This post is out of order because the photos from our trips to Cuba and Colombia were left at home. We will post those entries upon our return to Quito.

On July 16th, we left Quito in our trusty Land Cruiser for Peru with freshly added new bumper, lights, winch, and external gas tank, hoping we wouldn’t need any of them. Our plan was to head south through Cuenca, cross the border at Macara, head down the coast through Tucume and Chiclayo, head east to Huaraz from Trujillo, and then head north, stopping at several places on our way back to Ecuador. We were excited to explore these places because of their archaeological significance as well as their natural wonders. Additionally, it seemed rare tthat anyone was able to explore these lesser traveled sites in their own vehicle outside of Overland Traveler culture.

Cuenca:

Though we spent one night in Cuenca, it whetted our appetite for a return trip. It is a smaller city than Quito, has an abundance of colonial architecture, and enough Gringos to bring some familiarity to a city that we’ve been missing after being away from the States for so long.

Macara:

After getting Lucy’s papers in order in Cuenca, we made the long drive to Macara, the more inland border crossing into Peru. Our research showed the coastal crossing was sketchy because of its size and popularity. Plus, we didn’t plan on exploring the Northern Peruvian beaches.

The drive was long and took us into the night, something we generally don’t like to do. Sure enough, two soldiers in fatigues stopped us at a checkpoint and asked us for our papers. Everything was in order except for our “permit” to carry the external 5 gallon gas tank. After some jockeying, he let us go when some other cars arrived. We arrived in Macara excited to get up early to really start our trip.

Peru:

An early wake up call got us on the road for the five mile drive to the border of Peru. We made sure to fill our gas tanks to the top one last time since gas is more than twice as expensive in Peru as it is in Ecuador.  After jumping through the proper hoops we crossed into Peru. Right away the roads, people, and landscape were different. Views opened up and we entered the desert. Peru loves its speed bumps. Most are at the entry and exit of small towns, some are in the middle of nowhere, and others are not painted at all just to keep you on your toes.

Tucume:

Our first scheduled stop was Tucume, an area known for the Chimu people, descendants of the Moche just south in Lamayeque. They, like others, were ultimately taken over by the Incas. The recently finished museum did an excellent job of outlining the historical timeline of the pre-hispanic cultures in Peru, documenting the archaeological site itself, and laying out the found cultural artifacts and their uses.

Exploring the Pyramids was special because no one was there. We roamed around as if we were exploring the area as archaeologists. Seeing the ceremonial epicenter where the head Shaman was buried was a highlight. Buried with the Shaman were others close to him, as well as items to sustain him in the afterlife such as grains, vegetables, and animals. Also present in the tomb was the sacred stone the Chimu harvested from the nearby mountain that much of their spiritual faith was based upon. Ceremonies are still performed there to this day.

Our lodging was awesome. For not a lot of money, we stayed in an Oasis with a view of the Pyramids.

Leaving Tucume, we headed south toward Lambayeque and Chiclayo.