MUNGO EATS Latin America

Okay, the coast of Peru was a bit dull and dry and dreary, the first time we drove along it, but when you contrast it to the beautiful mountains that we just left, it is downright depressing!!!   The whole descent, the ground got drier, and more brown and less green!!!  So sad!  We camped at the same beach spot last night as we did on the way up to Huaraz.  This time, the bathrooms stayed open, which was good, but shortly after sundown, small flies started squeezing through the mesh of the screens, and we had to call lights out just before 8 because it was almost unbearable.  Thankfully, they were  not biting flies, and when the lights were off, they just landed somewhere and caused no grief.  When the lights were on however, they flew around your face, and buzzed in your ears, and drove you just about crazy!!!

We left the campsite in the morning, with the following plan.  We were going to drive to Lima, get some groceries, some cash, some oil for the van, and then continue south “a bit” past Lima and camp on the beach again.  Once again, things did not go as planned.  We actually did pretty well going through Lima, although, we did not stop to buy oil.  We had a tiny little traffic mishap, Kevin cut a corner a bit tight and bumped the bumper of a taxi cab with the trailer.  The taxi flagged us down (we didn’t even feel the trailer hit him), and asked us to help pay for the damage.  We asked him how much he wanted, and he said 50 soles, which is less than $20.00!!!  Done!! And away we go. 

The problems came in trying to find a place to stop, once we left Lima.  It would seem that there is very little public beach space south of the city.  There are lots and lots and lots of resorts, but no plain little huts or no empty beach.  As a result, we just kept driving and driving and eventually ended up at a hostal in Pisco, much further than we wanted to go. 

Tomorrow we will try to organize a tour to the Ballesta Islands, which are billed as the poor man’s Galapagos.  I am looking forward to seeing some boobies!!!

We have spent the last few days at the Lazy Dog Inn and let me tell you, there is not a lazy dog to be found here!!  Okay, maybe you could call the 13 year old Chusco lazy, but really he moves around pretty well for an old man too.  The youngest dog in the family, Rutu (which is Quechua for egg), and Mungo are in LOVE.  Okay, maybe not love, seeing as they are both neutered males, but infatuated at least!!!

Rutu was the dog that had the altercation with another guest dog earlier in the week, and the owner of the Inn, Diana, was quite concerned with his behaviour.  Turns out he just wanted a bigger ,goofier friend.  Now anytime Mungo is not out, Rutu is at our cabin door, waiting for him to come out to play.  He even tried to crawl into an open window of the cabin to get to his buddy!!!  What a couple of goofballs!!! 

The entire property is walled, so the dogs were free to run and play as they wished.  Here are a couple of shots of the maniacs!!

The yellow spot on Rutu’s back is part of the reason for his name, from above he looks like a fried egg, sunny side up!!

The Mango is going to miss this place!  Diana, I apologize in advance for any misspells of the dogs’ names!!