Leaving the volcano

The scenery around Naples and Sorrento includes many dramatic mountains but it is all dominated by looming Vesuvius, making for a dramatic sail-away.  The sea was moderately rough that night but seasoned sailors TSH and Diva did not need to take any medication. On arrival in Civitavecchia, the weather was sufficiently gloomy that TSH and Diva, along with many other in-transit guests, spent the morning in the assigned Panorama lounge whilst the rest of the ship was sanitised ready for the embarking guests and the next leg of their Grand Voyage.

Not many birds have been seen during this voyage, but there were hordes of Gulls around the ship in Naples.

The most recent ship-wide testing session revealed an additional guest who tested positive for Covid. The current total is 6 guests and 4 crew (all asymptomatic or with only mild symptoms) in isolation – 1.2% of the onboard population. TSH and Diva were told by a guest who had tested positive earlier in the voyage that the procedure is to stay in your suite pending a follow-up PCR test. If that is also positive, you are required to pack a bag and then you are put into a wheelchair and the crew run you into isolation. Surprisingly, the food arrangements appear to be less than satisfactory.

 

First port in Peru – Salaverry

The scenery here is very different from earlier in the voyage, and very different from anything TSH and Diva have seen before. The coastal strip, where most of the population live, is very dry and sandy and there is little vegetation apart from where irrigation has been arranged using water flowing down from the mountains. As anyone who has bought asparagus in Britain will know, a lot of it is grown in Peru. Apparently 95% of the crop grown in Peru is exported along with a lot of artichokes. Behind the coastal strip are jagged, volcanic-looking mountains.

The bus used for this excursion was a double decker but very comfortable with seats more like armchairs and lots of leg room. TSH was amazed to see a steam engine before the bus had left the docks. It was on a raised plinth so presumably is of historic value.

Land is very expensive so people plan to build houses with many floors but many of the houses have only one or two floors with another started but never completed.

The first stop was at the Temple of the Huaca Dragon. This pyramidal temple is thought be 1,100 years old and has walls decorated with figures that resemble dragons. It is believed to be the first settlement of the Wari Culture in the Moche Valley.

The star visit was the second stopping point which was the Chan Chan ruins, which cover such an extensive area that it was only possible to visit one of the places. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was the ancient capital of the Chimu Empire and is the largest clay city in pre Hispanic America. The reliefs and decorations were unlike any previously seen by Diva and TSH.   

On the way back to the ship the coach passed a Mormon Cathedral. Although the main religion is Catholic the second most common is Mormon.

The traffic lights show the count down to when they turn green resulting in all the vehicles starting to move before the green shows.

Many birds were seen at Salaverry ranging from the Black Vulture to sea birds such as Pelicans and gulls. TSH found it necessary to correct one woman who referred to the gulls as sea.gulls. That’s what having a zoologist daughter does for you.