Trujillo and Chan Chan

Our first day back on the coast was busy getting the waterline replaced on Vanna. Dwayne was able to find hose at the Promart - more then he needed but it's the right size so no use driving around trying to find it again and buy just the amount he needs.  I'm sure someone will find a use for the 4m that are left when we leave it someplace. Guess we also have to get rid of one of the spare tires. The weight of 2 spares on the back carrier is just to heavy and it's starting to bend the rack. Speed bumps and rough roads causes to much bouncing in the back.

We also did some more shopping and had lunch at the mall. We then headed to a small beach town just outside of Trujillo - Huanchaco -lots of gringos here. A lady from Quebec was talking with Dwayne when he was outside. She spends her winters down here. Dwayne had also talked to a guy at the mall while he was replacing the hose that was also from Quebec, but he lives here full time with his Peruvian wife. We found a nice quiet spot near the end of the town's beach. Walked the beach for awhile, not many people at this end.

Some of the weird sights we see on the highway - that's all sugar cane

These mototaxis remind me of a Munster Mobile! LOL!!

Our spot on the beach

Quite a drop from the top down to the beach

Building behind where we parked - apts for rent 

Then we made a few calls back home to the kids and got caught up with their news. All busy with Christmas concerts before the Christmas break. Later we got videos and watched them. So cute at this age :)  After that we went across the road to have dinner in a restaurant. It was delicious! But also very pricey!! S/170 ($68) but that did include a bottle of wine S/70($28) a beer S/10 ($4) Yes the prices here are gringo prices! But the meal was so good - Nice piece of fish with a sauce over it with shrimp, a few yuca fries that were really taste. A nice change from regular chicken/rice/beans. But next day I did have a slight headache! Which I couldn't blame on high altitude! LOL!!!!

Next day we headed to the ruins of Chan Chan, largest Moche culture adobe/mud city in the Americas. It was started around 900AD and lasted until around 1460 when it was overthrown by the Incas. It's been determined there were probably 100,000 inhabitants.  The city covered an area of 20 square kms. When driving along the Panamerican highway is hard not to miss the many remaining parts of the city. The city had 9 temples of which 2 are preserved and neighorhoods have built around them. The main palace has been uncovered along with the tomb of the ruler. Archeologists starting working here in 1964, uncovering a large area of the palace.  A lot has been reenforced with modern day technology to try and preserve the site. Since it is made of only adobe (mud) blocks the rains are hard on it. So they have put a covering of cement on the tops of the walls that surround the palace to stop erosion. Other sites are covered with a roof to preserve them. Unfortunately not much information while walking thru the "buildings" other than a Spanish guide book we bought.  The wall that surrounded the palace and temple area were 10m high and 4 meters thick at the bottom! Believed to have been built this way because of the threat of earthquakes. That's a lot of bricks!! They also did interesting relief carvings along the walls both outside and inside.

Aerial view of Chan Chan

To show how thick the walls are 

Shot of behind the wall where the peasants lived and worked

This is the cement covering to save the walls

Outside the main palace

Don't think this will ever get uncovered

Then we went to the first of 2 temples that have been preserved.  Again no information but interesting to see.

Lots of interesting relief carvings

ramps are very steep going to the temple

And it comes with it's own Peruvian Hairless Dog 😜

Then we decided since we are so close to the Plaza de Armas in Trujillo we should go and see it. Beautiful park! Been here since 1534. So nice and clean and the buildings surrounding the square are all so brightly painted! Really pretty walking around.

Welcome to Las Vegas???

Cathedral Basilica of St Mary 1647

The Plaza de Armas is very clean!

Selling slices of watermelon, pineapple 

Iglesia de la Merced - 1600's

Then it was time to get to the last temple before heading back to the beach.

It was pretty tricky walking along that wall with no railing!!

Another steep ramp to the temple 

These carvings are in excellent shape for being so old!

This is what it looks like driving along the PanAmerican highway

When we got to the beach, we parked near the pier and walked around the busy area. Also wanted to watch some surfers, but the waves really aren't that big so they only get a short ride.  After walking along the beach for a while and stepping in the COLD Pacific, we head for our parking spot. I don't know how people can go into that cold water and play around! Most of the surfers wear wetsuits.

Waiting for the 'right' wave :) 

They still use the reed boats here for fishing

The sand dune behind us

Then we drove to the top for a great view - those are reed pools where the fishermen grow the reeds to replace on their boats

We are at a good spot on the beach because all the bars are a long ways away so it should be a quiet Friday night for us. And since I over did it last night 😏 it will be an early night. We get a nice cool breeze off the ocean with all the windows open, no need for a fan.  Tomorrow it's back on the road again as we continue along the coast.

This morning Dwayne removed one of the spare tires, cut off about 10' of hose to use "incase" and then we drove over to a place where people have been dropping off garbage/junk etc because I had seen one guy that looks like he lives there. Gave the stuff to him hoping maybe he could sell it, but he thought the tire would make a good mesa (table) or cocina (to cook in the rim)  So he now has a cool cooker and table around it to eat from 😍  Gave him some buns we had to many of and a few dollars. Feliz Navidad!