Breakfast the next morning was at the hotel. The official tour returned to the airport with Julia that morning at 4:00 AM but we saw a few stragglers at breakfast. Katia and her dad picked us up and took us to see Huaca Pucllana. This is a pyramid made of adobe bricks and clay. It was first built by the Lima culture between 200 and 450 AD. Subsequent cultures, namely the Wayri and Ychsma built on top of it and expanded it to their own needs. This was a religious and administrative center. The Wayri buried the bodies of their elite within the pyramid. The Ychsma continued to use it under Inca domination until the arrival of the Spanish. It was odd to see this ancient structure coexisting with the modern urban sprawl around it.

Top left, the pyramid of Huaca Pucllana; top right, a timeline of the civilizations which built and occupied the site. Middle row, first second and third, artifacts and information about the Lima, Wayri and Ychsma cultures; fourth, the layered adobe bricks and clay which make up the structure. Bottom row left, the pyramid extends to the sidewalk of a modern street in Lima; middle, the administrative sector; right, the burial site of a Wayri elite.

Driving in Lima is always an adventure. The traffic is intense even on Sunday morning. Katia wanted to get some chicha de jora to serve with lunch. There was a parade going on so her father had to drop her off and drive around until he could pick her up. The parade was part of a political campaign. Peruvians take their elections very seriously. Voting is required by law. If you don't vote and get the sticker they give you for your ID card, you can't get a bank loan and you have to pay a penalty. After centuries of Spanish domination followed by military rule and the terror of the Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path), they value their democracy. By the time we reached their home I had no idea where in Lima we were even though I knew they lived near the airport. Katia's family took us in and treated us like family they had known forever, maybe better. Her married sister, her brother-in-law, their two boys, her younger sister and her boyfriend were there as well as her parents. And the pisco and the chicha flowed! The food was excellent and again, the vegetables were so well prepared. It was a wonderful afternoon and gave me the opportunity to practice speaking Spanish. The afternoon went by all too quickly. It was sad to have to leave them to return to the hotel and pack.

Early the next morning (3:45 AM) Katia’s cousin, Carlos, picked us up and dropped us at the airport. The trip home was uneventful with minor delays and gate changes. A wonderful trip, over too soon.

I have been critical of National Geographic for some issues on this trip. I would like to put that in context. I think the issue of the incorrectness of the promotional materials is related to the fact that many of their tours are conducted on Lindblad vessels where they do have a photography expert and they do advise you of your staff in advance and of any concerns with photography. In using the same materials for this trip, they did not modify them accordingly. Changes were made to the website that the staff were not aware of. I felt that the trip was well worth taking, I enjoyed it immensely, the guides were very knowledgeable and well prepared; I liked them and would go on another tour with them. I have traveled with other tour companies and experienced similar minor snafus. When I travel I try to prepare myself with information to avoid problems and to get the most out of a trip. It frustrates me when things are not as advertised and when information is withheld that I would find useful. And I'm Sicilian and we aren't happy unless we're complaining. Please don't let me disuade you from traveling with National Geographic.