About turn...

3 Days in Trujillo was plenty. The first day we walked, the second, we took a tour. In the morning to Huacas del Sol y de la Lunas (which is two sites), and the afternoon to Chan Chan. Huacas del Sol y de la Luna made by the Moche people, a pre-inca civilisation who ruled the area from 200BC to AD850.





At Huaca del Luna, excavation of the site was in full flow, revelling bright colours and details of decorative art work. We entered through the north east corner, directly into where the human sacrifices were made. The victims were prisoners of war, offered to the Gods in hope of rain and fertility. The Moche tortured, before forcing cacti hallucinogenics on them to help the victims in their preparation for having their throat cut. The body was then thrown over a high wall, with the rest of the bodies, left to decompose and be eaten by vultures at the base of the mountain, next to the settlement.

From the roof top there´s a great view of the Huaca del Sol, the largest pre-Colombian structure in Peru. Once a pyramid, is now reduced to 2/3 its original size due to the weather.





The rest of the afternoon continued with our tour guide that spat out information faster than a machine gun, constantly hurrying us along to the next place, in broken English and a monotone rehearsed speech. Asking questions was received with a look like you were trying to start a fight. Needless to say, we didn´t learn that much from her, but thankfully, there were enough boards offering information, to keep us walking around what was home to the Chimu civilisation.




The ruins named Chan Chan was their capital and is the largest adobe city in the world. At their height this housed 60,000 Chimus. Lasting Ad850 to 1470, they were finally defeated by the Incas.





It seems that not just here around Trujillo, but all over Peru, that what has been re-discovered of these ruins, is just the tip of the iceberg, as steep and as high as the mountains that overlook this country.





Our tour ended with a brief stop at the seaside town of Huanchaco. I was inspired to stay the night there, until the sunset and the cold breeze came in strong.

So our last day there, I came down with food poisoning, sat around waiting for our bus, hoping this bug would leave me alone, it definitely felt like time to go.

We have arrived in a warm climate with blue skies, a nice beach, Pelicans gliding above the ocean and Vultures everywhere!




Up until this point we were planning n heading north again onto Ecuador, but after consulting the bible of the road, being the lonely planet, we realised we hadn´t given real consideration to the weather. With our new knowledge, we´re going to change direction, a 45 degree angle to the east and head inland to the jungles and the Amazon river!