Peru Day 3 – Lima to Nazca

Wow 5:15 sucks.

We got up and go out of the hotel, our cab was waiting and so was Gino from the other day so we shook hands and said goodbye.  The bus station was nice and they checked our bags with more care and security than they do at the airport! When we left Lima we were at 413 feet.  Instantly both Tim and I got bus-sick.  The second floor sways really bad and I ended up taking my anti altitude pills which worked like Dramamine and I was fine (but a little loopy).

The showed to films on the plane – a Kim Bassinger, Tom Corbitt vehicle called “Elvis… has left the building” that probably defines what a B-movie really is.  The cast is all star in the worst way.  Then they showed “Failure to Launch” which Tim and I had already seen but is still quite funny.

Hour into the trip we stopped t a resort hotel to let some people off and Tim decided to sneak off and use the bathroom.  He took longer than expected and we left without him – we noticed right as we were pulling out and I finally got to see Tim running after a bus going “wait wait”.

About 5 minutes later we stopped at the bus-stop that wasn’t the resort hotel and they told us we would have only 5 minutes to get out and stretch our legs, I decided to stay on the bus.  They then said it would be 10 minutes and I should get off the bus.  At which point I see 10 guys standing around the back of the bus with tools and belts and it took over an hour before we left again.  Since the bus was almost empty Tim and I moved downstairs to first class with the huge sleeping bed chairs (Tim even asked first!) and the rest of the trip was just a dream as we drove across the desert and mountains.

Nazca is about 1968 feet so not too high yet.

The moment we got off he bus they wouldn’t give me my bags until I verified my baggage claim tags and then we left the station.

At the station 2 guys offered us a ride to a luxury hotel – they had pictures of this wonderful place with a swimming pool etc an it was $30US.  I have to stay if you are every in Nazca the Don Agucho Hotel is fabulous!  They really took care of us and the bags and its very secure here.

They then arranged a driver for us to take us to the Cementario Prehispanico de Chauchilla which is a huge excavated grave-site (with mummies) out in the desert.  It was amazing walking around the desert with the mountains all around.  There was a cool wind like when we were in Hawaii.  Tim met an Italian couple who just got married a week ago and they were really pleased that he took their picture for them.  Tim said that we knew how nice it was to be married because we were both married – to which I interjected “not to each other!”  they thought it was very funny and later he went up to me later and said: your “husband” is very slow in walking (he even used the finger quotes).

On the way out from the desert site we stopped and watched the sunset over the desert (well through our cameras at least) and he said he wanted to take us to two more places a gold craftsman and a ceramic workshop.

The ceramic workshop guy did a nice 5 minute demo and then tried to sell us very very expensive reproductions (that he didn’t make).  The gold guy next store was just some crazy old miner who showed us some jewelry and had a rock collection out.  Tim picked up a light blue stone and asked what it was and the man told him sulfur.  Later when he was turned to Tim and handed him a blue stone and asks “do you know what this is?” Tim said “sulfur” and he was very impressed.

He then played us New York New York with his own lyrics on and out of tune guitar and started calling us back that we should give him a tip as we walked away.

Both of the add-on excursions were within a block of the hotel, it was funny.

We walked into town to find the restaurant “El Porton” that was good.  I had some steak with cheese and ham and some leaves on it.  Tim had a seafood combo of some sort (he has this dream of finding the perfect seafood platter here). The sprite tasted funny, and then the coke did, and then the pineapple soda did so I think its the sweetener or the water in the local bottling plants.  I will stick to my bottled water till we head out.

At dinner we heard some live music and went upstairs to see some drummers and a boy and a girl dancing for tips.  It was nice and this and the markets we visited afterward were very much like our trip to Africa.

In the market I purchased some real Dramamine (well generic actually) and it was nice to see what and how people shopped, olives, chickens, fruits and vegetables.

Today we fly over Nazca, Tim wants to take the bigger economy plane because it is more stable while I figure Dramamine is Dramamine we should go for the private 4 seater and get the better views and longer ride.  It will be between 25 and 45 minutes.  Afterwards we re going back to the hotel in case we have to shower and then we will try and see the Cahuachi ruins which has a large adobe (formerly Macromedia) pyramid.  Hit a museum or two and then bus out at 8pm for Cusco.

So was there WiFi on the bus? yes – in the station!

Oh and I woke up this morning and the temple broke off my glasses.  Its at a point that I could wedge and tape so I am ok but the panic and the first aid surgery on them was nerve wracking.

Wow and its only Thursday morning (and yes I found out who won American Idol)

Jared

[Re-posted from my University Blog & Edited 07/01/2011]