PERU

PUERTO SALAVERRY/TRUJILLO - Nvember 13

This was the resting place along the Spaniards route between Lima and Quito.

We took a terrific tour to several archaeological sites that they are just starting to promote. They started with a few thousand visiters per year and are now up to about 300,000 annually.

The first temples we saw were built by the Moche Indians were abandoned the site about 1300 AD before the Inca Empire. The Huacas del Sol is the largest preColumbian structure in the Americas and was the administrative headquarters. The Temples of the Moon and Sun are aged to around 600 BC. They are still digging and uncovering. It took 140 million mud bricks tol build the Temple of the Sun. Because of the location of the Temple of the Moon, the original coloured wall paintings, etc. are still intact. The temple is around 5 stories high.

We then took off to Chan Chan another fantastic UNESCO World Heritage Site and consists of 9 governors palaces and 35 intermediary complexes. This was a town of around 35,000 with the Palace being the centre of everything. They are still trying to uncover areas and in some rooms they have duplicated the scultures and are covering the originals to save them. This palace was built as a maze.

From there, we went..you guessed it....to eat. They took us to Huanchaco a beautiful seaside town known for surfing and where we had a fabulous buffet of fish, veggies, breads and local beer. The restaurant was beautiful, the view delightful, the food excellent.

The sea was rough at this time of year and the waves were terrific to see. Some of the fishermen still use their reed boats which they handmake themselves. They last around 2 or 3 months and then they are too waterlogged to use.

It was a wonderful day and warm enough to not need our jackets.