Sounds like a wonderful start, except for the trip and fall..Been there, done that. (Although IIRC crellston is the champ of travel mishaps , often involving a horse). So glad you found it worth the splurge and were able to continue on your itinerary.

That llama situation made me LOL.

All of that road construction in Chachapoyas town was happening for me, in August 2016. So we'll see. BTW I think the museum in Leymabamba was some kind of community project.

Glad to hear that Ayacucho is in better shape now.

Wonderful TR--so much detail. You are really making me think about a return to Peru.

Love all the details. Your description of Northern Peru really makes me want to see it for myself, and before it is swarmed with tourists like Machu Picchu is.

Once again, I’m delighted to find that people are following along with me! And I particularly appreciate that several of you have complimented me on the level of detail, because I always struggle with the question of how much to provide. You can see that I chose to include quite a few details, in the belief that those who aren’t interested can skim and, conversely, the hope that these details would enrich the report (or bring about a LOL moment -- like the llama "situation") for those who care to read them.


@ thursdaysd: It was a worthy splurge! This knee injury (yes, this one) wasn’t bad; I certainly wasn’t sprinting up any of those hills – a slow, hobbled walk would be a more apt description – but it just took a bit a favoring and was largely healed within a few days.

@ mlgb: Wow, that work in Chachapoyas is taking a while – but it must be a massive undertaking to redo a city’s water and electrical and gas (and whatever) infrastructure. That's probably why renovations in Ayacucho remain underway….

I think you’re right about the Leymebamba museum – from what I read, once the nearby Revash Tombs were discovered, locals began raiding them. The woman who owns the Kentitambo (which didn't exist at the time) was among those who, upon learning about it, sounded the alarm throughout Peru. They raised enough interest, and enough money, to fund a museum, and the community of Leylebamba agreed to house it. IMO, the world is a better place for these efforts at preservation. Kudos! So again, thanks for recommending the Kentitambo!

@ yestravel: Even with a month in Peru, I skipped a long list of places that I’m sure I would have enjoyed – it is such diverse country! -- and I didn't even know at the time how welcoming I would find it. You could do worse than explore a bit more of it!

@ tripplanner001: If you think you would enjoy this part of northern Peru – and it is just a part! (keep reading) – I think you would do well to consider visiting it sooner rather than later. The number of tourists there is still on the low side, but I don’t think it’s going to stay that way….

Even without any photos, this is a very visual TR and I am enjoying it immensely. Are you hinting about another knee injury? Not on this trip, I hope.

This part of Peru (where we will not get to, at least not on this trip) sounds fascinating. I wish we had more time...

I too appreciate the details. It really makes me feel like I'm there with you.

@ xyz99: How nice to hear that you are experiencing my picture-less report visually! My first few trips were before I owned a camera; they were also while my mother was still alive. She had always wanted to travel, but was never able to do so. From that very first trip, one of my goals was to find a way to help her see what I experienced, and the only way I could think to do so was through words. I kept a journal, and with everything I did and saw, I asked myself how I could communicate it to her. It has been a long time since she died, but I still approach every trip with her in mind and a journal at hand.

@ tripplanner001: I’m glad I’m bringing the experience to life for you – if without all the aches and pains and difficulties with altitude.

Days 4 to 5: From Leymebamba to Kuélap and on through Chiclayo

Az had arranged for a taxi to take me to Tingo Nuevo, where I was to meet the tour to Kuélap; it arrived and delivered me to the main square of this tiny community well in advance of the time when I was to be picked up by Turismo Explorer. As I scanned the seemingly deserted square, I watched my taxi drive off, wondering if maybe I should have asked him to wait?

I refused to look at the time as the minutes ticked by – after all, I was early. I was very pleased when a combi came through, calling for people who wanted to go to Chachapoyas, as it signaled that I would have a back-up option if necessary. Then a vehicle marked “Turismo Explorer” turned a far corner -- and drove off without passing the street on which I stood. I took some deep breaths. And then, finally, a van with that same marking pulled up and a man jumped off and called my name. It was only a few minutes passed the appointed time, so my frisson of worry had been completely unnecessary.

I took the one remaining seat – there were, I think, 18 of us, mostly French-speaking, but with an English-speaking guide – and then we stopped almost immediately at a nearby restaurant, where we placed orders for a late lunch, included in the price of a tour. That task accomplished, we moved to a station where we purchased round-trip tickets for the cable car to Kuélap, and we were told to be very careful with our return tickets, as we would have to pay full fare if we lost them. (I remember wondering just how often that would be a problem – do they have many people hiking up to Kuélap, at 3,000 meters, only to try to get a free ride down? I learned much later that this scenario is a real problem at Machu Picchu!)

From there, we boarded a bus that transported us upward in a series of turns to the actual cable car terminus. We were told – in no uncertain terms -- to stand on numbered marks on the deck that corresponded to our order of entry to the cabs. This place is definitely trying to create a system to handle masses of tourists!

The cable car takes about 20 minutes; IIRC, it ascended one hill, then swept over a wide valley, and then ascended to its Kuélap end. The views were magnificent – forests and fields; a rushing river at the base of the valley; series of terraced fields connected by barely identifiable and very narrow paths…. Some terraces were so high and so narrow that I couldn’t imagine that they had an agricultural purpose – I assumed they were for erosion control. Until I saw men working them!

The cable car ends at a landscaped area with a restaurant and restrooms and stands where artisans sell their wares. One can walk about 2 km to the fortress, or one can hire a horse that a woman will lead for you. Despite aches and pains, I chose the walk, which was uphill, but not steeply so, and I proceeded at a very leisurely pace. The views were incredible, and there was so much to see! Various flowers (including orchids); occasional shaped granite blocks that had been used to hold salt for the llamas that once carried food to the residents of the fortress; fossil-bearing paving stones; and OMG, that was a swallow-tailed hummingbird!

The main entrance to the fortress – the one shown in many pictures – was closed due to renovation / reconstruction, so the path to an entryway led through grassy fields at the base of the massive walls of this fortress. The views were stunning – it seemed that one could see for miles and miles! There were glorious mesas of tilted layers of grey and pink and tan rock formations on the far side of a valley filled with forests and fields and a textured pattern of a surprising variety of colors, ending with the purples and blues of distant mountains… And then, finally, a narrow stair led through those massive walls and, eventually, beside a small field where llama were grazing, into the mountain-top domain of the fortress itself.

IMO, Kuélap is magnificent! I’ll leave the details to guidebooks and internet resources, but will say that I felt transported to a different time in a way that seemed more vivid to me than at many other ancient sites I’ve been fortunate enough to visit, perhaps because some of the vegetation that had overtaken this ancient stronghold has been left in place – there are towering trees and grasses and even some flowering plants, and while I could easily be wrong, I think there would have been vegetation in ancient spaces such as this one. For me, those trees and plants made the space more "human" in some vitally important way.

The structures were almost all circular, apparently because they provided better protection against earthquakes than rectangular structures. They varied in size and in various elements that spoke to function or status – together, they all spoke to me of a one-time vibrant community. Our delightful guide seemed to love engaging his charges in the experience, and bringing it to life, and pointing out details that would be so easy to miss – and he was very effective, IMO! The glorious stone reliefs that banded some of the structures would be spotted by most visitors; considering their meanings would, I think, have been difficult without additional information. Ditto with smaller reliefs or differences in the height of thresholds or whether there was a flat surface surrounding the outside of a door and so forth.

I had agreed to walk with another member of our group who was moving more slowly than others, so we occasionally stepped away from the intriguing commentary provided by our guide. Although I would have liked to hear everything he had to say, one distinct advantage was that we occasionally ended up between groups, more-or-less alone in this beautiful, shady space.

I look forward to reading about future developments at the site – it is already known that the top level – the one now visited – is the 5th (I think that’s right) of the site, with layers going down to nearly the base of that massive outer wall. What else will we learn as excavations continue? Already touted as “older, higher, and larger” than Machu Picchu, I won’t try to compare the two – I’m very, very glad to have seen both. They certainly are different, and each is, to my mind, worth seeing.

We finally left the fortress (sigh) and retraced our steps until finally re-uniting with our van, from which it was just a short ride to the restaurant at which we had placed our orders. My soup, chicken, rice, and fries weren’t a highlight of my culinary experiences in Peru, but they were competent, and I enjoyed conversing with a Canadian couple.

It took about an hour from there to Chachapoyas – and if I may, I’ll pose a question: Why do people look intently out of their windows (and I do mean THEIR windows – the ones on their side) when going somewhere, and then not look at all on the way back? I usually find many differences, even if solely because of the change in light, and that, IME, is the exception to the rule!

Before leaving the tour bus, I faced one of the dilemmas that plagued me throughout this trip: how much to tip a tour guide? I had read lots of advice, but I readily admit that I never did come up with a solution that didn’t leave me wondering whether I’d been too stingy or overly generous. To their credit, virtually every guide with whom I worked accepted my offer graciously and, without looking at it, made me feel that no tip was necessary. Have I mentioned that the Peruvians with whom I interacted were kind and gracious and welcoming?

Back in Chachapoyas, I prepared for my overnight bus ride: B1, of La Casona de Chachapoyas, kindly gave me access to not only my stored suitcase, but also a bathroom in which I could freshen up – so welcome! She then hailed a taxi for me to take to my bus station.

I had booked a ticket on a Civa Exclusiva bus, and so was ill-prepared to be dropped at a Civa cargo station. : I protested – I’m not cargo! The driver said something that I assume meant that this was the right place… it didn’t help that we didn’t speak a common language. Two passing women who spoke both Spanish and English listened to us, and then looked in the station, and assured me that I was in the right place; the station was not for cargo only. Grateful for their intervention, and with my apologies to the taxi driver, I entered the Civa Cargo station … and spent quite a while thinking I was in the wrong place, with diminishing time to get to the correct one. Again, the problems were mine, as the non-Spanish speaker, but ooh, it was disconcerting!
· Apparently, I couldn’t be “processed” until I checked my suitcase;
· But I couldn’t check my suitcase because I didn’t have a ticket;
· And I didn’t have a ticket – I had a voucher, but no obvious way to exchange it. How confusing!
· Finally, a woman opened the ticket counter.
· I then exchanged my voucher for a ticket, checked in my suitcase, quickly found a nearby store where I bought some beer to take along, and returned for the now short wait.

When the time for departure came, there was a lot – a LOT -- of checking and rechecking of tickets and identity.

The bus was quite comfortable – as I had been led to expect. A gentleman in the seat next to me helped me figure out how to adjust the seat – how to raise the support for my lower legs, how to lower the backrest, how to position the table. Not long after our departure, an attendant served dinner – another chicken dish that could have been better, but could also have been much worse.

By the time the bus left, it was dark (or at least nearly so). I managed my fear of bus rides on mountain roads largely by "simply" (with a lot of self-talk) refusing to look into the darkness. I remember one corner where flashing lights drew my attention, and I could see that it was raining and the roads shimmered, and I looked away – and then patted myself on the shoulder for realizing it was out of my control and I might as well ignore it.

Not inclined to try to sleep so early (the bus left Chachapoyas at about 8 p.m.), I read and sipped beer and caught up on my journal. Eventually, I did sleep, and was pleased that it was, in fact, a comfortable ride.


Next up: Days 5 to 8: Chiclayo

Glad you enjoyed Chachapoyas. It seems like both Chachapoyas and Kuelap have changed a lot since we visited in 2013. Whilst I don’t begrudge the economic prosperity the development of cable cars and increasing tourism bring to the local economy and the local population, I do hope the government control this from outset.

It would be interesting to return to see how much more has been excavated- maybe I will?

All riveting stuff kja - keep it coming. If I have to tell my wife we are returning to Peru I am blaming you

Very interesting. From what I saw 2 years ago, having all the streets torn up in town (and parking restricted in the plaza) caused at least two of the businesses I had liked to either disapear or reduce their offerings.

Coffee from that area can indeed be beyond excellent (it's small farm, shade-grown coffee). Most of the beans go to markets as green coffee or to one of the co-op roasters. The first time I visited, there was a storefront roaster in Chachapoyas where I bought a kilo of whole beans to carry home. It was gone 2 years ago. I suspected that tearing up the streets and parking restrictions caused them to leave the center of town.

The promos and awards recently given to Peruvian coffees have led to boutique roasters sourcing lots from that area, so sometimes you can find single-origin "Jaen" or "Cajamarca" in the US. It might be ALMOST as good as what you had there.

Very much appreciate your description of Kuelap. Helps bring some of the photographs I find online come to life.

@ crellston: Somehow, I hadn’t realized that you had been to Kuélap! Did my description of the site itself sound different than what you saw, or just the infrastructure for visiting it? BTW, although I saw a lot of evidence of efforts to prepare the area for massive tourism, I also read some expressions of concern about the people who had benefitted from being near the old road, but I have no idea what the outcome for them has been, or will be.

@ mlgb: I can imagine seeking Chachapoyan coffee beans! I saw a number of seemingly empty frontages edging Chachapoyas’s main square, but I didn’t know whether the businesses that were once there had temporarily relocated or disappeared; it sounds like you know that some of them did close up – I can only hope that those affected found a way to minimize the pain.

@ tripplanner001: I’m glad my description of Kuélap proved useful! I remember, as I walked through the site, thinking – oh, I saw a picture of that! Or “is that what that one picture showed?” etc.


- - - - -

Days 5 to 8: Chiclayo, part 1

Day 5: Chiclayo

After my arrival in Chiclayo by overnight bus, and with the benefit of a recommended taxi, I soon reach the Hotel Mochiks, where I was very glad to have arranged an early check-in. I found the hotel serviceable and well located, and the staff very helpful.

Once in my room, I took a long nap, freshened up, and – at about noon -- set out to begin exploring Chiclayo. It was only a few blocks to the main square – blocks filled by restaurants and shops, with some trees and street vendors along the way.

The Plaza de Armas held some beautiful old trees and some nice benches, but was otherwise not what I expected, which (I suspect) reveals my lack of preparation more than anything else. Or perhaps it was because there was a large performance platform, which could have been temporary? A few grand buildings could be seen along its edges, though, one of which was the Cathedral. I can't say that I found this particular church all that memorable.

A tour agency that had caught my eye for numerous recommendations -- Sipán Tours– was just behind the cathedral, so that’s where I went next. Upon asking if anyone spoke English, an energetic woman – MI – sat down to help me, and oh, what a help she was! There were quite a few places that I wanted to see in the area, and she soon had me booked for group tours to take place on the next two days that would cover all but one of those places. The group tours would be in Spanish only, but that was fine from my perspective, as I could (and would) read as possible, and I find that eyes can process a lot, even without the input from ears! The remaining site was Ventarrón, which I knew would be difficult to reach. Sipán Tours doesn’t offer any group tours to that site; MI quoted me a price for a private tour (with English guide) that was a bit more expensive than I hoped to pay; I said I would think about it. MI then proceeded to give me many helpful suggestions about visiting Chiclayo, including detailed directions and enthusiastic comments about local cuisine.

With my core tours booked and plans in hand, I walked the few blocks to Chiclayo’s main market – and the mayhem of sidewalks completely filled with hawkers and street stalls and people windowshopping and businessmen purposefully striding and youngsters whooping and running and barely a free square foot of pavement anywhere, and people jostling me and weaving in and out of my way -- all beside streets jammed with honking cars and taxis and mopeds and motorcycles and pedicabs and anything else that could possibly move faster than a turtle (and there could have been turtles in there, too, for all I know). It was chaotic! Oh, and let’s not forget the sound – music blaring from every shop and horns honking and people trying to talk loudly enough to be heard over one another and hawkers yelling above that … and the fumes of exhaust and, well, this is not what I like best about travel.

Despite the chaos, some of the scents from street carts were enticing, and some of the wares spread out before vendors were intriguing, and honestly, I do find it interesting to see what others place in their shop windows and what music people select to blast out to potential customers. So it wasn’t the thing I like least about travel, either.

Crossing a street seemed decidedly like jeopardizing my life. It seemed that stepping into an intersection simply challenged the driver of every vehicle within sight to find a way to occupy that exact space -- and if one vehicle did stop or slow, there was no guarantee that another smaller vehicle might not take advantage of the “opportunity” to try to pass, perhaps right in the way of any pedestrian who had made progress. Argh!

Once I reached it, the indoor Central Market, aka the Mercado Modelo, surrounded by outdoor stalls and vendors, offered an amazing cornucopeia of colors and sounds and scents. Most of the parts through which I roamed seemed to include a disorganized array of options, with produce and clothing and hot food stands and artisans’ wares and kitchen wares and butchers and shoe repairmen and fishermongers and tailors and live birds and florists and fabric shops and guinea pigs and who-knows-what arrayed in, well, complete disarray.

I think I’ve already mentioned that when going through any market, I try to be sure to ask before taking a picture of anyone, and that usually means that I point clearly to the goods with both my forefinger and my camera, while asking “OK?” The upside of doing so is that I’m reasonably confident that I didn’t offend anyone by taking a picture without permission. The downside is that sometimes I think people wouldn’t actually have minded if I took their pictures, but unless they really make an effort to let me know, I didn’t know. Such "missed opportunities" seemed particularly common in this particular market. Ah well, what really matters are the images I captured in my mind – and oh my, I captured a lot of those priceless mental images on this trip!

After exploring for a while, I finally came to the section known as the mercado de brujos (witches’ market), where traditional healing ingredients and (I assume) treatments are sold. I saw many herbs and spices and organic ingredients – gourds (including some in unusual shapes) and dried flowers and barks and roots – and only a few items that surprised me (e.g., skunk hides). It was wodnerfully aromatic and definitely interesting, if not as inscrutably fascinating as the traditional healing markets I saw in South Korea.

Leaving the market, I walked to
- A small church I hoped to visit; although it was closed for the day, I enjoyed seeing the owl that had made a home in one of its towers.
- A parochial church that I had mistaken for a nearby convent (now closed for the day) where children and their parents were gathering for some kind of special event and where I had the pleasure of seeing the pride the parents took in their children and the interactions among families and the sense of the moment that made even the children willing to pay attention and honor whatever event made them don new “Sunday” clothes.
- And then a terminal for local combis, where I soon boarded one for La Pimentel.

As with many combi in the area, “staff” included the driver and someone I’ll call a “caller” who stood by the van’s door (which was often completely or partially open). He (I saw no women performing this role) would call out the name of the ultimate destination and then make sure the driver waited until anyone who signalled interest came aboard. As with other combis I took, the van was sometimes full and sometimess partly empty, and in an oddly wonderful violation of the laws of physics, the fuller it got, the more space seemed to be available for bags or boxes or even small children, who ended up on laps or under seats or over shoulders….

Leaving Chiclayo, I was to observe something I found thoughout the areas of Peru I visited, mentioned in my “least-liked” section: Cities are surrounded by vast stretches of road that are quite decidedly NOT lovely – mile after mile after mile of what seem to be slums and walls in various states of disrepair that often serve as billboards. I sincerely hope that the many vast stretches of seeming slums that I saw were, instead, exteriors of either incomplete or very pleasant homes, left incomplete as part of a response to the tax code; I suspect poverty also contributed.

Back to the road itself: Speed bumps seemed to be the primary means of traffic control here and elsewhere in the northern desert coastal region of Peru – signaled lights or signs were rare. Drivers seemed to know -- and respect! – these speed bumps, which is not terribly surprising, given that the costs for repairing one’s vehicle if one hit one at too high a speed would have been nontrivial. Thus, they seemed quite effective as a way to control driving speed, but because each vehicle approached them at a different time, I can’t imagine that crossing a street, as a vehicle or pedestrian, would ever be an easy thing.

Reaching El Pimental, my “caller” made sure I knew the direction to the beach, just a short block away. A coastal community known for its ceviche (it was a bit late in the day for that, though, even if a bit earlier than I cared to dine), La Pimental is also known for its traditional reed canoes, Caballitos de Totora. I think they are used now more as a tourism draw than as a major fishing method, and I only saw a few being paddled, but I’m glad I saw them, as they are fascinating! I walked to the end of the strip of restaurants to the south of the pier, where a number of these boats were arranged for the night, and then stopped for a beer as I admired the scenery. As the waves increased in height and surfers took to the water, I took a long, leisurely walk. There were few shells were to be seen – the surf is, I think, too punishing; instead, there were some – just a few – small barnacle-covered rocks. I enjoyed seeing the surfers and children playing and sea birds scanning the water for their meals and couples dodging the water while holding hands…. I finished my very pleasant walk just as the sun began to set in a glorious band of striated colors behind the row of wooden poles supporting the pier.

OMG, sunset!!! I had promised my travel physician that I would not be outside the city of Chiclayo after sunset, unless in a taxi on my way back. That was the promise that let me avoid anti-malarials for this trip. I had been faithfully spraying and respraying myself with insect repellant, but it was time to get myself back to the city! I turned to finding a taxi, rather than a combi.

I don’t know if justified or not, but I had come to Peru with a marked disinclination to take a taxi that hadn’t been recommended by someone at my hotel or restaurant or musuem or whatever, so I entered the first B&B I encountered. The staff seemed very surprised, but one of the women called a taxi for me and suggested, and then negotiated, a reasonable price. To my surprise, one of the other staff of the B&B got in with me – I guess he was going home and decided that “escorting” me (at no cost to himself) would be a good way to do so. He spoke enough English to communicate that, so I said no problem – oh, but do let me get a picture of you and the taxi in front of the B&B! I doubt it mattered, but it seemed a prudent step. If a bit weird, it was OK, and I was, indeed, delivered safely to my hotel.

Before freshening up, I decided to explore my immediate neighborhood a bit and to see if I could find a nice bottle of dry white wine. Heading away from the main square, I found several stores where wines were sold, and each time, as a helpful assistant turned away to lead me to the wine section, s/he would realize that I had said “vino blanco seco” – causing him or her to neatly complete a piourette with the words, “no. Seco? No.” I believe that I’ve already mentioned that during my month in Peru, I did sometimes – very, very rarely – find a dry white wine. I was generally able to find some very pleasant reds – Chilean or Argentinian, and quite a few lovely Spanish riojas. But dry whites? No.

With a bottle of red in hand (OK, just a glass from that bottle ), I freshened up and then went to the very near Restaurant Romano for ceviche – and OMG, I do like ceviche! The plate I ordered combined three different fish, and when I asked the waiter to write their names, he did – and then came back with a platter showing me the actual fish in their filleted form. Nice!


Day 6: Chiclayo, cont.

After a tasty breakfast at my hotel, I was picked up for my full-day tour, which included another half-dozen people.

As expected, my guide (V) did not speak English, but I was able to learn a lot, nonetheless! She spoke more or less nonstop as we headed out of town.
- We passed an huge cemetery in which people are interred in small niches arrayed in an enormous number of walls that seemed to extend forever.
- There were miles and miles of fields of rice and sugar cane – plants that consume a LOT of watter, all in a desert and so all requiring irrigation that is apparently beginning to be recognized as a problem (as is the degradation of the limited and fragile soils that had been in the area).
- The air around an old molasses factory was, in fact, redolent of that product.

I won’t try to cover what you can learn from guidebooks about this tour, but here are the places we visited and some personal thoughts about them:

• The Museo Nacional Sicán– fascinating! Perhaps this museum’s most notable holdings involve of a ruler who was buried upside down, and I thought the 3D display much more informative than I had expected. The museum also included some helpful dioramas showing various activities related to metallurgy and ceramics; together with some signage. I learned a lot about the techniques involved, and appreciated the way the displays could be enjoyed by, and prove educational to, children as well as adults.

• Túcume-- awesome! The small on-site museum holds some displays that I thought interesting, including some displays involving textiles. After leaving it, we walked to a viewing point, and even having been there, I find it hard to believe that these “mountains” were really built of adobe brick -- the effort was truly monumental. I also appreciated that our guide helped us discover edible mountain tomatos on the vine (until we found – and ate -- them ) and cactus fruit.

• A restaurant stop; I wasn’t hungry, and so just had a cold beverage.

• The Museo Tumbas Reales de Sipán– breathtaking!!! This glorious collection of artifacts is, IMO, extremely well curated and it had enough English signage to allow me to make sense of the displays. I also appreciated the ways in which V was kind enough to engage me when she thought I might miss something of particular note. (BTW, be prepared to leave everything you have with you at a luggage desk before entering.)

I relaxed a bit before heading to dinner. I had wanted to try a local specialty, tortilla del raya, and spent some time working with my hotel staff to find a place that offered it for dinner and make a reservation. Happy to have found a nearby option, I walked a few blocks to the Hebron – which agreed that I had a reservation, but denied offering this dish – even though both issues were discussed in the same conversation by my Peruvian hotel receptionist -- a conversation held on speaker phone, even though I was silent.

I walked around a bit to see if I had other options, and just as I was about to give up – and just after passing the Romano (where the waiter who had served me the preceding evening offered a friendly wave of recognition) – I came to a very small place, the Restaurant Romanita, which had a posted menu that include my target dish. I asked, and was assured it was available. Small and quiet and decidedly off the tourist trail, this little restaurant made me feel very welcome, despite a lack of more than a few shared words. Not surprisingly, they didn’t offer any dry white wines – they had NO wines. I took that as a signal that it was time for my first pisco sour, and it was delightful! As was the tortilla de raya – which I found quite delicious!

And soon to sleep….


Next up: Chiclayo, continued

Very good! Glad you found your dish..btw I ate at Hebron one night and it was nothing special...

The combi caller is the "cobrador". Seems to be a competitive business.

I can respond to at least one of your questions from personal experience.

Yes, at least a few of those reed boats at Pimentel are used for fishing (but earlier in the day so that the catch is sold then, not in the afternoon).. On my visit there, my helpful taxi driver and I looked through the catch of the single fisherman to see if there was lenguado (the local flounder which is considered the best one for ceviche..the one that Javier Wong uses, probably caught up north the day before). We had the traditional North coast version of fish ceviche for lunch, prepared with just lime, salt, onion and perhaps a slice of hot rocoto pepper. Plus some fried "chifles" on the side.

Although I don't have statistics, my understanding is yes, there is a lot of extreme poverty in the coastal areas of NW Peru. We bought some coconut ices from two kids outside Purgatorio (aka Túcume) and they were practically dancing over the "score" and carefully examining the coins and some small change that the driver had also tipped them with. (And yes, I survived eating the ices)..it was hot enough to risk it!

@ mlgb: Combi callers are called cobradors? How strange! In the weeks before going to Peru, I finished a novel by Louise Perry that I enjoyed very much, Glass Houses, in which a “cobrador” – identified with some different meanings, none Peruvian -- plays a major role!

I’m glad to know that those reed boats are still used – it would be so sad to lose that traditional endeavor! I checked the list of fish that I ate, and am not surprised that lenguado was not among them. I bet it was delicious – your photos certainly made me wish I could take a bite!

Truth be told, I wasn’t that disappointed when Hebron didn’t work out – it looked a bit too touristy for me.


@ xcountry: on another front -- Starting just a few nights ago, I’ve had to shift my work schedule, which has meant shifting my sleep schedule by about 5 hours. Seems that the impact of microsleeps has been disconcertingly clear! Thank goodness I don’t need to drive....


@ xyz99: You were right about my knee injuries! I’m glad to report that you’ll hear of no more knee injuries on this trip.

"@ crellston: Somehow, I hadn’t realized that you had been to Kuélap! Did my description of the site itself sound different than what you saw, or just the infrastructure for visiting it? "

The site itself does sound very similar. I eventually got around to blogging about it . Here is a link somyou may be able to judge for yourself https://accidentalnomads.com/2013/07...e-chachapoyas/

The town sounds as though it has changed a lot and the approaches to Kuelap, most definitely. It looks like those changes will continue apace and good luck to the people of northern Peru who definitely need te economic boost but I do hope that the Peruvian authorities are far sighted enough to avoid the cultural devastation that has been visited upon places in SE Asia Sapa, Angkor Wat and Luang Prabang.

Good to know that your knee is fine. As mlgb has pointed out, I appear to be one of the more accident prone forum members and so can sympathise!

OMG, I am an idiot! I somehow thought that I had posted about one more day than I actually had (another microsleep?), thereby failing to realize that I had not completed my description of knee injuries, when the worst (and last) was the one not yet reported. So sorry to have misled! So fair warning: another knee injury coming up!

@ crellston: I think we can agree that your trip to Chachapoyas was more arduous than mine! Oh, that was not a pretty story. Thanks for the link to your blog – your photos of Kuélap are readily recognizable (though I was there on a sunny day, without the drama added by the mists you captured), and it was nice to see pictures of Chachapoyas before it was dug up.

- - - - -


Day 7: Chiclayo, cont.

After enjoying another tasty breakfast, I consulted with my hotel’s desk staff about getting to Ventarrón, which I’m sure ( ) you will all recall was a place I wanted to visit, but thought the price quoted by Sipán Tours a bit high. I had checked a few other tour agencies that either didn’t offer a visit there or said they would charge even more, and I had also asked my hotel staff to check into prices for a taxi. While waiting for my pick-up for this day’s tour, I learned that my hotel’s staff had identified a taxi option, but at a noncompetitive price – only 10 soles less that the Sipán Tours price, but for a taxi only, not including an English-speaking guide. I was very glad I asked – and I had even better reason then I knew at that point in time!

The scheduled time for pick-up for this day’s tour arrived and went…. I eventually had the hotel receptionist call – there had been some confusion. Someone picked me up almost immediately and took me to a place where others were gathering and awaiting … something. Eventually, I was told to board a van with 3 other people, a van that did not bear Sipán Tour markings. In fact, there didn’t seem to be a guide! These are the moments that make me wish I spoke the prevailing language.

It wasn’t far in distance (though it seemed quite a while in Chiclayo’s traffic) before the van stopped and a woman boarded the front right seat. That she spoke at all, or that she was, in fact, our guide, was not obvious to me until we reached our first destination, when she gave us her name. Such a contrast to V!

(I confirmed later that there had, indeed, been a misunderstanding – the Sipán Tours staff had not realized that they were to have picked me up at my hotel, something they don’t normally do for that particular tour, and so had left without me -- but they made sure I could join this other tour once they realized the error.)

The tour’s stops this day were:

1. The Huaca Rajaca site museum, which holds what I considered some stunning artifacts, including several fascinating reconstructed burial sites and various presentations that I suspect made the findings accessible to children of a range of ages. It also held rather extensive and informative English signage. The guide made a great effort to make sure that I saw some very specific things – even if she had to drag me away from the English signage to make sure that happened. I came to appreciate her efforts, as it really does take a pointing finger to see some things.

2. Huaca Rajaca, where we walked around this partically excavated pyramid, allowing me to see the places where the upside-down lord and the Lord of Sipán had been buried. I found it surprisingly hard to mesh the dimensions of the space around which I was walking with the dimensions of the artifacts I had seen! I think it was because I hadn’t realized how very much space was NOT associated with those excavated areas.

3. A restaurant stop; again, I wasn’t hungry, so I just enjoyed a beer.

4. Museo Bruning, with its amazing collection of artifacts (ceramic and textile and metal and mummies and shell…), and again, I credit the guide for her efforts to make sure I saw and understood key artifacts. A separate wing holds the museum’s collection of Sicán and Moche ceramic erotica, including a number of objects showing depictions – often very loving, IMO -- of various sexual interactions.

Upon returning to Chiclayo, my first stop was the Sipán Tours office, where I wanted to finalize plans to visit Ventarrón. The woman who had helped me upon my initial visit, MI, greeted me with enthusiasm, assuring me that she had confirmed that I could visit Ventarrón the following day if I still wanted to do so – and I did! We reviewed all the details and I paid, glad that I had ensured that I would have an English-speaking guide for this special place.

I then set out for the short walk to the “Paseo de las Musas”—and, leaping to get out of the way of a marauding moped, tripped on a break in the curb. I went down hard. But again, I was very fortunate – I didn’t break anything. I added quite an array of thankfully minor injuries to my compliment of healing ones: a not-too-badly sprained right ankle; an exaccerbated right-shoulder strain; and a very, very, VERY sore left knee (even as the right knee, injured in Chachapoyas, was almost healed). I walked away with incredible gratitude that I was, in fact, walking away!

All for a visit to the Paseo de las Musas? Frankly, it isn’t much – a long, narrow urban park between streets that choke the air with exhaust fumes (but with glimpses into a tree-shrouded canal running parallel to the park). This urban park has a few limning flower beds and a number of seating areas dominated by recreations of classic Greek figures in a shade of white that looked as if they had been coated with high-gloss enamel and placed within collonades that seemed just exactly the worst height for showcasing them. But with each painful step, I realized that this park serves a real and very valuable purpose: From what I saw, Chiclayo doesn’t have a lot of open spaces. Here, I found children and dogs running around, and a few seniors moving even more slowly than me, and young couples finding ways to focus only on each other…. In the end, I think that seeing that little park was well worth any injuries I incurred getting there.

After slowly limping back to my hotel, I did what I could to relax and promote healing, and then left for Fiesta Gourmet Chiclayo. I had read many praises of this restaurant, and so was surprised when a very long taxi ride took me though, and to, an area that seemed disconcertingly abandoned. But my taxi driver literally handed me off to someone employed by the restaurant, and I was soon seated at a table that I found commensurate with the restaurant’s excellent reputation. I had chosen the Fiesta for its duck chiclayano, and oooh, that was nice! If you like duck and don’t mind cilantro, traveling though seeming abandoned sections of Chiclayo to reach Fiesta Gourmet Chiclayo may be well worth considering!


Day 8: Chiclayo

I enjoyed another satisfying breakfast, brought my luggage to the desk for temporary storage, checked out, and was soon greeted by the English-speaking guide sent by Sipán Tours for my day.

To my surprise, we didn’t head to Ventarrón immediately; instead, we went first to the tour agency office: MI had realized that we had not discussed the condition of the murals at Ventarrón, and she wasn’t sure whether I knew that they had been damaged in a fire last fall. She explained that I could go to Ventarrón, but maybe I would prefer to see a rather newly discovered site of the burial of an ancient female ruler (one who preceded the Lady of Cao, about whom you will read later)? She had spoken to the lead archeologists at each site, and confirmed that I could go to either. Which did I prefer? Wow, what I choice, and how wonderful that she provided me with the option! Still, the choice was very easy for me – as long as one could still see the murals at Ventarrón – believed to be the oldest murals in the Americas – that was my choice.

So my driver and my English-speaking guide and I set off. My guide proved to be a generous source of information, happy to share all sorts of information about the area, local and ancient traditions, regional foods....

Once we got to Ventarrón (have I mentioned how unpleasant the roads in/out of Chiclaya are? or the mounds of plastic that line them?), we found that the gate was closed. A man and a woman who work there soon came and said, no -- no one is allowed to enter. They let me into the area in front of the temple so I could examine some signage and illustrations while various conversations occurred and phone calls were made. But in the end, the answer was unchanged -- I was not to be allowed in. I would be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed, but at the same time, I had gotten to see part if the outside of this ancient structure, and that in itself was, in fact, quite a privilege!

Returning to Sipán Tours to see what options I might have (because the tomb of the woman governor was too far to see without an early start), I learned that MI isn’t just an English-speaking staff member, as I had thought – she basically is Sipán Tours – or close enough! Upon learning that we had been turned away, various excited conversations took place, telephone calls were made, the door to her office was closed for further conversations, staff occasionally sat fully upright with widely opened eyes.... And then MI emerged from her office, with a broad smile and bouncing step, and told me that she had ensured that I could visit Ventarrón that very morning by speaking with the supervising archeologist and had just re-confirmed that I could do so, and she was going to come with us to fix the problem.

OK! So the four of us (MI, guide, driver, and me) turned around and went back to the site. Out came the two staff members again, more denials of access, more conversations, more phone calls ... (It seemed that every time MI spoke with someone, she would end up needing to talk to a supervisor, who would then speak to someone on the site’s chain of command, and either back to MI or down to the site staff…. So up one, over one, down one, up two, over one, etc.) And eventually…

I was given permission to enter! I could not take pictures (which was fine with me), and the woman came along to make sure I didn't. But MI and the guide and I were allowed to move through, and no one rushed me. OMG, what a lucky person I am! The two large murals showing deer trapped in nets, and parts of a carved frieze showing two fish and a stylized deer, are – IMO, truly amazing!

Apparently, I'm the first person who has been allowed to enter since the fire that damaged the site in November of 2017, and apparently, permission ultimately came from a high-ranking official in the Ministry of Culture who MI eventually reached. I might not have been able to see both Ventarrón and the newly discovered tomb of a female ruler, but I got to see a living female ruler -- MI is a force of nature! And I got to see these magnificent and ancient things. I am one very fortunate person!

With some time before my departure, I walked (stumbled) in and around Chiclayo’s main square for a while, and I stopped for a while at a restaurant for an awesome potato dish. When time, I returned to the Hotel Mochiks, claimed my suitcase, took a taxi arranged by the hotel, and checked in at the Oltursa bus station from which I would depart for Trujillo.

I can’t say that I understood why an Oltursa employee carried a stack of wrapped meals to a counter by the embarkation point, carefully counted out a number of them into a separate stack, took the remaining packages back to whence they came, and then, much later, placed the carefully counted boxes into a bag, which he then took elsewhere. At least it gave me something to watch!


Next up: Days 8 to 11: To, and through, Trujillo

Wow..force of nature indeed...Lucky you!

I don't know if you remember in one of your planning threads that I had said I was more afraid of being a pedestrian, than of riding in any bus!

Ouch! Glad you were unhindered with the rest of your trip.

So glad that the travel agent was able to make it work in the end. Now, that's service.

After reading your report, I am so sorry we will not get to Kuelap; I would've loved it. Thanks for the great descriptions and all the details. Not quite like being there, but it will have to do (for now).
Are there as many hummingbirds in Sacred Valley area as in the North areas? I hope so...

@ mlgb: I had not recalled your comment about being a pedestrian. And honestly, I’m sure I discounted it, thinking something like, “OK, so mlgb obviously has no idea, whatsover, of what it is to truly fear a bus ride.” And if I had understood that I was facing something at least as bad, I’m not sure I’d have gone at all! But I do now understand, and am just glad I survived.

@ tripplanner001: Unhindered by that injury, at least!

@ xyz99: One can’t see all of Peru in a single trip! If Kuélap appeals, maybe you’ll find a way to see it another time. As for hummingbirds, well, I know they exist in other parts of Peru, but I think I saw only one in the Sacred Valley, and it moved so quickly that I wasn’t even sure I had identified it correctly.


Days 8 to 11: To, and through, Trujillo

Day 8, cont.: From Chiclayo to Trujillo

I thought the Oltursa bus less comfortable than the Civa Exclusiva one, but again, the wide seat reclined to almost 180 degrees and the leg rest lifted – and I definitely liked that! I must admit that I had thought I would be served a meal or snack, but I’m sure if I had researched it a bit more thoroughly I would have been better informed. If pillows or blankets were available, I didn’t see them; and if earphones were an option, I didn’t see them, either (so all of us on the lower level of the bus, at least, were subject to blaring non-stop movies); and if the bathroom door was ever unlocked, I didn’t get there at the right times. The ride took just over 4 hours, arriving in Trujillo on time at 10:30 p.m.

As already noted, I had been advised before reaching Peru to work with my hotels whenever possible to arrange safe and reliable taxis, and I had followed that advice. In fact, I had ended up booking the Hotel Libertador in Trujillo – which cost much more than I would have preferred – specifically because it is the only hotel I contacted that actually responded to my request to arrange transportation in advance.

But where was the taxi? Was it late? Had I somehow missed it while in the ladies’ room? I walked around and around; I walked to the far edge of the parking lot, in case there was some reason why it couldn’t enter the parking area; I looked for other exits…. I was tired, and I was frustrated, and I was unsure how to proceed. I didn’t want to leave without honoring my commitment to the taxi I had arranged, but I also didn’t want to wait with no understanding of whether it was coming at all. I gave it what I thought a decent amount of time (just in case there had been some confusion), and then, when someone who did speak a bit of English offered his help, I accepted it, if a bit warily. He helped me find a taxi – at half the price quoted by the Libertador – and I’m glad to report that it proved to be safe and reliable.

It was quite late when I was finally delivered to the Libertador, where I found a very, very angry taxi driver smacking a sign with my name on the counter, and two staff members who were quick to point out that he had waited for me and that I owed him an explanation. ???

I took a deep breath and said, as calmly as I could, that I hadn’t seen him. I was too tired for a fight! I took some more deep breaths as I produced the documents required for check-in. The driver and staff members engaged in a tirade of Spanish, and finally, one of the staff members asked me what bus company I had used. I told them. More rapid, angry Spanish. The staff member asked me what time my bus had arrived from Lima. I said that I had not come from Lima, I had come from Chiclayo – as I had clearly described in the message I sent in which I requested the taxi (which held full details – company, route, departure and arrival times and locations). More angry Spanish, which ended when the driver smacked the counter and left. One staff member told me that there are multiple bus stations in Trujillo, and the driver – identified by the other staff member as a close relative – had gone to the wrong station.

OK, mistakes happen – but if the hotel staff know that there are multiple bus stations, I would think it incumbant upon them to make absolutely sure that they know which station is involved when they promise that a taxi will be there. And beyond that, an explanation is not the same as an apology – and no one offered me even a hint of an apology.

I was tired. I was hungry. I was frustrated. I was angry. I had been uncomfortable taking a taxi that I didn’t know to be safe. I was in no mood to deal with anger from a taxi driver who I never saw. And I was certainly not in a mood to deal with hotel staff who attacked me for errors that were not mine! I did my best to simply make it through check-in so I could deal with it later. And then, when I was finally ushered to my room and found that it smelled of mildew, I decided not to even mention it – I just wanted a few quiet moments.

I believe I still had an option to order food through room service, but honestly, I was too angry. Instead I opted for a bottle of beer from the mini-bar, which I sipped while trying to relax and settle in. I didn’t check the price list until later – 15.5 soles for that one small bottle – about 10 times what I paid in some stores! (But actually, worth it at the moment.)

If it isn’t already clear, let me be explicit: This night was not the best of my trip.


Day 9: Trujillo

I began my day with a very nice breakfast, included in my room rate, and I give the Libertedad credit for its extensive array of both hot and cold foods, not to mention the option of ordering a freshly made omelet or other dish. I’m also happy to report that the staff were attentive and helpful.

Upon leaving the dining area, I asked to speak to the manager, and was soon greeted by the Front Desk Manager. I described the key events of my arrival and expressed two concerns:
· Most importantly, I asked that she take steps to ensure that future arrangements for taxis take the fact that there are multiple bus stations into consideration and so ensure that the correct station is identified. She promised to do so, and in a response to my TripAdvisor review, affirmed that corrective actions have been taken.
· I also noted that I was upset that I had been blamed and that even after the problem had been identified, no one apologized. To the manager’s credit, she immediately offered a very gracious apology and offered several remedies; I accepted the offer of a complimentary dinner (which was delicious, and which I describe below). And she obviously spoke to the staff – the primary day receptionist later offered a very thoughtful and much appreciated apology to me on behalf of her coworkers.

IMO, the manager took reasonable and appropriate steps to address my concerns. The Libertetad has some wonderful features and its location can’t be beat! While I trust the hotel has done everything it can to prevent future taxi confusions, I would still urge anyone who plans to rely on a pre-arranged taxi from a bus station to check and double-check the agreements about location – just in case.

Completing my daily preparations, I left the Libertatad and entered Trujillo’s grand Plaza de Armas. A large space with a central fountain and some tall palm trees, edged by some grand buildings, this plaza seemed a place where people could be found enjoying themselves at any time -- relaxing on a bench or blowing bubbles for children to chase or watching tourists take selfies in front of the fountain. I must admit that I found the main statue atop the fountain a bit odd – from many angles, it seemed to me to be one-legged, and many of the lower statues seemed overly agonized, but there were a few angles from which it was quite impressive, IMO.

My first goal of the day was to book a tour for some of the sites outside the city, and so I headed to Trujillo Tours, which had been well reviewed by several of my guidebooks. Close to the main square, I soon reserved a group tour with an English guide for the next day and obtained other useful information.

Time to begin exploring!
· I roamed the central area semi-aimlessly, taking note of the many wonderful (and sometimes very large) carved wooden balconies extending from second floors; appreciating the vibrant (and sometimes now peeling) colors of various buildings; poking my nose into any churches that were open….

· I was tempted by street vendors who had small stands or who wheeled carts through the area, dishing up hot herbed white beans or fruits and vegetables or whatever.

· I strolled through a pedestrian-only street, complete with modern fountains and glimpses into intriguing courtyards. One courtyard – that of the Palacio Iturregul, now a private club – was open, and stepping into the courtyard, I admired its updated version of old-world charm.

· I marveled at the juxtaposition of a bridal shop atop a tattoo parlor…

I thoroughly enjoyed the Archeology Museum. Housed in a colonial mansion, the displays were limited, but IMO, well curated and very informative. And while the original courtyard could, I think, use a bit of restoration, the wear to its cedar columns could not obscure their beauty. When I was there, the museum held a special exhibit of exquisite Nasca cerarmics.

Returning to an outdoor café at a small plaza along the pedestrianized street that I had roamed, I was mildly disappointed that there were no empty outdoor tables, and most people seemed to have just begun whatever they were having. I went inside and, as I was guided to a small table, I asked if they would let me know if a table opened up outside. The next thing I knew, a waiter told me to go outside and then carried my table after me! As he moved a chair for me, another server brought my beer. Talk about service!

It was a pleasant little place, with a tree or two for shade and a fountain and some flowers in view. I was sipping my beer and catching up on my journal when a conversation at another table entered my consciousness enough to catch my attention: If I understood correctly, a young Polish couple was explaining, in English, that they were part of a German reality TV show that centered on hiking and that required them, between hikes, to convince people to either feed them or give them money to help them do so. I readily admit that I’ve been a great fan of The Amazing Race – and that I abhored the times when competitors were forced to ask people for money! But I’m not Polish or German, and so I figured it’s not my business.

Then one of the people to whom the team was speaking decided to treat them to a meal – and so he and they and the entire filming crew moved next to me. Argh! That was my business, and I must admit that I did not want to be part of their footage. I quickly paid for my beer and left.

On my way back to the Plaza de Armas, I stopped at another travel agency that had seemed well reviewed, and learned that an English language tour of El Brujo (my goal) would be leaving in just an hour. She quoted a price, I managed to shake my head slowly while saying “moy caro” -- and I soon booked my tour at a much lower price, because some people had already signed up for a tour in English. I took the opportunity to find a grocery store and buy a bottle of wine (red), which I took to my room.

Soon, I joined 4 others for a tour to El Brujo, which really meant going to that vast site and, once there, spending time at the Huaca Cao and the museum associated with it, with views to the impressive eroded slopes of the adobe pyramid known as El Brujo. The Lady of Cao may be the earliest known female ruler in the region, and whether the oldest or not, it certainly seems to have been a rare thing for a woman to rule. I’m glad I visited her! We started with the site museum, which I thought held some very interesting and accessible exhibits. The tomb itself held some utterly awesome murals. And, if getting there meant a very long drive through relatively uninteresting dessert (and passing what seemed a very bad accident, with a large truck on its side), it was also fascinating to look out over this arid and now abandoned region and try to imagine that it was like when it was the heart of a major ceremonial center.

Returning to Trujillo after dark, I was surprised to see that the core of the city seemed to be on a slightly ramped plateau, marked by lights that defined a grid and an oval that marked the original surrounding city walls. It seemed to take a very long time to make it through the city’s traffic to near the Plaza de Armas; in the end, we were left off a few blocks away. As I walked toward the plaza, a young woman introduced herself; she seemed enthralled by the idea that a woman might actually travel on her own! We spoke only briefly, and even so, I was rewarded by a huge hug, which I was happy (if surprised) to return.

After tending to a few chores, I went to the Libertatad’s dining room to take advantage of the complimentary dinner arranged by the manager, and it was not only delicious, but also attentively served. I began with a velvety cream of broccoli soup, and then had a fish dish (pescado pachamanqueyo) that was wonderful – a perfectly cooked white fish with flavorful and deliciously balanced seasonings cooked into the skin. Sooooo good! It was served with side dishes of potato and various vegetables, and I ordered some wine (they actually had a dry white!) to compliment the meal at my own expense. It was a lovely meal.

After which I soon crashed….


Next up: Day 10: Trujillo