Tag: Paracas

Semana Santa – The Unofficial End to Summer

You can already feel a nip in the air. The autumn equinox has already come and gone, but people are not ready to believe that the weather is going to turn and they will have to retreat to the safety of their homes. Luckily, in the southern hemisphere, there is a week that is held with reverence that allows for that one last fling to enjoy the weather that is usually enjoyed during the summer months, Semana Santa, or as it is known in the English speaking world, Holy Week. In Peru, this week is treated as a national holiday, and everybody has the long weekend off to enjoy with their family and friends.

This combination of weather, vacation, and attitude creates a pilgrimage to the beach towns along the Pacific coast as people try to squeeze in those last moments of summer. It is not so much about the Holy Week as it about enjoying what the last vestiges that the warmer weather has to offer. It reminds me of Labor Day weekend in the United States as everybody leaves the big cities to find those places on the coast or in the mountains where they can find time to relax and pretend that winter is not so far around the corner.

I should have expected this from one of the beach towns that was closest to Lima, the big city where I live. But I was not thinking of this when I booked my weekend getaway. I was thinking more about a beach that I could relax on, a place not far from my where I could unwind for a bit, and a place that had a little bit of culture and cuisine that I could say that I had experienced something new by going here in the first place. And I do have to say that I did experience something new by coming down here, but I came down during the wrong weekend because everybody else had the same idea that I did, and came down to Paracas as well. It created crowded beaches, and restaurants, and the whole vibe was a big party that everybody was there to get their last moments of fun.

Despite the crowds, we were still able to find the charm of this city. It was not in the places where we expecting; instead, it was in the back streets further away from the beaches. It was here that you were able to get away from the DJs and large concerts going on to mark the end of the season. Instead, we saw the things that make Peru a great place to be. There was a street food section where the flavors of the grill could be smelled wafting over the brick walkways. Each little booth was run by a different family and they had a small selection of seating next to the spot where they cooked your food. You could find anticuchos (grilled cow’s heart), picarones (fried sweet potato rings), and chicken or pork tamales. It was the perfect place to grab a local cerveza, and grab a bite to eat.

That is not to say that you could not find the better restaurants that carried the cuisine that Peru is famous for. There are many of those as well, but you will definitely want to get away from the main drag to find them. There are many restaurants right on the beach, but each of those has quick easy meals because they know they will garner the attention of the tourists that have come to visit. When you head in a bit, you can find the fresh ceviche, Peruvian soups, and chaufa that will make the trip memorable. The best one we found was called Christina’s and it was a fine minute walk in-land from the beach, but was well worth the walk to get the better meal.

The bars along the beach are great to get a pisco sour, especially during happy hour when they are two for one, but it is still a crazy mash of people and does not offer the relaxation that we were looking for. I am sure that Paracas has those quiet weekends that we would have enjoyed the experience a little more, but for Semana Santa, it is a time to party. It is a loud, raucous time that it great for many people, but this is not a part of my life anymore. I will come back some day when it is not as crazy, and hopefully then, I can find the weekend that I am looking for. Maybe at a time when it is not the end of summer, and I am not a part of a group of people who feel like that they have to get in those last moments of the season before it is gone for another six months. Instead, I can just enjoy the time that I find myself there, and understand that all times are great in Peru, no matter what season it is.

Ballestas Islands – A Morning Boat Tour

Paracas is not one of the top destinations for people visiting Peru and who only have a week or two, but for those who spend time in the country, they find a way to make it down to this beach town. The town itself does not boast anything special that you could not find in any beach resort anywhere in the world. There are numerous restaurants, and sandy beaches, but it is when you get out of the town and look at the sights a little distant from the shores that you discover what Paracas really has to offer.

One of the things that many people do is to take a boat trip out to the Ballestas Islands, a group of two jagged outcropping that was once used to harvest guano and brought to Peru many riches. It has since been taken over by the government and kept as a nature reserve that you can take a two-hour boat ride out there to see the various animals that now overrun the islands. It is often called the poor man’s Galapagos, and though the islands are rich with animals, you cannot see the diversity that Darwin discovered that made the other island chain as famous as it is today. Still for only twenty U.S. dollars, you can enjoy a nice morning traveling around the islands and watching the birds, crabs and sea lions that call it home. It will also take you along the coast of Peru where you can witness one of its more famous Nazca lines, strange traces in the earth all along Peru that were left behind by an earlier civilization and nobody knows much about except they are cool to look at.

The islands itself is best visited in the months of December through March because that is when the wildlife is out their in abundance. It is the perfect place to look for penguins as they jumps their way over the rocky cliffs and jump into the water to go for a swim.

It is also the time of the year when the sea lion are out there engaging in their mating rituals. They will move off to warmer waters soon afterwards, but at the end of March, they are engaged in raising their newly born children and relaxing on the beaches that are a part of this island.

It is not always the perfect nature reserve though. There are still the remnants of a time when humans controlled the islands. Most of these ruins have been left behind, but the Peruvian government has built up a couple of the buildings so a couple of people couple work there to make sure that they could conserve the area of this preserve and make sure nobody came along to destroy the delicate balance of nature that is left behind.

Though many people who make their way out to Peru will never witness this little piece of paradise, it is a nice spot to go to for those who are willing to spend a little more time out in the area. It is easily the biggest highlight on a trip to Paracas and one you should consider if your path takes you our here during the months of December through March.