TRUJILLO: The Worlds Biggest Mud City

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The Pacific coastal town of Trujillo was a pleasant surprise. Blessed with the presence of strong civilisations including the Chimu and Moche, which morphed into Incan dominance, it sports the fantastically impressive pyramids of the Huacas del Sol y de la Luna (Temples of Sun and Moon). It then became a major colonial centre. The impressive city did well from its strategic location - so well it expanded over the crumbling muddy remains of the largest adobe city the world has known.

So climbing temples, marvelling at the most exquisite relief artwork on the facades of the pyramids, visiting decayed, restored, and reconstructed parts of the massive Chimu capital of Chan Chan kept us well impressed (again) with the people of this land gone by.

As beautiful as the colonial beauty of modern Trujillo is, it was also nice to spend two days out at the beachside community of Huanchaco. Although not a good swimming beach, the surfers were loving it, and just being by the beach again was a pleasure. In fact, so nice that it was a shame to need this precious time back in the city to sort out how we were going to get ourselves up to Central America for our next country of adventure.

But fear not, after a marathon 7.5 hours of negotiation with a travel agency and airline booking office, spread over two days (because we ran out of daylight) we were armed with two domestic and two international flights to close our Peruvian chapter in favour of Cuba and Mexico. Easy!? (Traveller note - we would advise using a travel agency in your home country).

But at least we got to meet the most delightful cab driver in the process - Senor Schtoll. Of strong German naming, he is a descendant of a number of German folk residing in Peru - and many seemed to have travelled to this continent in the mid part of the 20th century for some reason. This retired policeman had survived the Peruvian terrorism of the 1980´s while serving, and has the scars from a bomb blast to show for it. Fortunately it had no lasting effect on his exuberant personality.

Gracias Trujillo. Y adios.

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Photos

Huanchaco
Yes, we still have a love of our little slices of Pacific reunion.

Still kicking with colour
These designs were revealed in a series of ´archaologists good days´ at the office.

Altitude
The hairy descent down to the coast lost us 3 vertical kilometres.

So much left unsaid
The sandy space in between the two temples is a rich feast waiting to be uncovered in the years to come.

Stunning excavations
The detail found carefully buried as the next level of the Sun Temple pyramid was constructed was a time capsule, and such a find.

Restoration
These weathered facades are still beautiful in their decay.

Originals
These mud bricks were used in the construction of the two temples. Families were required to produce a certain number of bricks, and the identifying symbols allowed them to measure their quota.

Reinforcements
The 2008 branding leaves no doubt these reinforcements are there to assist the restoration to the original builders architectural plans, and not to be confused at a later date.

Weird Dog
Even the guide admitted these dogs were ugly. Many were killed and all were slightly cross bred. But this dogs heritage dates back to the incas, and well before. There is an attempt to reestablish the bloodline, and educate people that they are a heritage to be proud of.

Chan Chan temple
These carefully re-created walls and reliefs are their best effort at what was a palace in this incredible adobe city of the Chimu.

Palace entrance
With the imminent arrival of the mighty Incan army, the Chimu faced these alcoves off with mud, concealing their religiously precious contents. It was only found again in the last century.

Pretty mud
The level of craftmanship over the materials at hand is always impressive.

Camo tourist
The cameleonic talents of Benj continue to amaze. Armed with two pairs of trous for 1 year, 50% of the time he looks a bit like this.

"Come on baby, light my ... fireaaar"
This was a more unusual artistic exhibit, as the two dancers took turns at lighting each others rear appendage of paper whilst dancing in gyrating fashion.

Local boat
These tend to be parked on the beach, as the phenomenon of the surfboard is king in this surfy hangout place. A pity, because you could hang anything you liked off this stable baby.

Breaking from cover
This permanent resident of the hostel knew when it was breakfast time, and he was on a mission - it just took him a while to get there.

Eyes RIGHT
These soldiers salute the Mayor at the weekly flag raising ceremony in the Main Plaza.

Dashing
The buildings and the people made a fantastic spectacle of pride in their city. Beautiful to see.

"I really like the way their skirts sit"
These two had the pride of place at the head of their beauty contest contingent in the parade.

Military precision
Getting kids to focus is pretty hard at the best of times, but this flag raising business is serious stuff. Love the gloves - we were sweating in T-shirts.

Animalistic Christianity
Issuing forth from the Cathedral, this parade was lead by wildly girating, animal mask clad menfolk, and followed up by a more solemn virgin on a platter. It was a beautiful example of the fusion of religion that has occured here.

Stunning buildings
We still get a big kick out of some of the buildings, and especially entraceways.