Trujillo and the local cultures

I owe you all the 2 days in Chachapoyas yet, but will get back to that soon! Promise! Meanwhile, a quick update on the end of the first week of my travel, from Trujillo.

After leaving Chacha, we headed to Chiclayo, almost on the coast. As we have figured out (or, read in the guide book), both Chiclayo, Trujillo and other places on the coat having some green are oasis. In principles the coast is a desert, but with the main occupation industry being AGRICULTURE. Sounds crazy, but thats how it is. Couple of years ago heard some news that in Turkmenistan the then still living president decided to send uzbeks to the Karakum dezert to do agriculture... Maybe he thought learning from the acient peruvian cultures would work there as well... Unfortunately, there is a huge BUT - there are no mountains that provide enough rain to do that in Turkmenistan.

Being in the dezert is interesting... People say "we hope it does not rain". Yes, agree, difficult to understand that, but having seen the sand, the sun and felt the heat, I think Latvias rainy days I will appreciate the rainy days more. Its not that people do not want rain, and it does rain here, but once in 10 years! Well, with el niño or la niña (smaller...) phenomenon, it has been weird here - rained in April last year... Ok, but getting back to agriculture, they do have shugar cane plantations, maize, and everything else that can grow in this heat. Water systems are acient - the cultures well before AD used channels from the nearby mountains, where it rains a lot, to irrigate the fields, and this tradition continues now.

All of this we learned by visiting Sipan museum in Lambayeke, Tucume pyramids near Chiclayo, and yesterday, the Chan Chan city just outside Trujillo, and nearby Huaca de la Luna pyramid. First impression about the Tucume was - well... piles of mud. Since all the structures there and everywhere else, including houses they build now, are made of sun dried mud bricks, when it rains, the mud bricks somehow turn into mud. It looks like when kids (and adults) build sand castles in Jurmala, except they are like 100 something meters high. Well, after slight dissapointment in Tucume, we went to the museum of the Lord of Sipan (another pyramid place), where they had discovered some 15 toombs of royals full with artefacts of Muchi culture. Have to say, Sipan museum was the best we saw 2 days ago! Impressive work on jewlery, arms and it must have been a heavy burden to carry all that stuff around! There were also signs of human sacrifices, and am glad that we dont live in those times. How stupid can it be, when the king dies, they sacrifice his wife, the mistresses, an army officer, some animals and in some occasions some children.

The toombs dicovered indicated that the cultures here were very macho, UNTIL, in el Brujo complex (also near Tucume) they discovered a toomb of a queen. Finally, the myth that the men have been the only rulers has been destroyed, and maybe that will help to adjust the macho culture. Unfortunately, we miss the museum of the new finding, as they will open it in 10 days. But, it should be one of the places to visit for anyone coming to Peru later.

Well, after the Tucume pyramids (the disappointment) we were up for a pleasant surprise in Huaca de la Luna. Amazing discoveries and acheologists work. We could see walls with original paintings, the patterns of decorations and the patien diggin has opened up for the view and imagination the real extent to the pyramids. Have not been in Egypt, but these are pyramids! of up to 5 temples build upon each other (that is - new temple for a new ruler).

After the pyramids, we went to the biggest mud city I have seen. Chan Chan monument. It was interesting to see the inside of a remains of a palace, but would be also nice to see the extent of the city from a brids view. Maybe also, we were a bit tired after the morning pyramids and impressions, but it was interesting. They have been thinking to build a platform where you could see the parts of the 22 sq km city from above, but so far that is not yet done.

As for Trujillo - a really nice place. Historically, also the first city to gain independence from Spanish, a strong commercial centre, and one of the best preserved cities in Peru. It is small, but its nice. Therefore, when in Peru, go to Trujillo! Not only for its wonders outside the city, but also for the city itself.