General San Martin and Matarani, Peru

Tuesday, January 17, 2012 – General San Martin, Peru – (less than 3 hours south of Lima)

This was a “surprise” port for me. Not much written about it and yet when you arrive, it holds treasures of authenticity and you have a wonderful day. Sunny, bright, clear skies…we were welcomed to the Paracas peninsula by viewing the “Candelabra of the Andes” that is ingrained in the iron-rich sand on the side of the mountain of sand. Reddish sand, high hills and a definite trident shape shows up on the sand – a geoglyth dating back to at least 200 BC (based on pottery found nearby) over 450 feet high and 150 feet wide. Some say it served as a navigational guide for ancient sailors and we based on the constellation of the Southern Cross. Some say it was inspired by a local cactus species with hallucinogenic properties.

The port is for container ships that load the salt and sand for export and is located in the Paracas National Reserve. Named for the blustering paracas (sandstorms) that buffet the west coast each winter, the Reserva Nacional de Paracas is Peru’s first park for marine conservation. There is security to enter the park, there is a fee to enter the park and the sand is full of iron and the landscape is similar to the moon. Fascinating port area. There was a free shuttle to Chaco in the town of Paracas but we opted for a taxi that would include the boat ride to the Ballestas Islands – big mistake we found out later. But it was easy. And it was still less expensive than the ship’s tour so we tried to console ourselves that way. The driver was nice and told us that 800 people live in Paracas, there is a red sand beach, they are building five 5* hotels (Doubletree Suites is one) and they are a booming area for the weekend crowd from Lima. It never rains! The three streets in town had restaurants along the waterfront and a market, two small internet shops and several hostals and small hotels and a small museum. We waited with the locals for the speed boat to take us out to the islands, about 45 minutes away. We sped over to see the candelabra again and then out to the Ballestras Islands.

Wow! They were incredible – full of sea lions, cormorants and loads of other birds that I could not name, Humboldt penguins (small ones), and caves and a dock for collecting their guano! You looked above and the sky was FULL of birds above. On the islands, we saw sea lions sunning on the rocks, crying/talking/whatever you call it on the beaches, playing in the water. The penguins were mixed in with the birds on the rocks of the islands. With all the guano and the black and white of the birds and penguins, it was very difficult to distinguish between them all. And the SMELL. Just imagine all those animals and that this location is where the guano is collected to spread on the crops in Peru as fertilizer. Yep, quite a smell. But so beautiful. All the photos you see online and in books are just as if you are there.

Wild boat ride back but we were safe and sound. Back to the ship for a quick snack and on the shuttle back to town so we could make some calls and work and walk around town. Real Peruvian flavor in this town and would be a great day trip out of the city. Touring the Paracas Reserve would be interesting as would the Tambo Colorado Inca coastal outpost about 30 minutes from the port. I would welcome another stop here!
Julian Gargiulo was the pianist.

“Traveling is a brutality. It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comfort of home and friends. You are constantly off balance. Nothing is yours except the essential things – air, sleep, dreams, the sea, the sky – all things tending towards the eternal or what we imagine of it.” - Cesare Pavese

Wednesday, January 18, 2012 – sea day

Exercises, chasing down staff for meetings and paperwork, Indonesian buffet with friends, great dinner with two activities staff personnel from three other cruises and star gazing after the show, the Unexpected Boys (cruising version of The Jersey Boys).

“Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind.” - Seneca

Thursday, January 19, 2012 – Matarani, Peru

This is a major port in the most southern coast of Peru. It is an important element in the current plan between Peru and Brazil to integrate an Atlantic-Pacific corridor between the two nations to give Brazil access to the Pacific while not having to pay for costs, restrictions and distance of the Panama Canal. Peru will receive access to the Atlantic through the Brazilian ports and the Amazon.

Lovely port – first time for the Prinsendam to be here. Commercial port and we had a HUGE freighter unloading fertilizer next to us. Beautiful day with hot sun and a lovely breeze. After mass confusion about boarding the bus with too many people and too few seats, we boarded the bus for the 30 minute drive to the small town of Mollendo. The road was perilous and breathtaking – windy curves, no side barriers, very tall embankments of sand and stones and deep crevasses of dried out river banks, gorgeous coastline views with steep cliffs, advertisements written in rocks on the sand…quite a different port from our previous ones.

“Town” was a very typical Peruvian village. Narrow streets with holes in the sidewalks in very unpredictable places, market place with slabs of beef hanging from hooks, whole chickens being plucked of their feathers and gutted, chicken feet in a tray for sale, dogs roaming all over, flies resting comfortably on the meat and produce and friendly smiles and questioning eyes. We are quite obviously the tourist in this type of town. Found our way to the WIFI restaurant (one and only) and enjoyed some time with the staff as we called and worked. I had my hair cut for $2 and so what if the bangs are not quite straight – it’s the experience and atmosphere and meeting the people!  Had a nice walk with Ria, the ice cream server from the buffet who was learning her new camera and walked two miles on the ship.

Jaz Danion, French juggler, was the entertainment. I listen to the Ocean Bar band and work from the (cards) Bridge Room at night; relaxing!

OUR FIRST TIME CHANGE! We feel like we are south of California, but we have not changed time yet – tonight – One hour forward!