Huanchaco, Trujillo and pre Inca sites
Trujillo and Huanchaco
This has got to be one of my favourite trips. I have just had some wonderful days in a small fishing village (Huanchaco) near Trujillo in the north of Peru. The people were lovely and everyone spoke to me. One woman even opened up her shop for me as I needed to buy water. I was sitting on the beach chatting to the fishermen who were mending their nets. It was so tranquil. I went to a beach side fish restaurant to watch the sun go down with a nice glass of wine and an impromptu band started up and then some American customers joined in and then, of course, I did too. The band did not want money (unlike Cusco!!) and just played for the love of it. Some really nice Peruvian songs and the Beatles, Eagles you name it they played it. It was a fun night. The sunsets there were wonderful.
The boats are amazing. They are made out Totora reeds and for a small propina the fishermen will take you out in them. Unlike the reed boats in Uros they are hollowed out and are long at the front and short at the back. The fishermen sit on their knees or have their feet overboard on either side of the boat. They use a Bamboo oar and row as in a canoe from side to side. The boats glide over high waves and sometimes the fishermen stand up to jump the waves. There are lots of surfers here due to the offshore winds and point breaks. You are near one of the longest point breaks in the world (Chicama for all you surfers). There are surf boards to hire and Boogie boards too, which are great fun. The fishermen come in from their nights fishing around 7.30 in the morning and go out again usually about 2pm. They sit on the beach and mend their nets and are very amiable and not at all fed up with tourists yet. No one hassles you. There are people who sell jewellery on the beach but they do not approach you it is the other way round which makes a nice change. Lots of Italians have settled here and therefore the coffee is great as is the food especially the multitude of varieties of fish. There is so much to see and do and plenty of hotels and restaurants. Some restaurants rent out rooms above the restaurant. I chose Huanchaco rather than Trujillo as I wanted to see the boats and visit Chan Chan. There are many pre Inca sites around and also Inca sites. The Huaca de la Luna is amazing and very big. The Huaca del Sol is not open to tourists as it is being restored. They have restored most of La Luna but there is enough that has not been restored to show you what they found. The area was built by the Moche people and was used as Ceremonial tombs built in the style of a ceremonial pyramid. They built one tomb when a leader died and then a wall round it and another tomb on top when the next leader died. The method of going up the pyramid was by a series of ramps. The decoration on the tombs is amazing with interesting mural paintings in five colours. There are also ceremonial plazas and patios. You can see carvings of Condors snakes’ crabs and figures of warriors (and their bones) who were sacrificed here at least 1500 years ago. Chan Chan (means great Sun) was inhabited from around the years 600 to 800 by the Chimu culture and was an important and wealthy kingdom. It was built in the style of a number of rooms and buildings protected by a large wall. The Chimus were defeated by the Incas. Chan Chan is one of the main sources of knowledge of the Peruvian past. There must be some legacy because the funeral offices in Trujillo are luxurious to say the least.
I did not visit the site of El Brujo where in 2005 a female mummy with multiple tattoos was found. “The Senora de Cao” is thought to be a Moche warrior.
Trujillo is a lovely pink small city, blue, yellow and rust coloured Colonial houses and pretty quiet. It has a Cathedral with a very grand exterior but pretty plain inside.
You can get from Huanchaco to Trujillo by local buses which pass every few minutes. The fare is 1.60 soles.
No one tries to sell you anything either in Trujillo or in Huanchaco. You have to stop and show an interest.
