Lima to Paracas
Lima to Paracas
Via Peruhop. A "hop on hop off" bus ; a new travel experience for me. It's a bit pricier than public buses, but given the time and distances involved and the option to buy just one pass instead of sorting out each ticket individually persuaded me to try it out. The ghastly public buses in Cuba sapped my confidence as well as my energy.
Fortunately my first 'hop' was pleasantly impressive. The bus was a modern coach, with loo (liquids only) and everything from pick up to ticket checking seemed incredibly efficient after travel by public transport. I was a convert before we'd even left Lima.
free stops included en route :
1.Lima's war memorial perched atop the highest summit above the city, where, alas, mist prevented all but a sobering close up of favelas enroute instead of the panorama of the city.
2. The ancient Inca ruin of Paccamacca, sprawling remains rising out of the desert. Seen only from viewpoints which was fine by me as it covers acres.
3. Welcome local brunch stop where our lovely bilingual guides (each bus has two) ensured me my queso empandas, coffee, plus some chicha morada, a local purple juice made from purple corn (very sweet) came to only the street price, around £1.50.
4. Hacibta San Jose in Chincha, a splendid colonial mansion (now a five star hotel) to see the slave tunnels first built in the 18th century to smuggle African slaves from the harbour over 20km away so their rich owners avoided tax.
I went down the claustrophobic, tiny tunnels for ten minutes, repeatedly banged my head, and came up choking from the heat and dust.
Slaves died young from sunstroke, illness or exhaustion, as the tunnels not only brought them here but housed them. Eventually the last owner of the great house was finally killed by a slave in 1856 after he refused to free them despite abolition laws.
A moving visit. Odd to see the creole dancing dating from the slave era now being performed here for tourists.
Enroute, the highway to Paracas runs through mile after mile of dusty desert. Shacks line the road and snake into the undulating dunes as people eek a living in this wasteland, raising chickens, standing by the highway selling food and drink, or working in the massive petro chemical complexes. Another salutory sight after the glories of Lima.
Arriving finally in Paracas my heart sank at the sight of the grotty cell like hostel I had pre reserved. Seeing my despondence, the good folks at Peruhop came to my aid, using my ticket to get me a discounted rate at the more luxurious hotel next door. Admittedly it's not as grand as it looks, everything including towels are extra, and it's too windy by the coast here to use the pool, but the room is spacious and the ambience is lovely.
Not everyone got off this bus, not everyone will travel any or all of my 'hops', but there seemed to be a real comoraderie, the easy relaxed friendships that occur between people who know their paths will cross only briefly. It feels good.
Via Peruhop. A "hop on hop off" bus ; a new travel experience for me. It's a bit pricier than public buses, but given the time and distances involved and the option to buy just one pass instead of sorting out each ticket individually persuaded me to try it out. The ghastly public buses in Cuba sapped my confidence as well as my energy.
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| PeruHop bus |
free stops included en route :
1.Lima's war memorial perched atop the highest summit above the city, where, alas, mist prevented all but a sobering close up of favelas enroute instead of the panorama of the city.
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| Favelas |
3. Welcome local brunch stop where our lovely bilingual guides (each bus has two) ensured me my queso empandas, coffee, plus some chicha morada, a local purple juice made from purple corn (very sweet) came to only the street price, around £1.50.
4. Hacibta San Jose in Chincha, a splendid colonial mansion (now a five star hotel) to see the slave tunnels first built in the 18th century to smuggle African slaves from the harbour over 20km away so their rich owners avoided tax.
I went down the claustrophobic, tiny tunnels for ten minutes, repeatedly banged my head, and came up choking from the heat and dust.
Slaves died young from sunstroke, illness or exhaustion, as the tunnels not only brought them here but housed them. Eventually the last owner of the great house was finally killed by a slave in 1856 after he refused to free them despite abolition laws.
A moving visit. Odd to see the creole dancing dating from the slave era now being performed here for tourists.
 |
| Creole dancing |
Enroute, the highway to Paracas runs through mile after mile of dusty desert. Shacks line the road and snake into the undulating dunes as people eek a living in this wasteland, raising chickens, standing by the highway selling food and drink, or working in the massive petro chemical complexes. Another salutory sight after the glories of Lima.
Arriving finally in Paracas my heart sank at the sight of the grotty cell like hostel I had pre reserved. Seeing my despondence, the good folks at Peruhop came to my aid, using my ticket to get me a discounted rate at the more luxurious hotel next door. Admittedly it's not as grand as it looks, everything including towels are extra, and it's too windy by the coast here to use the pool, but the room is spacious and the ambience is lovely.
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| My Hotel |
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| Sunset at Paracas |
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