Paracas and the Ballestas Islands

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September 16th 2006

Published: September 18th 2006

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llama lovers

Paracas and the Ballestas Islands

Sea Lions on the islands

Ok, everyone,

So, I'm going to work backwords, I guess. Here are some pictures from the Ballestas Islands, right off the central coast of Peru, near a town that we stayed in, Paracas. On a small boat tour, Ellie and I saw bottle-nosed dolphins, penguins, pelicans, Peruvian boobies (birds!), and nearly 3500 sea lions (lobos). We took a walk the day before out to the Paracas National Reserve, on a small peninsula off the coast (very hot). We saw, in the distance, pink flamingoes on the beach. Then we walked back. It was really hot. Paracas was very loud, our hostal's neighborhood over-run with roosters, wild dogs, and rambuncious Peruvian political activists. There was a political rally, complete with stage, raging loud music, and shouting, and whistles, and such.

Peruvian Pelicans rest off the coast in large groups, scooping up fish and swallowing them in their huge throats! I will get Josh and Ellie to write more as we figure out how to use this program. I hope you enjoy it. Love, the llama lovers.

Additional photos below

Photos: 14, Displayed: 14

Paracas and the Ballestas Islands

more sea lions

Paracas and the Ballestas Islands

the islands and the thousands of birds.

Paracas and the Ballestas Islands

a sea lion, lobo, rests on the rocks near several spider crabs. The white residue on the red-colored rocks is guano, which Peruvians harvest several times a year to enhance the richness of the soil they use for farming.