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Published: December 5th 2006
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After the chilling heights of Cusco we headed down to the east of Peru to the Nasca desert in search of more Inca history. We were there to see the famous Nasca Lines. They consist of a number of animal shapes such as a monkey, hummingbird and condor as well as hundreds of lines and trapezoids which are scored into the dry ground, and cover an area of 400 square miles. The lines are dated back to between 200BC and 600AD although no one seems to really be sure. They remarkable thing is that the lines can only be observed by air and were only discovered in the 1920´s when people began to fly over them. Because the area is so dry (30 minutes of rain in the last 2 years!) the lines have been preserved and a there is much debate on why the nazca people made them.
We took a short flight in a mini with wings to see for ourselves. After a few arguments amongst the staff at the airstrip which didn't make us feel at all nervous, and being shown 15 minutes of the middle of a documentary about the lines (the peruvians know their service!)
we were away. The view was amazing as we looked down on the maze of lines and saw for ourselves the huge animal shapes. Our friendly pilot was all too pleased to take his hands off the controls to show us on the map where we were. He insisted on circling each of the animals so we got a good look and Tim did his utmost not to vomit all over him in return.
We found ourselves, as many do, wondering why the lines were made when they can only be seen by the air, and how they made them so accurately. Many people believe that the lines were used like roads to walk to points where water could be found in the desert, but then why the animals? Some have said the trapezoids were landing pads for alien crafts and the animals offerings to their alien gods!! It is likely that they were offerings to gods as Shamen of the time would take ayahuasca, an hallucinagenic drug made from cactuses and became bird men. It is said these bird men would fly over the ancient lands and be in touch with the gods. Who knows the truth but
perhaps the mystery was part of the appeal.
From Nasca we headed up the coast to Huacachina, a small oasis in the desert. The place was beautiful consisting of just a few hotels and restaurants around a palm fringed lagoon, backed by huge sand dunes. We chilled out by the pool at our hostel (not bad hey!) and had another go at sandboarding, which was less than successful. We also took a sand buggy (a kit made vehicle with a huge engine) across the dunes and watched the sunset across sand dunes as far as the eye could see.
After a few days relaxation we headed north for the last time to Pisco where we visited the Ballestas Islands. On the pleasant day trip we took a fast motor boat (that Laura was a little too excited about) across to the islands passing the giant Candelabra, another mysterious formation scratched into the stone some 2000 years ago. To our delight shortly after leaving the harbour a number of dolphins swam playfully past our boat diving in and out of the water. One looked right up at us as it passed the boat and we were taken back at
how big and beautiful they are. The islands themselves are dominated by their enormous bird and sealion colonies. As we drifted around the number of birds was quite amazing...we saw, amongst others, pelicans, penguins and loads of sealions lazing in the sun or barking noisily. The island is apparently covered in some of the most coveted poo in the world. Once a year it is harvested by some lucky chaps with spades and sold to silly foreigners as fertiliser.
After all that excitement (or excrement) we headed to our final destination in Peru - Arequipa, a pretty colonial city in the south. Whilst there we popped to see Jaunita, an incredibly well preserved Inca mummy they found frozen in the mountains nearby. She provides evidence of people of the time as all her internal organs are preserved. Sadly, she was sacrificed by the Incas at 6000m to the gods by a nice firm blow to her head. The educational video at the museum continually called her beautiful, although in fairness she looked like death warmed up. Still it was good to almost see her in the incredibly poorly lit museum (the light could damage her beautiful looks).
We
Mean machine
The sand buggie picked up a disastrous tour after that to go trekking in a canyon a few hours away. Unfortunately, Tim stumbled to a halt after about 10 minutes walking after feeling ill all day. We withdrew shuffling back to the starting town with regular stops to put his head between his knees (to stop passing out) and to poo behind farmers walls. Luckily the trek did a loop back to the same town, so by the time they returned the next day Tim was on the mend. We were both a bit gutted to have missed the walk but the next day we headed out to a view point to try and spot condors. We waited nearly a hour without reward and as we were just about to go a huge adult condor glided through the canyon. It was an amazing sight (almost impossible to photograph) as its 3 metre wingspan drifted on the air currents. After a dip in the hotsprings nearby we left feeling that not all was lost.
And so our time in Peru is completed. Time to head south to Chile, see you there.
Did you know?........
The condor is actually a giant vulture that
Hello there!
The Ballestas Islands feeds on dead carcasses. It also can't flap its wings so must wait at the edge of a cliff for the air currents to be right before it jumps and catches the waves.
Do you want to?.......
Find out more about Inca mummies and even unwrap one yourself..
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/inca/
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Sonja
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More more more!!!
Give me more! Love the pics as usual. You two have a wicked time!!!!