Pelicans and mummies!

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We figure we should get out and do one final tourist attraction (the wineries don't really count do they?) so we visit Ballestas Islands - referred to in our guide books as the 'cheap mans Gallapagos Island'.
What they fail to mention is the fact that the pelicans we see are not a new breed of black birds, but are drenched in oil from the polluted sea! Once I got over this, the trip was enjoyable enough, as we viewed colonies of sea lions and thousands of birds from a speedboat. The birds droppings being a key export to many countries including Australia (?)

The National Park is spectacular. The arid desert is a stark contrast to the lush Andes - these varying landscapes are what I love so much about Peru!
We visit a museum and I still can't get the images of the mummies kept in glass boxes out of my mind (shudder!!).
The cathedral is a key stopover which I discover is merely a rock formation that humans like to think can be likened to a cathedral or an Inca head, whichever you prefer.

An interesting day giving us an insight into the eco-tourism, a side of Peru that is genuinely concerned about the country's environment, and gives me hope that it will still be as beautiful by the time I come back..

xx haze xx

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