Peru Part 2, Unconventional Peru: Pacific Coast, Pisco Vienyards, Huacachina Desert, and the Paracas Nature Reserve.

For a complete contrast, our next adventure took us south out of Lima to the Pacific coast, Pisco vineyards and the Huacachina dessert

We're driving south along a major hwy as we leave Lima behind. I wanted to include this photo, as the beach is at the bottom and at the top of the cliff, is Lima. Look at the rock of the cliffs. They are all covered with a special netting to prevent erosion. What super amazing about this, is that on the hay looking up at these cliffs, are a gazillion bougainvilleas, giving a Ton of colour to the very neutral cliffside. Lots of surfers out on the ocean too. Not far along, the scenery is less shiny and citified. 

However, good compositional possibilities. I just look at shapes and arrangements. 

As we leave the big city behind (population 10 million) the sun, as promised peaks out. (Lima has no sun and is under perpetual cloud cover. The landscape is barren, with a few shacks here and there. 

Then we reach our first destination for this area of Peru. The Pisco Vineyards. 

Pisco Sour is the national drink of Peru, and they drink it the way Canadians drink beer. Except it's a little more potent than beer. Pisco is fermented grape juice, similar in potency to Brandy. 

It was amazing to see the process, with the Andes beckoning in the background. Yeh,..they kind of make a lot of Pisco here. 

And sell it like corn in Canada in August, roadside stands everywhere. Except for the guns hanging, everything here is Pisco. Next Stop: Huacachina Desert.

Eva getting out her gear to paint

Myself, Janet and Jan, thumb nailing, and preparing to paint the sand dunes of Huacachina. For many years now, we have made a habit of having a sunset challenge. You prepare your composition, choose your palette, even start painting, knowing you are leaving the effect of the sunset to the last second. That's what we are preparing here. 

The following day, our jaws were dropped at the Paracas nature reserve, with spectacular coastal scenery, dramatic cliffs and awesome water/wildlife. After a spectacular seafood lunch, off we went to paint for the afternoon. Check it out:

Eva painting in from of the never-ending and blue, sky.

Here's Bev, mid-painting, by the water. 

Here's Barb capturing the remarkable red cliffs of Paracas. 

Bettys' off to the races, with her values checked, and ready to go. 

There's the lovely Janet, with a different viewpoint. 

There's Jan, with an underpainted surface and a bit of a different colour scheme.