Trujillo

Pelicans and fishing nets at Chan Chan

We survived our most chaotic flight ever. Against all my predictions, Craig got his backpack a day late, and intact.
My earlier fears were quickly realized - communicating here is pretty much impossible for us. Am trying to get at least 10 min in daily of Spanish lessons - hopefully I’ll manage better in a month.

Have taken more taxis in 3 days, than we have in the past 30 years I think. Spent today walking. Figuring out how to get to some places by bus was too convoluted, and other areas are not safe for walking - for tourists.
There are electric fences, bars on all windows, impressive locks on the doors.. Craig said our apartment is like Fort Knox.

Link to Trujillo pictures





Chan Chan is the biggest attraction here - a huge adobe complex built by the Chimu people initially around 900 CE. The current walls are from 1200-1600. It is the largest Pre Columbian city in South America.
The symbols on the walls show pelicans (which indicate the presence of fish), waves, fish, and the sky. The Chimu were fishermen; they were later conquered by the Incas.
We could see the ocean in the distance. The whole area is desert-like. There are mountains surrounding Trujillo, but we didn’t go there.

I’m happy that the air is OK here - few diesel fumes, and even fewer smokers!
There are many schools, and a couple of universities near the apartment, and the area seems safe, but not at all touristy. The sidewalks are a small obstacle course - with many holes with skimpy covers in places, and I fortunately only had part of my foot on one when it buckled under me.
Trujillo is the third largest city in Peru, and so called mototaxis are everywhere. Haven’t used one yet.

Seems at least half the buildings are unfinished, and Craig read that you only pay taxes once construction is complete. Something to do with super high inflation almost 30 years ago.

For the first time ever, our high tech clothes didn’t dry even half way in 12 hrs - hadn’t realized how humid it is in here. Haven’t had any rain, but we don’t leave windows open.

Huanchaco is a nearby ‘fishing village’, now a destination for surfers, and tourists. Using one of their traditional fishing boats must require a lot of skill - saw someone ‘riding the waves’. The boat is a little like a narrow sit-on-top kayak. Craig’s excuse for not trying to go out, was that he didn’t have a wet suit. Admittedly, though, all the surfers wore them.

Am finishing this in Caraz, and hope to get the write up from here done in a couple of days.