Peru is MORE than just Inca stuff
2 05 2007From Cusco we high-tailed it to Trujillo, on the coast, north of Lima. We stayed in the nearby beach town of Huanchaco. From there we visited the Chan Chan ruins and 2 of the nearby huacos (temples) from the Chimú society (pre-Inca). Unlike the Incas, they built their temples with mud bricks, which, as you might imagine, don’t hold up as well as stone. It is fascinating to see the artistry they added by carving into the mud walls. There were rainbows, dragons, fish, and animals said to be sea otters - sacred animals according to our guide.
From there we traveled further north to Chiclayo, where we visited the museums in Lambayeque. These museums showcase the pre-Columbian societies of northern Peru, including vast displays of jewelry and pottery (some of which are very anatomically complete). The most amazing exhibit was the Lord of Sipan, a recent discovery near Lambayeque, left by the Moche society (100-800 AD so WAY before the Incas). What made this so amazing are all of the adornments made of gold and other metals and intricate beadwork, none of which were looted by the Spanish or other graverobbers. Some of the gold ornaments are so intricate it is really hard to believe they are so old or that they survived all these years.
More reasons that you can avoid Macchu Picchu!
