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Published: November 15th 2007
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Once Paul and I had spent a perfect day in Cuenca we made our way by public bus to Punta Sal.
It is a seaside resort reached thru a marvellous gate. Only saw the beach behind the hotel. Arrived late in the afternoon and left early in the morning. The main purpose was to meet the truck and continue on the journey.
After taking a PuttPutt to the pleasant beach we found that most people had put up their tents. I booked a room. My tent was so smelly and mouldy from having been put away wet and being in the truck for the last four weeks that had to wash it in the shower. It dried overnight.
Paul and I shared the room. The bed was fine. The shower was hot and the price was outrageous … $20.
The evening meal was leftovers. Happy to say there as not much left of the tasteless spitted pig.
In the morning the drive south began. NOTHING but brown, dry, blowing desert. Who knew the coast of Peru was one long continuous wasteland. In some places there was evidence of irrigation and crop growing. Also large, long
covered buildings housing chickens could be seen.
The truck was heading for Huanchaco. It has become cold and the purchase of a heavy sweat shirt is necessary. Wear it inside out. Too crass to wear the name of the place in the place. Wandered the beach and found all sorts of treasures like sea urchins, shells and bones.
Met a man who had gone diving for food. He showed us the octopus his family would be eating for dinner.
While in Huanchaco had coffee at a relatively new café run by an American and her Peruvian husband. She has been open for two months, bakes all the goodies and will hopefully be a great success. The café is the big white house across the street from the police station and just steps away from the wharf. On the beach can be seen the reed boats that the fishermen use to go out to catch anchovies.
The ‘hostel’ we stayed at had camping facilities, showers and a clothes line for laundry. Since we stayed here two nights there was time to do some washing… The first night I did truck security with Paul. It as most inconvenient
to have to go in the middle of the night … especially because the street light was on full blast. All the others slept in their tents except Will and Karen who stayed in the posh part of the hostel.
The reason for stopping at Huanchaco was to visit the ruins of Chan Chan. The people who lived here had made all of their buildings out of the dirt of the desert. The sand was mixed with cactus juice to make it stable. Huge buildings decorated in frieze reliefs were fashioned 2000 years ago. Many are being reconstructed today. Gold copper and bronze are the metals that have been found in connection with these people. The artisans lived within the walls of the city. Llama herds also were secure behind the walls.
Because of time restraints we only visited one place. The Dragon Temple is the most important place of the three to visit. It has the most interesting display of relief work, according to the pictures I have seen.
Once back at the hostel the truck was packed together and we were off to Lima, the capitol of Peru.
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Linda Ziegler
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Hi Barb, I'm enjoying your adventures. Tell me more about the polluted potatoes. We get alot of our veggies from South Am. this time of year. Linda