R. Doug Wicker's Blog, page 159
February 22, 2016
Islas Ballestas, Galápagos on the Cheap — Part 3
Birds of a Feather Flocking Together
Yes, there were a lot of Peruvian boobies on Islas Ballestas, but they weren’t the only birds around. Here are some red-legged cormorants:
Red-Legged Cormorants
But most people on our boat were much more interested in the South American sea lions that populated the rocky cliffs and sandy beaches:
Sea Lion Beach
Here’s a view of yet another colony of female sea lions and their pups:
Mamas and Pups
The flocks of birds dotting the face of the rugged cliffs we...
February 19, 2016
Fun Photo Friday — Ballestos Favorites Part 1
Portals
Today and for the next two Fun Photo Fridays I’ll be featuring some favorite photos of Islas Ballestas. Here are today’s selections:
Flip Me Over When I’m Done
Rock Carving
Pelicans in Flight
Water on the Rocks
Filed under: Fun Photo Friday, Photography, R. Doug Wicker, travel, vacation Tagged: Fun Photo Friday, Islas Ballestas, Paracas National Reserve, Peru, photography, R. Doug Wicker, travel, travel photography, vacation
February 17, 2016
Islas Ballestas, Galápagos on the Cheap — Part 2
Circling the Sea Lions
On this particular day we didn’t see a lot of the diversity for which Islas Ballestos is famous, but we certainly saw a lot of pinnipeds of one species — the South American sea lion. Here is a colony of mother sea lions tending to their pups:
The Nursery
The most prevalent bird species had to be the Peruvian Booby. They were everywhere:
Peruvian Booby
Peruvian Booby
These are the remains of an old guano mining operation:
Abandoned Guano Mine
Here are a couple of sea lio...
February 15, 2016
Islas Ballestas, Galápagos on the Cheap — Part 1
Islas Ballestas, Paracas National Reserve
Imagine a place where you can spot up to three dozen species of mammal and well over 200 species of birds. No, I’m not talking about the Galápagos Islands some 650 miles/1,000 kilometers out in the middle of the Pacific. I’m referring to a small group of islands just minutes by boat off the Peruvian coast.
Islas Ballestas, Paracas National Reserve
There is a small group of rocky protrusions jutting out from the Pacific less than twelve miles from eith...
February 12, 2016
Fun Photo Friday — Passing Paracas Peninsula
Tracks in the Sand
Here are today’s favorites from our boat trip along the north shore of Paracas Peninsula:
Pelican Place
El Candelabro
Enjoying the View
Going Fishing
Filed under: Fun Photo Friday, Photography, R. Doug Wicker, travel, vacation Tagged: Fun Photo Friday, Paracas, Peru, photography, R. Doug Wicker, travel, travel photography, vacation
February 10, 2016
Boating to Ballestas
Fellow Golden Princess passengers in another boat
We left behind El Candelabro and continued west. Figured out our destination yet? Hint: It ‘s one of several places off the west coast of South America touted as an alternative “Poor Man’s Galapagos”.
Stretching Out
Along the way we came across several fishermen battling greedy pelicans and other birds for the catch of the day:
Stealing Fish
It was definitely a fun trip, but the best was yet to come. You’ll see that beginning Monday and over t...
February 8, 2016
El Candelabro — The Candelabra
North Face of Paracas Peninsula
When I was a young teenager I held a brief fascination with Chariots of the Gods?, written by the infamous Swiss con artist and embezzler Erich von Däniken. It was only later that I discovered most of his “facts” were in error, his “eyewitness accounts” manufactured, his “speculations” laughable, and his “conclusions” the subject of absolute ridicule. Even much of his “photographic evidence” turned out to be, shall we say, “creative” compositions or fraudulentl...
February 5, 2016
Super Bowl Repeat — Cheese Crisp: Quick, Fun, and Tasty
Now this is a fun Super Bowl snack, or even a late night snack or a quick lunch. It’s tasty, spicy, and you can even add other ingredients such as leftover chicken, pepperoni, or even bacon bits.
What you’ll need:
Flour tortillas—good, fresh, preferably large Pickled jalapeño slices—finely chopped Cheese—your choice, but for the pictures taken below I used Tillamook mild cheddar, Mission Jack, and aged mozzerela The Kitchen Sink—get creative with the toppingsPreheat your oven to 400. While...
February 4, 2016
Super Bowl Repeat — Carolina-style Mustard Barbecue Hash
Why am I repeating this recipe? Simple. I lied on Tuesday about brisket sandwiches being the best way to graze while watching the Super Bowl. There’s an even better way to graze through all those Super Bowl food commercials. It’s Carolina-style mustard barbecue hash piled high inside a toasted hamburger bun.
Well, I must say that looking at my blog hit counter, it appears barbecue in general and smoked pork shoulder in particular are very popular indeed. Last Wednesday I shared with you the s...
February 3, 2016
Super Bowl Repeat — Jalapeño Pesto Dip
And just in time for the Super Bowl, that perennial favorite I post every year about this time — my world-famous Jalapeño Pesto Dip as well as Lipton’s even more famous California Onion Dip.
The great things about this recipe are:
It’s healthy as all get out. It’s so tasty you’ll completely forget how healthy it is. It’s not as spicy hot as it sounds (although it’s definitely not for the timid of tongue, either). It goes great with anything from tortilla chips to corn chips to potato chips t...
