Pisco & Peruvian Boobies

Day 15 (cruise day 14) - I think this will be the shortest of my blogs so far, which is kind of fitting since the hop from Lima to here was the shortest leg of our cruise. And, because I had a full slate of meetings (5 in all 😳), I would not be getting off the ship this time but be fielding the video calls from my stateroom. And I must say beaming in from an exotic location is a double-edged sword - fun from the perspective that I just can do it (technology, flexibility, and it seems cheeky) but tempered with the fact that, to some, it may be viewed with skepticism (is he really working?), envy (it's not winter and it's not Winnipeg 🤭), or as some posh extravagance (it is...).

It was interesting coming into this port as the landscape is really quite barren and dry looking - not what I was expecting on the edge of the south Pacific. The surrounding hills were brown and lacking in vegetation, somewhat like the surrounding areas of Kamloops or Osoyoos, BC. But then I learned that one of the things Pisco is famous for is brandy of it's same name and that there are vineyards further inland. The area is also known for certain species of wildlife, like Humboldt penguins, sea lions, pelicans, and the Peruvian booby. I am not sure how nomenclature selection is made for species but for the uninitiated, Peruvian boobies are a graceful diving bird that is endemic to this area and feast on anchovy and other small fish. There are islands where boobies nest and congregate off the coast and heir excrement is harvested for fertilizer. As we tracked along the coast, boobies would dive and glide alongside the ship.

The view from my stateroom balcony was a bit more appealing than it was in Callao (Lima)...much less container obstruction! And, unlike the chaotic traffic and lack of buses in Callao, here they were a lined up and ready to take passengers on their excursions. My friends from the UK went on a nature tour to one of the islands off the coast to get a close up of the wildlife and had a most excellent adventure. I, on the other hand, worked onboard for the day and attended my meetings. And I have to confess that remaining onboard when the masses leave on their tours is actually quite appealing - the ship is quieter, there are no line-ups anywhere, and you can almost have 1:1 service if you want it. Had it been a sunny day and I had time, there would not have been any competition for deck space. I did not have the time for a break but then it was overcast and relatively temperate at 23C...definitely the coolest day of the cruise so far.