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NASCA, MYSTERIES AND ADVENTURE
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This is Nasca, a unique place due to the mysteries of
its marvelous lines and figures, drawn with spectacular
perfection, by the gods... by aliens... by giants or by
ordinary people? The beauty and magnitude of the lines
must be observed from above.
The drawings and their meaning are even more mysterious
than their origin. It is not even known how long it took
to create them, nor how the creators were able to
measure them with such perfection, since there were no
aircraft in those days.
This mystery inspires many theories. In terms of science,
these lines have a series of characteristics potentially
aimed at astronomy or agriculture. Or perhaps they were
created to direct extraterrestrial, as the lines are
related to the earth’s magnetic field, the horoscope,
and may other mysteries, which in the final years of the
20th century have not yet been deciphered.
Its a place in the desert where the ancient Pre-Incas
drew beautiful, specifically designed, giant forms, a
work that would be impossible to carry out in current
times without sophisticate observation methods.
However, without a doubt, we can guarantee that your
visit to Nasca will be unforgettable... Don’t miss this
enchanting experience!
AVERAGE ANNUAL TEMPERATURE:
DISTANCE:
ALTITUDE:
TRAVEL TIME BY ROAD:
22ēc
460 KMS FROM LIMA
600 METERS ABOVE SEA LEVEL
6 HOURS FROM LIMA APPROXIMATELY
PARACAS, ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST VALUABLE AND IMPRESSIVE
COASTAL HABITATS
Millions of years ago, a cataclysmic earthquake brought
about changes to the land, that together with the
confluence of two great ocean currents, El Niņo and la
Peruana or Humboldt, created an environment where
aquatic life could flourish, encouraging abundant growth
of plankton and phytoplankton, essential components for
marine life. There is an astonishingly diverse variety
of biologic life.
In Paracas reserve, scores of sea lions can be seen
lazily basking in the sun align with condors and giants
turtles easing their way through the water.
The winds, the sea temperature, and other weather
factors have created a habitat for thousands of species
of marine fauna and flora, ranging from tiny fish and
mollusks to great seals.
The scenery is beautiful, a fact that ancestral cultures
were well aware of, because it was in this rich area
that a major civilization flourished. Paracas, famous
for its weavings, the finest in the world, inimitable
even today.
Paracas opens up a wealth of possibilities for tourists.
You can enjoy them all thanks to the facilities now
available.
AVERAGE ANNUAL TEMPERATURE:
DISTANCE:
TRAVEL TIME BY ROAD:
22ēc
250 KMS. FROM LIMA
3 HOURS FROM LIMA APPROXIMATELY
Continuing south on the Pan American highway is Pisco, a
port city that gave its name to the clear white grape
alcohol used in Peru's national drink, the pisco sour.
The invention of pisco was actually a mistake by
Spaniards trying to introduce grapes and wine production
into the dry coastal area of the New World. However,
once they tried this potent, yet smooth, beverage they
decided it had merit of its own.
A pisco sour is a cocktail made from pisco, lemon juice,
egg white and sugar syrup, whipped and served with a
dash of Angostura bitters.
The city, now with 80,000 inhabitants, joined the
bandwagon when revolutionary fever overtook the
continent in the early 1800s. Half a block from the
town's Plaza de Armas is the Club Social Pisco used as
the headquartersfor liberation leader General Jose de
San Martin while he was fighting the Spaniards.
A statue to this Argentine hero of the independence war
is found on the main plaza - the same square where boat
trips to the Ballestas Islands can be arranged.
Originally, Pisco stood in another spot not far away.
But an earthquake in 1687 and subsequent pirate attacks
badly darn_ aged the structures in the city, prompting
the viceroy, Count de la Monclova, to order it moved.
Construction of the opulent baroque cathedral started
shortly thereafter, only ending in 1723.
Pisco's small airport serves as the emergency landing
strip when heavy fog prevents planes from descending in
Lima; passengers are then bused to the Peruvian capital
or wait until the weather clears before flying north
again. From 1960 to 1970, small propeller planes of the
foreign-owned Consorcio Ballenero buzzed the waters
offshore in a now defunct project to localize and count
groups of whales that regularly ply Peru's coast.
Then, in late 1988, Peruvian scientists, in conjunction
with experts from the Natural History Museum at the
Smithsonian Institute in the United States, announced
the appearance of a new whale species. Named the
Mesoplodon Peruvianus, one of these mammals was
inadvertently picked up by fishermen working the waters
between Pucusana and Pisco. The 4-meter (13foot) long
whale is one of the smallest members of the whale family.
Poor man's Galapagos: Some 5 km (9 miles) down the coast
from Pisco is the Bay of Paracas, named after the
Paracas winds - blustery sand storms that sweep the
coast. Transformed into an ecologically-delicate
national park, and a popular spot for New Year's Day
camping, Paracas is a wildlife reserve boasting a wide
variety of sea mammals and exotic birds, among them the
red and white flamingos that allegedly inspired hero
General San Martin to design the red and white
independence flag for Peru.
The beach is lovely, although craggy for swimming and
the waters contain jellyfish. A monument marks where San
Martin set foot in Peru on September 8, 1820 after
liberating Argentina. (A law passed by the National
Congress makes September 8 a provincial holiday.)
Not long after the Argentine's arrival, a shipload of
British troops under the command of Lord Cochrane
dropped anchor in the same bay and headed to shore to
help San Martin plan his strategy against the Spanish.
The British motivation was to break Spain's monopoly on
trade in the region.
The famous Candelabro, a candelabra-shaped drawing
scratched on to the highest point of a cliffside
overlooking the bay, can be seen from the beach although
it is best viewed from a boat. Some scientists link the
drawing to the Southern Cross constellation; others say
it is actually a stylized drawing of a cactus - a symbol
of power from the Chavin culture, which flourished
farther north but whose influence has been found great
distances from its seat of power. The magic associated
with the cactus is related to its hallucinogenic powers
and use by high priests in ancient Indian cultures.
Recommended from the Bay of Paracas is a visit to the
Ballestas Islands, part of a national reserve where sea
lions, seals, penguins, guano birds and turtles rarely
found at this latitude converge before photo-taking
tourists.
Dozens of bird species thrive here, among them albatross,
pelicans and seagulls. Also worth a visit in a fishing
boat or launch is Punta Pejerrey, nearly at the
northernmost point of the isthmus and the best spot for
seeing the Candelabro.
On the exact opposite side of the isthmus is Punta
Arquillo and the mirador de los lobos, or sea lion
lookout point. This rough androcky place, reachable only
after an hour's trek on foot, takes visitors to a spot
above a sea lion refuge. Looking down, the adventuresome
find themselves nearly face to face with a congregation
of noisy sea mammals.
On lucky days, a look skyward is rewarded by the sight
of a pair of condors soaring above. These majestic birds
sweep down on sea lion carcasses, then use the intense
coastal winds to wing themselves up to the high
altitudes they normally frequent. So well-known was the
Andean birds' presence at Paracas that, when the nature
reserve was being named, one scientist pushed for the
moniker "Parque Nacional de los Condores" (Condor
National Park).
During the last century, this region was important for
its guano - mineralrich bird droppings used as
fertilizers in Europe. Extensive exploration of the
peninsula is best done with the help of a guide as paths
are not clearly marked and it is easy to become lost. In
June and August, Paracas is foggy - a reaction to the
heat and extremely sparse precipitation combined with
the water-laden ocean winds that caress the coast. A
meteorological office here recorded only 36.7 mm (11/2
inches) of precipitation during a 20-year period.
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