coast – Samafas

January 1, 2008

New Years Day in Miraflores, Lima

The first part of our new year was spent sleeping to recover from the night. Then we headed out in the afternoon with the girls to visit Miraflores, a richer part of Lima. Walking along the coastline gave us fantastic views of the beaches below and of almost a dozen paragliders that were soaring above.

Our hosts in Lima
Our wonderful hosts in Lima who made us feel completely welcome in their home… the Ausejos.

Our walk took us through the park of love, where a Peruvian Chinese couple that had just been married were getting their photos taken. All along the walls of the park were love hearts and love messages from unknown people to their beloveds, and couples talking, embracing and kissing were littered all around the grounds.

The cliffs of Miraflores in Lima and many paragliders.

We ended up at a food mall, below some very expensive shops in a complex that sat on top of the edges of the cliffs and offered some spectacular views. It was extremely busy and loaded with security guards, but smelled strongly of money. After a quick bite we emerged from the lower floors and caught a cab back to the house. Tonight we were heading out to the airport to pick up Darlene. Tomorrow we leave Lima.

A paraglider overhead soars past using the winds of the cliffs to give him more height.

Landing pad for paragliders
All of the paragliders were taking off and landing on this patch of grass on top of the cliffs, and giving people rides. The guy with the camera took photos of the people while the paraglider hung there in the same spot only metres above the ground.

The Park of Love, with a huge statue of a couple kissing. It is said that you are allowed to kiss anybody if you drag them under the shadow of this statue. While we were there I never saw anybody trying to drag someone down there, so maybe this is just a tale.

Coastline
Looking back over to the lighthouse, the point where we had come from.

Rich food area
This section of Miraflores was the richest part that I have seen in Lima. Filled with security guards and very expensive shops, it also sported many of the typical America fast-food joints (Burger King, Pizza Hut, KFC, Starbucks, etc).

The Marriot Hotel
On the other side of the road to this rich complex was the very elaborate Marriott Hotel. We were in an upper-class area of Lima, although Paul informs me that there are richer areas in Lima than this.

December 30, 2007

Arriving in Lima, Peru

The bus ride from Tacna to Lima took 22 hours, leaving at 2pm one day and arriving at 12pm the next day. Once again we were on a long journey. Passing through customs was without any problems and we took advantage of the small shop there and the delay in getting the bus through to grab ourselves some better food than the sandwiches that are offered on-board. This was the last sign of civilization for a long time.

Boarding the bus in Tacna.

The desert area here is completely barren and very hot and dry. There seems to be no plant that grows in this landscape and yet as we drive along the road, the only sign that this inhospitable land has been invaded by people, suddenly great concrete jungles of cities loom up and we are engulfed by their myriads of buildings. Within these cities there are sections of grass, trees, and other signs of life, distracting the inhabitants from the grim reality of the desert that encircles them.

The international terminal in Tacna, Peru, filled with international taxis.

Before long the night comes, and sleep along with it. By the time we wake up, we have passed through Pisco and the earthquake zone and are getting very close to Lima. Some heavy traffic greets us as we move into the capital city of Peru and our bus labours to move through it. Finally we are done, we reach the bus terminal and grab our bags. What happens next is still uncertain. Six days of travel so far, with four of them on buses.

Going through customs
Passing through the customs search building. We make it through easily but the bus delays in getting through the gate.

We should be moving onward, finishing the journey. But we cannot. A visa problem left one of the students stranded in Buenos Aires, and we need to wait for her to arrive at the airport here. The question now is who waits and who goes. So it is time for lunch, and some decisions. We take refuge in Paul’s uncles place, using it to store our bags so we can go out for a meal and stop at internet for a moment.

Green next to desert
When the green ends, the desert begins immediately.

Sandy and few rocks
Finding rocks in this desert was very unusual.

Green and brown
The difference that a little water can make in such a dry place is amazing.

Selling to the bus passengers
Every time the bus stopped we were swamped with people trying to sell things to those on the bus.

Passing through a local village, supported by a nearby river.

River in desert
Streams of living water in dry places… a strong flowing river for such a desert area.

One of many local beach resorts as we near Lima – the next day.

Rich beach community
A rich beachside community on the outskirts of Lima.

Main street in Lima
Finally we reach the busy streets of Lima, Peru.

Stopping in Taxi
Stopping outside the house of Pauls Uncle to find a refuge in the middle of Lima.

December 29, 2007

Heading Northward – Arica and Tacna

Arriving in Arica was a welcome relief to our tired bodies, tired of the travel and hungry for some decent food. So the first thing we did was store our backpacks and head to town for a hearty meal. Arica has some lovely beaches which are very tempting, although we only ever got to see them from a distance. Lunch was our priority.

The beach at Arica
The beaches of Arica, Chile.

Lunch was a hearty meal in some small restaurant in front of the local train station. Only two trains leave per day so our restaurant was not even remotely busy when we stopped by. A huge plate of rice, meat, salad, and fried potato chips combined with Peru’s unique Inka Cola softdrink went a long way to appease the hunger that we all had. Some icecreams afterwards helped fill up any remaining holes.

Paul ready to eat
Paul salivating over our delicious lunch… after days of bus food.

After lunch we wandered through the city centre and looked around for some tax-free shopping. Iquique is the city with tax-free everything and after looking around we could not find anything that was truly tax-free other than stoves and fridges. Wandering through the back streets we find our way back to the bus terminal, grab our bags and then head off to the other, international terminal, to take a taxi to Peru.

The main mall of Arica, Chile.

Wandering through the streets trying to find our way back to the bus terminal.

Crossing the border to Tacna was without any problems at all. I had expected it to involve a thorough search of our bags and other checks for duty-free items, but since Tacna is also part of the tax-free zone, we only needed to get our passports stamped and were through.

In the international taxi to Tacna
Riding in the taxi on the way from Chile to Peru.

Peru border crossing
Arriving at the Peruvian border crossing.

Upon reaching Peru, the prices of everything dropped considerably. We were all exhausted so we bought bus tickets for the next day and then found ourselves a $10 soles per night room in a residential setting.Â Our night involved a wander around the markets and the town centre and then going out for a big meal of wood-fire cooked pizza. It was delicious.

Everything closed at night
During the night most of the shops were closed.

Breakfast at the markets
Eating breakfast the next day at the markets.

The next day we returned to the markets and picked up some very cheap bits and pieces. I grabbed some stuff for computers, while the girls were more focused on the clothes and leg-hair-pullers and stuff like that. It was tough trying to find each other in the labrynth of small shops within the markets, and by the time we all got together again our bus was about to leave. So with packaging and bags flying everywhere, we all jam our newly acquired stuff into our bags and race out to the bus terminal ready to start the next leg of our journey… to Lima.

Paul happy with his purchases
Paul returning from the markets, very happy with his purchases.

The city centre
The only part we got to see during the day of the city, because of our rush to catch the bus.

December 28, 2007

Heading Northward – Chile

Here are a few photos and some descriptions about our journey northward. The most significant part of the journey was what we saw along the way, so it makes sense to let you see the photos rather than write much about it this time.

One of the things you do while bored at midnight on the bus to Chile… play with water bottles and headlamps and then take photos of it.

Making the next bus
Arriving in Santiago, we did not even get our bags off the first bus before they were calling us over to this next bus as it was ready for departure and waiting for us.

Some of the first beaches north of Santiago in Chile were beautiful and very inviting too. If ever there comes an opportunity, I can see a return to the old sport of spear-fishing again.

wind power
Wind turbines indicate that this place sees a lot more wind than we experienced during our trip.

Sleeping beauties
It’s probably a bit mean to put this photo up, but the reality was that Yamila and Lorena slept through virtually the entire journey. So it seemed appropriate to share it as part of our experience on the journey northward. Of course they missed out on all of the wonderful sights because they were sleeping.

Note how much grass and vegetation exists here. This is still relatively close to Santiago. It changes quickly however.

An (almost) island seaside resort. It does look very inviting. No idea where it is, as we only found our map of Chile once we had reached Peru. So it has not helped us at all.

Local fishing villiage
A local fishing village, and the place where the bus almost left without us. I had visited the local loo, and when I returned to the bus, it had already pulled out from the platform and was about to take off. Fortunately the door was still open, so I dived inside before it closed. Somehow I suspect (hope) they were waiting for me in their own, rather rushed, way.

Barren household
Suddenly the landscape changes to mostly desert. This is one lonely house in the middle of a long drive to nowhere. It surprised me just how many people chose to live in the middle of nowhere… and I still wonder where they get the water they need to survive out there.

The landscape was not only barren, but also rocky and barren in some places.

Desertscape
The desert-scape was quite amazing in places as we looked out over the amazing mountains that surrounded us. Climbing up and over them caused our ears to pop frequently.

Greenery where there is water
Not everywhere was desert. In some places there were rivers that sustained enough water to reach the sea. Sometimes this water was a mere trickle, but the people built farms around it and dug holes to capture it. As a result there were a couple of places with really green farmland that stood out in sharp contrast with the desert lands surrounding it.

sunset
Sunset on our first day. There was still the entire night and half a day left before we would reach Arica, our destination city at the top end of Chile.

Climbing mountains
The next day was more of the same, until we started climbing up and down many mountains and valleys such as this one.

Houses in a river-bed
Houses and properties built along the riverbed of a large valley. We had almost reach Arica by now, and came over the last hill to see hundreds of these houses stretching out along the dry riverbed. I guess it never floods in a place like this.

Houses along the riverbed
Looking out along the riverbed scattered with houses everywhere. They extended for a long way to the left also.

Coca-cola mountain
Coca-cola gets to etch its advertising slogan even into the mountains here.

Finally arrived in Arica
Finally we have arrived in Arica, the northernmost city of Chile, and right next to the border of Peru. It had been a long journey and we were all exhausted, so it was wonderful to know that we had made it this far.

Our journey northward in Chile was now over, well, apart from crossing the border that was.