Southern Peruvian Highlights

When my mom arrived in Lima on Wednesday morning, we set the hostel alight with our screams and caused a mini earthquake through our enthusiastic jumping. Was great to see her and have talked non-stop since her arrival.

Our two day stay in Lima was absolutely fantastic! We visited two famous museums, which my mom was dead keen on with her textile history. The one was the Largo Museum, one of the biggest collection of Pre Columbian Ceramics in South America, as well as the Gold Museum, which also contained Pre Columbian and Incan sculptures and jewellery made of solid gold. We also saw the sacrificial pieces used to offer humans to placate the gods. I found it morbidly fascinating.

On our last night in Lima we went to the fountain park, which is the most impressive array of water features I have ever seen. It boggled my mind how fountains could skyrocket several storeys into the air and dance to Tchaikovsky and Mozart. Each fountain danced amidst a plethora of colours and the biggest fountain (+-15metres long and 3 storeys high) had images superimposed on the water, with a scene out of swan lake to give you an idea. I stood there as a gobsmacked 5 year old, not being able to move from the spot. Of all the things I`ve seen so far, the fountain park really stands out in my mind. Perhaps it has something to do with me being such a water lover.

The following day we left home at 3am, to catch our bus to Paracas. Here we visited the Paracas Islands, which is untouched by humanity. We boarded a speed boat with other locals, and saw thousands of seagulls, seals and other sea mammals conglomerated on the massive boulders of rock. It was magnificent, but also because humans are not allowed to go onto the island, so there is something sacred and prehistoric about the place.
After Paracas, we visited the dusty desert town of Ica, and onto a Pisco vineyard, where we had a tour on how Pisco Sour is made. The national drink of Peru. Also tasted samples of the different Piscos, the best part of the tour :-) Then we headed to a local restaurant and had the region´s traditional dish of green beans with a milky spicy sauce, rice & fish. It was divine! Ofcourse we had some more pisco sour :-)

We boarded another bus in the afternoon, which took us to Nazca. Arrived there in the evening in checked into a beautiful colonial style hotel, complete with swimming pool. Just a pity our time there was so short and we couldn`t enjoy it much. Yesterday we were collected bright & early for our tour over the Nazca lines. We boarded a small aeroplane and were able to see the 13 sand etches made by the Nazcan civilization 1000 years ago. Some of the drawings stretch to 50metres in length and can ofcourse, only be appreciated from the air. There are lines which run in perfect symmetry for 300km. There are many theories surrounding the desert drawings, the most popular being that they were created by aliens.

The most scientific explanation is that these lines and drawings were used by the ancient Nazcan civilization for agricultural and religious purposes. Felt honoured to have seen it all. Unfortunately my camera did not take the best photos and the trip we were supposed to make to the metallic tower didn`t happen.  As a result, we couldn`t get proper pictures. One of those memories that will have to stay in our photographic memory.

After the Nazca lines tour we headed into the scorching heat of the desert to see the Nazca mummies which also date back to 1000A.D. They still had their hair fully intact, which was incredibly long and swept past their feet. Their garments and textiles were also intact, and we could see the intricate designs on their hand woven cloth, which was dyed bright red, by crushing a female insect which lived on the cactii in the area. These people were so innovative, it boggles the mind.

The graves were only discovered in the latter part of the 30`s, but unfortunately grave robbers had discovered it much earlier on and looted the beautiful pottery, clothing and other pieces of historical value. The mummies were dug up from their metre deep graves and scattered across the dessert sands. Luckily some of these remained intact and one is perfectly preserved, due to the extreme climates. The graves they were buried in (metres deep) also helped to protect the mummies from the onslaught of 1000years.

After our mummy tour we headed to town, had lunch, bought some essentials for the bus and got underway on our 8hour bus journey to Arequippa, the city which is lined with white houses. We only got to bed after 1am and after the non-stop tours and buses of the past four days, we were pretty pooped. It is now close to 10am, and we still feel like death warmed up. My 2nd cup of coffee has hardly boosted my sluggish body and brain. Hopefully, after a walk around the beautiful neighbourhood we are staying, I will feel slightly more alive.

This afternoon we go on a four hour excursion to the town, visiting monasteries, churches and a museum in which the body of a little girl named Juanita is perfectly preserved. She was found in the ice and as a result all her features are still intact. If I understood correctly, this 10year old girl was sacrificed to the Gods, but will find out more later.

If I have time, will try to upload my Amazonian pics later. Only one computer with internet in the hotel, and people are impatiently queing up already.

So with that, I`ll say goodbye for now
With love from Arequippa,
Janine