chiclayo.

from cusco we bused to arequipa where we spent 2 days getting lost in market streets and enjoying the sunny weather.. from there we continued north and spent an afternoon in nazca, checking out the mysterious 'nazca lines' spanning the desert area between nazca and palpa. there are more than 2000 lines.. more than 76 figures.. 18 spirals.. and just under 500 squares.. they range in complexity and size, the largest figures being over 200 meters across.

they were speculated to have been made in 3 different time frames, categorizing the 3 distinct groups of pictures. the oldest drawings being some time between 800 and 500 bce, then 500 bce to 300 ce, then 300 to 600 ce.. the most primitive of lines and geometric shapes extending to mama cocha (mother sea).. others of figures with dreaded hair.. animals.. plants.. lots of speculation, no solid answers for their existance. i am personally vouching for aliens.

that evening we continued north to paracas where we spent 2 nights. hoping to spend that time on blissful beaches, we were entirely unimpressed with the cleaniness of the sand and water and were quite happy to continue north. passing through lima we arrived in trujillo, where we caught a taxi to huanchaco and spent two nights and two days in a wonderfully chill surf town on a beautiful north peruvian coast. it was tranquility in it's entirity.

sad to leave huanchaco, but glad to meet up with colleen, we continued north to chiclayo which we have called home for the past 3 days. feeling so welcome in ricardo and colleen's place, we have checked out markets and cooked wonderful meals together.. spent a cloudy day on the beach.. went out to a disco for some saturday night dancing.. did a day trip out to chepen to lunch with ricardo's parents in a traditional peruvian restaurant.. spent the afternoon on the boardwalk in pacasmayo where the beach was completely non-existent and the waves were almost crashing over the boardwalk (i blame it on the supermoon).. and today we are meeting with a highly recommended fortune teller..

chiclayo - well done.