Punta Balcones, Peru

Punta Balcones, the western tip of South America - although some people say it's Punta Pariñas, the next point over with the lighthouse on it. Balcones is about 10 minutes away from my house by taxi ($2 per person because the road is so rough - normal fare is 50 cents or so). Click the pictures for high-res versions.

The Pacific goes all the way to Papua New Guinea from here.

The beach is uninhabited for 50km to the south.

There are thousands of oil platforms off South America's Pacific coast.

Negritos, the fishing village to the north of Punta Balcones.

Punta Pariñas, the other possible western tip of South America. It's only separated from Balcones by a small bay,
 so it's really splitting hairs to say one is more west than the other.

The wind is so intense that birds can stay in the air without moving.

There is a giant rock in the ocean off the western tip of South America where sea lions live. Somebody tell David Attenborough.

Sea lions.

Sea lions.

Sea Lions.

This is what a tourist spot looks like in the North Peruvian desert (the parking lot and sign for Punta Balcones). The parking lot is paved
 and the road leading out from it starts out paved but turns into a potholed dirt track long before it gets to Negritos.
That kind of thing is pretty common in Peru.

Bird. It would be cool if I knew what kind, but I don't.

Next: Fishing off the Negritos Pier.