Guano see something cool?

---

The Islas Ballestas, located a few kilometers off-shore from Pisco and Paracas, are sometimes referred to as "the poor man's Galápagos." "Well," I said, "I'm, poor, a man, and have always wanted to go to the Galápagos Islands . . . Let's do it."

Numerous tour companies leave out of Pisco for three-hour tours. They seem a bit short, and if you're looking for information about the animals, you might have to read a book or something, but for the pure shock of seeing such a sight, the tour is well worth the 30 soles ($8USD) you'll dish out for it.

Starting off, the boat passes by a huge 150-meter tall, 50-meter wide figure called the Candelario drawn into the hillside of the shore. It's origins are unknown, but theories range from indians drawing it to represent a holy cactus plant important in the region, pirates using it as a navigation device since it points to the magnetic south, or General San Martín creating it as a symbol for the masionic lodge he belonged to since the symbol appears there as well. All somewhat convincing. The figure doesn't disappear due to it facing away from the wind and the combination of sand and salt water creating a hardened sediment on the surface.

A 14-minute boat ride from there will take you out to the Islands. When you reach them, you're simply overwhelmed by the incalculable quantity of wildlife there. Imagine as many birds as you possibly can squeezed into about 2 square kilometers. They cover the rocks, cover the air, everything. It's certainly easy to see why these Islands were so desputed for the abundant natural resource . . . guano . . . bird poop. The rocky islands are a home to all types of birds (sea gulls, pelicans, Galápagos and Peruvian boobies, three species of cataríns, and even penguins!) as well as thousands of sea lions and spider crabs. La Playa de Maternidad is one beach in particular that is literally just a brown, wriggling blob of sea lions, eating, fighting, barking, and such. Really quite a sight. Like I said, simply overwhelming.

---

Photos

Leones marinos
These dudes are just hanging out . . . everywhere, on the Islas Ballestas.

Watch for bombs . . .
If you look closely, you'll see that the rocks are COVERED in birds.

You want sea lions?
. . . I'll give you sea lions.

White gold, baby
"Guano equals money! Guano equals money!" our tour guide kept shouting.

¡Pegüinos!
Seeing live penguins in the wild was, I admit, pretty frickin' cool.

"The Birds"
Hitchcock would've had a field day with this one . . .

El Candelario
Indians? Pirates? San Martín? Maybe all three?

La muerte
A funeral procession that I witnessed in Pisco stops outside the cathedral on the main plaza.

Pisco durante la puesta del sol
La Municipalidad at sunset

Comments

[teehee]

BOOBIES!