Our journey continues south along the western coast of South America, we visited three Peruvian cities. Each offered something different and we learned a great deal about Peru’s history, culture and wildlife. The first stop we made in Peru was Trujillo. Prior to the cruise, we did not know much about the important place Trujillo holds in Peruvian history. After the lectures offered on board the ship and the private tour we took with a local guide, we are enlightened about the ancient cultures that once thrived in this very barren landscape.
After meeting our guide and driver on the dock, we wasted no time in going straight for the Sun and Moon Temples of the ancient Moche people. When most people think of Peru, Machu Picchu is the first thing that comes to mind. Of course, there were civilizations that thrived 1,000 years before the Incas. The Moche Culture (pronounced Mot-ché) lived between 100 and 800 A.D. and lived on the land that surrounds modern day Trujillo. The Sun and Moon Temples were constructed over several hundred years. The two temples sit on opposite sides of a valley. Historically the village would have been in valley between the two temples. Today, people can visit the Moon Temple as it has been excavated but the Sun Temple remains a solid structure to be viewed from the outside only. We arrived before the site was open for the day but our guide knew the guards who allowed us to enter early. It was wonderful because we had approximately 40 minutes to explore before anyone else arrived. Much of the wall paintings have survived all these years in part, because, as the years passed the Moche people buried their dead within the temple and then built on top of it. The grandeur cannot be caught in a photograph but here are a few to provide a visual of what an 1,800 year old Moche temple looked like.
A trip to Trujillo would not be complete without a visit to the archeological site of Chan Chan. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is the largest city from the pre-Columbian era in all of South America. It was the capital of the Chimor Empire from 900 to 1470 A.D. when they were defeated and incorporated into the Inca Empire. The city is believed to have been constructed around 850 A.D. Chan Chan is spread over 20 square kilometers and at its height had a population of 40,000 – 60,000 people. Today less than 20% of it has been excavated. The inner parts of the sacred temple and living quarters are open to the public.
Following our history lessons of visiting the sites of both the Moche and Chimor people, we visited the current day downtown of Trujillo.
The city center is Plaza de Armas, the Spanish foundation of Trujillo established in 1534. The main focal points are the Freedom Monument and Trujillo Cathedral. The colorful buildings that make up the square where once the mansions of the high-ranking officials. Today, many of the mansions are museums.
The final stop we made on our tour of the Trujillo area was Huanchaco Beach. The locals visit for the beach experience and the tourists visit to see the traditional reed boats used by fisherman for hundreds of years. The boats are still made in the traditional way using reeds that grow in fresh water. It is similar to a canoe but solid. The fisherman ride on top and fish with nets. As with most fisherman, they go out very early in the mornings. The boats came be seen any time of day as they are lined up along the shore for storage when not in use. Other attractions along the beach are restaurants and shops catering to both locals and tourists.
Puerto Callao, near Lima was our second port in Peru. Our ship was in port for 2 days allowing us a chance to explore Lima during the day as well as at night. We went to Lima six years ago on our trip to visit Machu Picchu and our friends Gill and John have also been to Lima. So, the four of us stuck together to see the sights of around the city. We used Uber to get us from place to place. Uber is very cheap in Peru and there are tons of Uber drivers, making the wait times for a ride very minimal. The highlights of our visit were The National Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology and History, The Basilica and Convent of San Francisco (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and the Magic Water Circuit at night.
The museum is definitely worth a visit as it houses artifacts from thousands of years of Peruvian history. Many of the items on display were collected from the archaeological sites all over the country including both the Moche civilization and Chan Chan. The most interesting exhibits are the Inca mummies and the unusual shaped skulls. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take pictures of these exhibits to share with you.
The Basilica and Convent of San Francisco is famous for its catacombs. The building of the Basilica and Convent were completed in 1674. From its completion until 1808 more than 25,000 people were laid to rest in the catacombs. Upon the rediscovering in 1943, the graves were unearthed and the bones were organized into sections. This unique display is where the intrigue for visitors lie. On our English guided tour through the convent, we were able to see the library which looks like something out of a Harry Potter movie. It is only on display for a limited time. We also visited the Basilica where some of the bones in the catacombs can be viewed through gated staircases. This very interesting place is worth a visit when visiting Lima.
After stopping for some ceviche at a local restaurant, we walked the 2 miles to the Parque de la Reserva. While the park has been open since 1929, the city of Lima created a water and light show that debuted within the park in 2007. The show lasts approx. 15 minutes and happens several times throughout the afternoon and evening. The best viewing time is after dark where the colors appear brighter. Entrance to the park is about $1.25 pp. After watching the show, we visited all of the other 13 fountains at are displayed around the park. Each has its own colors, music and themes.
Our final port in Peru was Paracas, a very small seaside village near Pisco.
Yes, you may have heard of Pisco – the place where the Pisco Sour drink was created. While having a Pisco Sour was high on our list, we started our morning with a boat ride out and around Islas Ballestas. This group of small islands is considered the “Galapagos of Peru.” Our small group of 10 people were the on the first boat out to the islands offering us spectacular views of the wildlife before the crowds arrived. Before we got to the islands, we stopped along the coast to see the Paracas Candelabra. It is well-known pre-historic geoglyph found on the north-facing dune in Pisco Bay. It is thought to be from around 200 B.C. The design is cut into the soil two feet deep. It has a height of 595 feet tall. It is in many ways similar to the Nazca Lines. There are many theories as to what the Candelabra represents and why it was put there – the most popular theory was to guide sailors into the bay.
Once we reached the Ballestas, we could see birds flying everywhere. The islands are home to over 500,000 seabirds including Humboldt Penguins, Guanay Cormorants, Terns, Pelicans and Boobies. Click here is to see a video of the Humboldt Penguins diving into the water. Diving Penguins Video . There are also many sea lions living along the lower rocky parts of the islands. One special moment happened as we watched a young sea lion come out of the water and climb up the rocks with his catch in his mouth. Click here to watch the video. Sea Lion Video The Islas Ballestas are within a protected marine area. The only people allowed to set foot on the island are the workers that come several times a year to collect the guano from the Guanay Cormorants that is harvested and used for fertilizer. There is so much to see it is almost overwhelming. Here are some of our favorite photos of the wildlife on Islas Ballestas.
On our way back from the islands our boat went through a throng of sea birds. Thousands of birds were feasting on the small fish and krill in the water. We have never seen so many birds in one place. Click the link to see the video for a glimpse of what we saw. Seabirds in Pisco Bay
Back on land in Paracas we wondered the boardwalk looking in the stalls. The village was celebrating international tourism day with Pisco Sour tastings, local dancers and street performers. One of the street performers was feeding a pelican which offered the chance to be quite close to it. Robert jumped at the chance to examine the shear size of it. He was like a little kid. I just had to snap a photo.
We had a wonderful time participating in the festivities. We ended our day in Paracas with a cold Pisco Sour. This is a small seaside town that should not be missed.
Over the next week we will be out to sea on our way to Easter Island. It has always been a dream to visit the island of mystery. We look forward to sharing some of the legends that surround that incredible island the locals call Rapa Nui.