3-in-on. Score!

In the coast of Northern Peru lies the city of Trujillo, founded by Francisco Pizarro in 1534. I am still in the area of Peru that is much less frequented by tourists, which is GREAT because I am able to get tour deals. Such as...a full day visiting the three different major Mocho and Chimu sites around Trujillo with english speaking guide and transportation included for a WHOPPING $10.00.

First up, Chan Chan the largest adobe city in the world! It is hard not to be impressed by the sheer size of Chan Chan. An empire which once contained 10,000 structures, palaces, and burial mounds. Most of it is now crumbling mud, but impressive none the less!

The remaining walls of Chan Chan. Now imagine these 10 feet high! Much of it is set up like a maze as a defense system, so intruders would get easily lost! The design represents their fishing nets...TombsThe area is in the desert, but they were able to build canals that funneled water into a large central reserve for the city. This is what it looks like today. Large plaza area where the public would gather for ceremonies and sacrifices.

Next up, the Huaca Arco Iris, also known as the "Rainbow Temple (you can see below where this comes from)." It is one of the best preserved Chimu temples because it was covered by sand until the 60´s. The design below, which covers all the walls, is in great condidtion.

A little present for all of you wondering what the Chimu people looked like.

And finally, the Huaca del Sol y Luna (Temples of the sun and the moon). My personal favorite of all of them. Mocho temples. Every time a high priest would die, they would build a new, larger temple over the old one. So, the site actually has around 5 temples all on top of each other. As they dug down, they would find other, more preserved temples underneath! Because of this, the paintings on the walls are still there WITH COLOR! Very cool!My cute guide. Can´t remember her name, but I loved her!Some of the actually stones from the temple walls. Families would mark their bricks with a specific design to show which part of the wall they built. I love that they used smiley faces, even back in 600 AD. And on the brick below the smiley face is a cute little stick figure man...The sacrifice ramp... The alter where scarifices were made. The people in the public plaza could see the people being led up the ramp to be sacrificed, but the actually act was done here, away from public view. They also know that the sacrificees were given hallucinogens from the San Pedro cactus...maybe to make them more passive, or maybe as an act of humanity.
This is the Huaca del Sol. They haven´t even begun to dig this massive temple out (lack of funds)! And it is 10 times bigger the Luna (from above).
They are currently digging out the "city" between the two temples, where the common people would have lived.



One of the hairless dogs that hang around the Temples! Rockin´the Mo´hawk! Indigenous people use them to ease the pain of arthritis, because they have a higher body temperature than other dogs!
Mmmmm. And had to show a picture of my FAVORITE Peruvian soup, Perihuela. Yes, that is a big crab on top and yes, that is a big hunk of avacado.
Near Trujillo is the little town of Huancacho, famous for its fisherman that still use little "caballitos" (translated to "little horses"). These are little boats made of dried reeds which they straddle and paddle out in the surf to catch fish. After, they surf back into shore with their catch...