Well that was a night!! Wasn’t that a party!! Big celebration. The music from 2 blocks away boomed for about 4 hours after our tired bodies climbed into bed. Then about 2AM some fireworks and more music. The last time I checked the time it was about 4:30. It quieted down not long after that.

 

Early morning shot of the same boats from sunset last night.

 

 

 

We are on our way to meet Alfredo down the Paracas malicon.

 

 

 

 

Today is the National Reserve day. We lather up with sunscreen and stock up with water at this little bodega.

 

We are to meet at Alfredo’s office @ 10:50 to join the tour at 11:00. He is still keen to sell us his tour and tells us that it is important to decide on the Nazca flight soon as they fill up quickly. I did a bit of checking online and from what little I find he seems to have a good reputation. He gives us a price for just the Transportation to Huacachina, then 2 nights there, trasportation to Nazca, accomodation, the flight and the night bus. $330 USD per person. So $660 USD per couple, which comes to about $900 CAD. We’re still contemplating!! Next thing we know he is providing us with a private tour of the National Reserve. English speaking guide who will stop where ever we want for photos or questions. OK? We are still contemplating. He is watching Stu and Greg go outside to chat as Leslie and I sit in his office waiting. Now he is re-working his numbers. Now it is $280 USD or 560 per couple and about $750 CAD. Our driver Julio arrives and we are off on our tour, still contemplating. 😉

The National Reserve is a desert. Julio tells us that stretches right down the coast through to Chile.

 

We feel like we are in a Mad Max movie, the landscapes are so desolate. Not even a cactus grows here.

 

The only animals are lizards, geckos and foxes.

 

There are fossils a plenty here. These are some spiral shells.

 

 

 

This is the entrance to this area.

 

 

 

 

They have stones laid out to mark where is okay to walk.

 

 

 

 

 

Closer to the water there are over 200 species of birds that make this their home.

 

 

 

 

The views from the cliffs are spectacular. Miles and miles of cliffs.

 

 

 

 

Desert to the right and ocean to the left. Quite a contrast.

 

 

 

 

Greg finds a porta-pottie to match his shirt. He gives it an 88 out of 100 which is way better than the rating Stu gave the Bano he paid 1 Sole (about 40 cents Canadain) for where we stopped for lunch.

 

This is our lunch table. We just stood up and the gulls swooped in to clean up for us!! 😉

 

 

This is the spot we stopped for lunch. About 5 restaurants in this little bay. A small beach where families swim and a bay beyond full of fishing boats. And LOTS of birds, gulls and pelicans.

There is a hill here so we must climb it. A larger view of where we are.

We ask Julio if it will be quieter in town tonight.  He says “Oh no, The FESTIVAL!!”  We say, “STILL??”  Turns out it s on until we leave on Tuesday.  hmmm.  Can you say sleep deprivation.  It reminds me a lot of one Easter we spent in Mexico.  We won’t make that mistake again.  Who knew there would be a Festival in Paracas??

Travelling to Paracas on the bus today. Very comfortable double decker bus with leg rests, food trays, pillows and blankets. Cosy!!

 

 

They even serve us a sandwich bun, piece of cake and beverage, coffee, tea or soda.

 

 

 

There is not much worth seeing along the way. Shanty towns climbing up the hills.

We did pass through a larger town and at the red light saw these crazy vehicles ready to dart off on the green light.

 

We passed what seemed like a couple of miles of auto mechanic shops side by side by side. This is one example. Tires piled on the roof seem to be the norm. I think it helps keeps the roof on in the wind!

 

Also many miles of half built buildings. Most looked abandoned.

 

 

We arrive in Paracas and find a beautiful little bay with a wide beachside promenade. We are negotiating a tour with a fellow named Alfredo who met us

as we were walking from the bus depot to our hotel the Bamboo Lodge (0681). He is a smooth talker and is trying to get us to buy into the Ballestas

Island tour tomorrow morning followed by the National Reverve in the afternoon. We stop for some sustenance and beer to contemplate this decision.

 

 

We decide to book the National Reserve for tomorrow (Sunday) and the Islands that are dubbed the “Poor Man’s Galapagos” for Monday morning. We were up at 5:30 this morning for the bus and would like to sleep at bit later tomorrow.
Alfredo is also recommending an itinerary for us for the next 10 days or so. He thinks we have too much time. He can arrange everything he says!! 😉 Transportation to Huacachina, a night there, then transportation to Nazca, a night there and a flight over the Nazca Lines for the morning. Then he recommends “Friends to take the night bus from Nazca to Arequipa”. Then the Colca Canyon.  His itinerary is growing!!

 

The sun is setting so the contemplation continues.

 

 

 

This is where we are staying right on the malacon.

 

 

There is a festival in Paracas tonight. We think the earplugs will be necessary as the party ramps up. Many extra policia in town to keep the peace.