Blindsighted

Here we sit, breathing, alive...in Lima. The past two days has held some exhilarating and adrenaline producing adventures as we headed to Paracas, Nasca, and Ica. These are three cities located south of Lima on the coast of Peru. These cities are a desert climate with no rain, yet travel 100 km and you will reach a new climate.

In Paracas we took a boat tour of nearby islands that had several native birds, penguins, dolphins and sea lions. Taking the waves head-on, we flew airborne over several in a speed boat. :) It was a blast! Along with these islands was a huge candelabra etched in the rocks of an island off the coast created over 2000 years ago. It's still in tact because the sand has solidified as well as the wind blows from the other side of thet island. This is Paul, Megan and Cael sightseeing. The other is of Julie & Joanna wind-blown on the ride to the islands.

Next we traveled to Nasca to see the Nasca lines made by the Nasca people who were long before the Incans, created drawings in the sand desert that could only be viewed from a plane. There are several theories as to why these were created, but none for certain. This plane ride was terrifying. In a 6-passenger plane, we drove over a desert land and tilted (to a BIG degree) then flew around in circles over the drawing. The pilot happened to b Next, we went to Nasca - the group of peoplee talking on his cell phone for a few minutes as well as one time taking h is hands off the wheel. Talk a bout terrifying. However, here we are safe and sound. The Nasca Lines have recently been made popular by the new Indiana Jones movies. Although the movie doesn't depict Peru the way it really is (geographically, etc) , the Nasca Lines are very true. The first picture is of an alien (we like to think he looks like ET), and the last of Paul, Megan, Julie & Joanna about to board the plane.

Today we went to Ica for a Dune Buggy "tour"...or what we thought was going to be a tour. These "dunes" looked like sand mountains from the Middle East...they were HUGE. What we thought was a tour ended up being a 2-hour ride-of-your-life hold-on-to-your-seatbelt-for-dear-life adventure. Our crazy driver took us down 80 degree hills at speeds up to 40 mph! As well as driving crazily through the sand mountains, we had the opportunity to go sand boarding- which was a BLAST!!!! We took snowboards and slid on our bellies down HUGE slopes at incredible speeds! This is us at a stop to take pictures, and the other is of Megan sand-boarding down a hill.
So although we had such an incredible vacation, we are happy to be back lounging in Lima. Tomorrow Paul will go back for a check up. All is healthy here in the McCann household. Cael's cold only lasted one day. He, by the way, is the most "tranquille" baby ever. (That's what they call him over here). He did a magnificent job in the car today and is just a joy to be around!! We head to Pucallpa Thursday!