(Tuesday-Thursday, 18-20 August 2009 – in retrospective…)
Google map: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=pt-PT&geocode=&q=nazca,+peru&sll=-14.789489,-74.940491&sspn=0.62406,0.88028&ie=UTF8&ll=-14.125922,-75.327759&spn=2.503532,5.603027&z=8
What leads one to come and visit a place like the famous Nazca lines? Or other world-famous places, like the Egyptian pyramids, the Taj Mahal or, as we are in Peru, Machu Picchu? Is it a willingness to tick boxes, to say you were there?
No way, man: it’s all about the context…
In addition to the very bumpy and motion-sickness inducing flight over the lines, what really surprises you in the air visit to Nazca is how different the sand & rock lines seem when you see them in their natural context, in contrast with what you may know before, from TV documentaries or textbooks.
First, they are HUGE (some are more than 150 meters wide!) and quite subtle in the way they come out the rocky desert soil – you need to pay close attention to spot them…
Second, they make TOTAL SENSE in their surroundings. I mean, the Nazca lines were made by clearing the more superficial (and darker) desert sand, and then marking the contour of the resulting lighter-coloured lines with small stones, creating an effect that in much resembles the natural lines made by the rain, when it flows down from the mountains into the desert plain. Seeing it all from the bird’s (or the airplane’s) perspective makes you think that the decision of the Nazca people to draw these lines was somehow a natural consequence of climbing up the mountains, looking at the surrounding basin and… just replicate – or should I say celebrate? – what nature had done before them. And really well, I've to say.
Google map: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=pt-PT&geocode=&q=nazca,+peru&sll=-14.789489,-74.940491&sspn=0.62406,0.88028&ie=UTF8&ll=-14.125922,-75.327759&spn=2.503532,5.603027&z=8
What leads one to come and visit a place like the famous Nazca lines? Or other world-famous places, like the Egyptian pyramids, the Taj Mahal or, as we are in Peru, Machu Picchu? Is it a willingness to tick boxes, to say you were there?
No way, man: it’s all about the context…
In addition to the very bumpy and motion-sickness inducing flight over the lines, what really surprises you in the air visit to Nazca is how different the sand & rock lines seem when you see them in their natural context, in contrast with what you may know before, from TV documentaries or textbooks.
First, they are HUGE (some are more than 150 meters wide!) and quite subtle in the way they come out the rocky desert soil – you need to pay close attention to spot them…
Second, they make TOTAL SENSE in their surroundings. I mean, the Nazca lines were made by clearing the more superficial (and darker) desert sand, and then marking the contour of the resulting lighter-coloured lines with small stones, creating an effect that in much resembles the natural lines made by the rain, when it flows down from the mountains into the desert plain. Seeing it all from the bird’s (or the airplane’s) perspective makes you think that the decision of the Nazca people to draw these lines was somehow a natural consequence of climbing up the mountains, looking at the surrounding basin and… just replicate – or should I say celebrate? – what nature had done before them. And really well, I've to say.
.
Another very interesting aspect of the Nazca lines is how they evolved overtime: from the earlier figurative drawings, of humans and animals, they progressed towards more abstract polygons and lines. The beautiful ceramics this people created followed a parallel evolution over time. There are some crazy theories that try to explain those more recent and abstract lines, ranging from landing airstrips for alien spaceships, to codified communication with the gods. But, if you ask me, what we witness here is just the fine artistic evolution of a very talented civilisation, from a more figurative towards a totally abstract period – just like it would happen with the western art, many centuries later. Just brilliant!!
Funny enough, it won’t be nothing of this art theory bullshit that I’ll remember the most from Nazca, but rather a priceless comment by an American tourist, who was sharing the flight with us in the small 7-seater. As the pilot prepared to take-off, and everyone was excitedly anticipating the experience, this lady, with clearly above-the-average culture, asks: “So, please tell me: who did this? Were it the Inca?”.
Jesus, lady…
P.S.: Thank you to AeroCondor for the free flights over Nazca (no more details on that here, as I haven’t left Peru yet and don’t want any disturbing questions asked at the airport passport checkpoint…)
Funny enough, it won’t be nothing of this art theory bullshit that I’ll remember the most from Nazca, but rather a priceless comment by an American tourist, who was sharing the flight with us in the small 7-seater. As the pilot prepared to take-off, and everyone was excitedly anticipating the experience, this lady, with clearly above-the-average culture, asks: “So, please tell me: who did this? Were it the Inca?”.
Jesus, lady…
P.S.: Thank you to AeroCondor for the free flights over Nazca (no more details on that here, as I haven’t left Peru yet and don’t want any disturbing questions asked at the airport passport checkpoint…)
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The most recent Nazca lines: landing airstrips...
... or macro-scale abstract painting?
Figurative lines: the man...
... the spider...
... and the humming bird, or colibri (extra points if you can find it)
The "natural" Nazca lines... If you would see this scenery from the top of the mountains, wouldn't you feel like doing some lines yourself?
English grade for the Nazca airstrip management: fail
Other perspectives on Nazca: publicity wallpaper (surprisingly) looking like fashionable street art...
... retro cars...
... really odd-looking mannequins (what to say of this?!?)...
... and the Plaza de Armas, seen from the balcony of the best BBQ restaurant in town, and also the best spot from where to watch the noisy and ridiculously chaotic (as it is also far from being too intense) city traffic. Pity this is a photo and not a movie clip: you're missing unique sound & movement! 
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