Travels with Liz: Chancay Castle

My first trip to Chancay Castle reminded me of a trip Liz and I took to Ramoji film studios in Hyderabad, India-they're both places expressly designed to provide crazy and fun photo opportunities in unreal settings.  I was happy to have the chance to take Liz there to experience it for herself.

Upon arrival, I was surprised to see that many changes had been made in the few months since my first trip.  There are many areas still under construction, so I guess I will have to make a trip back in another couple of months to see the finished product.

The faux stone exterior is new; the grey and red parts are still under construction

As we arrived early in the day this time, we were able to participate in the tours and activities at the castle. (Nothing makes you feel more like royalty than falconry!)

But, as I stated earlier, this place is all about the pictures, so here goes:

Liz' Juliet picture

Waiting for her prince...

She likes the strong, silent type

Travels with Liz: The Coast

Ica
Our days on the coast were marked by a different rhythm than those in the mountains.  Where before we were on the move most of the day (mostly to keep warm!), in Ica our movements were more languid as we soaked up the sun. We, of course, indulged in a wine & pisco tasting tour.  Fortified by our pisco tasting experience at the Museo del Pisco in Cusco, we were able to more intelligently appreciate the ones we tasted.

This is how the wine and pisco is stored while aging.  

At this winery, we were able to try wines and piscos of various ages.

We also stopped in Cachiche to see the Parque de las Brujas, a park dedicated to the local (good) witches who helped the people by curing diseases and dispensing love potions.

We were told if we hugged the tree we would be given health, success and love.

This statue is of the most famous good witch, Julia, who reportedly lived to be 106.

We also visited nearby Huacachina, an oasis in the desert.  Legend states that the lagoon was created from the tears of an Incan princess crying for her dead lover.  She is represented as the mermaid who perches on the banks of the lagoon.

On this trip, we opted not to explore the dunes via dune buggy or sand board, leaving that for a future trip.

Paracas
We stopped in Paracas, but unfortunately we arrived too late to take the boat tour to visit the island to see the sea lions.  We still enjoyed our time there, shopping, eating seafood and strolling along the waterfront.  Liz even got some great sunset shots!