Took the bus from Lima today 3 1/2 hrs south along the coast to Paracas. We rode in the top of the double decker bus and had great views of the ocean and desert. Staying at Hacienda Bahia de Paracas, an absolutely gorgeous hotel. Went to see Nazca lines then came back & ate fancy dinner of corvina fish on sweet potato, and ate the whole baby octopus out of Shana's seafood linguine. We ate on the hotel restaurant patio and watched the sun set over the ocean in a blaze of orange which turned to purple twilight. Would've been romantic if our honeys had been here so we missed them. (sniff) We want to bring them here someday.
Sept 20
Went on a motor boat to the Ballestas Islands. Full of birds here. Pelicans, blue footed boobies, inca terns, Peruvian cormorants, red footed cormorants and PENGUINS!!! Never been any place like it. The only humans allowed on the island are rangers and workers who collect the odiferous guano. Lots of sea lions. On the way back bottle nosed dolphins were in the harbor and we saw several of them swimming around the boats.
Then we went back to the hotel and hung out, ate lunch (cafe con leche & sandwiches) collected shells on the beachfront until it was time to take the bus back to Lima.