out some ancient rins on the beach and then continued down the coast, which resembles Big Sur, but even steeper and starker, as the Andes drop straight down to the Pacific here. The surf is incredible! Having trouble uploading my photos, so will post those later as soon as I figure that out...Later....Betsy... read more

After a grueling flight, with some pretty severe turbulence near the beginning (I think somewhere over the Sierra) we landed in Lima Sunday night. The tour actually starts today.Yesterday, Carmen and I walked around the city (we're staying in the Miraflores District). The weather is sort of like SFO, sort of grey and overcast. Lima is right on the Pacific coast, with lots of high rises. Look up and you'll see hang gliders cruising around the tops of the buildings on the cliffs. There are lots of surfers. The waves look pretty good, but the beach is mostly just rocks. We had our first coffe at a Starbucks...yup, they're here too. Two things different about this one, though...ther was an armed guard standing at the door, and there was a guy scrubbing the walkway...People are out ... read more