kimmykimmykokonut

taken by chillntravel

We had a little time to kill and there was nothing left to do in Paracas except play cards, so we decided to head to Nazca for a change of scenery (and expand our eating options, Paracas was lame) and get our buddies a few hours closer to Cusco before we parted ways.

Nazca is famous for its lines. These lines are basically moved rocks in the desert, exposing a lighter color underneath. The lines form hundreds of crazy shapes (geometrical shapes, a monkey, birds) and the only way to see them is by paying a tourist price for a plane ride over them. We have heard if you are really interested in the lines, it’s worth it. Otherwise, you can enjoy the pizza in town and their very clean plaza.

taken by Anselmo Herranz

We chose not to do the lines but did an observatory show that talked about the lines and Maria Reiche, a German woman who spent the majority of her life studying them. Her theory is that the lines were for astronomical purposes, some of them pointing to the horizon at the exact spot the sun sets or rises on the solstices. Some of the lines lead to water sources, mountain passes or served as ceremonial sites. Scientists carbon dated some ceramics and the lines were made between 200bc and 700ad. And the lines don’t fade away. It’s one of the driest places on Earth nor is there much wind. Their only enemy is the highway, which goes through the lizard shape and people driving on the lines. It’s now a protected area and from the highway it just looks like rocky desert. I heard that the lines weren’t discovered until well after they built the highway. One shape looks like an astronaut and another looks like an alien…so either the Nazca people were clairvoyant or they were the aliens. The world may never know…all I know is that I could never live in that place. Too dry for me.

So I hoped you learned something new because our time in Nazca was not very exciting. Lots of Euchre playing, cooking and eating.

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