Pacaras by

Traveling by local buses in Peru is generally discouraged for foreigners. They often stop frequently and can get overcrowded. There are many bus companies in Peru, but due to safety issues, there's a significant risk of pickpockets who might snatch things from inside the bus or steal luggage from under the bus when it stops. Cruz del Sur is one of the recommended bus companies. They are a bit pricier, but you can be sure to arrive without any issues. The ride from Lima to Paracas takes about 3.5 hours and costs 55 S per person. Cruz del Sur's buses are equipped with tracking chips, so the company can monitor them on radar. Before departure, a security guard walks around the bus with a camera to film all the passengers. You check in your luggage, and the company takes care of loading it on board for you. You’ll need to show a small ticket to collect your luggage upon arrival. Cruz del Sur is a luxury company, where you sit comfortably in plush seats, receive a little pillow, and enjoy meals, tea, and coffee. Just outside the capital, you’re met with a completely different sight. The buildings along the road are incredibly poor. The land is dry, and the houses are tiny shacks with tin roofs. There aren't many cars on the road, so the bus keeps to its schedule quite well. When we arrived at the bus station in Paracas, we were a bit hesitant to get off. The place looked more like a refugee camp. We hadn’t booked a hotel in advance. A chatty security guard from the bus station seemed to double as a travel guide. He drove us down to the town, talking about tours the whole way, but he took it in stride when we politely declined. Paracas is close to Pisco. Both towns are known as great starting points for visits to Isla Ballestas, also known as the "Poor Man's Galapagos." Pisco was recently hit by an earthquake that left large parts of the city in ruins. Today, the city is far from being rebuilt. Besides the destruction, it also struggles with significant crime issues, making it dangerous even for locals. Paracas is a tiny town by the sea, which means there are quite a few seafood restaurants. The town looks like a big construction site. It feels like a young town that’s only being developed because it’s near a tourist attraction. For lunch, we searched for a local restaurant. There are many places catering to tourists, which means the prices are marked up. You can often find good food where the locals eat. We found a spot that offered a Menu del Dia for 8 S per person for two courses: chicken soup for the starter and fish for the main. It sounded a bit too cheap to be good, but we decided to give it a shot. We didn’t leave super full, but it turned out to be quite an experience. Then the soup arrived... and I was in for a shock. A whole chicken foot with toes popped up in my soup. The nails had been clipped, but still, what’s a chicken foot doing in soup? There’s not much meat on it—maybe it adds flavor? Thankfully, the fish was much better. It turned out to look quite normal! :o)