Surprising Perú

Perú – January 2019

After saying goodbye to Michelle and Ellie in Cuenca, I take a night bus to Chiclayo in Peru. My bus is the last to leave and judging by the crowd of people waiting at the platform, it’s going to be full. About a minute after I have taken my seat, a couple walks up to me and asks if I would be willing to swap with the husband, so that they can sit together. Of course I agree, only to be seated next to an older south asian guy with bright orange hair whom I noticed before because he was acting a little weird.

Anyway, he strikes up a conversation when the attendant hands out our included meal. He tells me about his very interesting life and after we cross the border to Perú I share my experience of the official not recognizing Switzerland as a country with him. When we arrive in Chiclayo in the morning, we share a cab to the local bus station. Here our ways part, as I am heading further south to Trujillo. I make my connection just in time and now really am the only foreign tourist. The bus ride is slow and hot, but from time to time local vendors get on and I buy my first “Gelatina” from one of them.

Finally arriving in Trujillo, I find my hostel in the city centre. It has a pretty rooftop area and is located just two blocks from the gorgeous Plaza de Armas. But before I can explore the colonial town, I have to sort out my laundry. Fortunately, there is a cheap laundromat close by and the lady assures me to have my clothes washed and dried by the next day. And then, I can finally relax and take in the fresh summer air while walking through colourful streets. I stop here and there to buy some snacks from street vendors and watch the people hanging out with their families on the Plaza.

The next day I am going to take a night bus to Lima – which means I have a whole day to spend in Trujillo. Upon the hostel owner’s recommendation, I decide to visit the ancient archaeological site of Chan Chan. I take a taxi to the location just about 5 km from the city. When I arrive, the lady at the ticket office tells me it’s mandatory to take a guided tour. However, for one person it’s rather expensive – so I ask her if I could join another group. She nods and tells me to sit down and wait for other visitors.

After around 15 minutes a Peruvian family arrives and agrees for me to join them on the tour. However, the parents are a little unsure if I will really understand the explanations in Spanish. So their son Will offers to translate for me to English if there are any problems and we start the tour. We walk through what’s left of the ancient capital of the pre-columbian Chímu kingdom, and listen to tales of Kings, their families, pets and sacrificial rituals to the Moon. The adobe structures are in incredibly good shape and one can easily imagine what life was like for the up to 100’000 people living here once upon a time.

Whenever our guide isn’t talking, the Sanchez family has a question for me. They want to know where I am from, where I am travelling and much more. We notice our common interest in carnival and discuss the differences between Swiss and Peruvian celebrations. Then our tour comes to an end and the mom asks me what my plans for the rest of the day are. I tell her that I don’t have any and they offer to take me to the beach town Huanchaco, where I should try some Rapsadilla and Ceviche. I gladly accept and we head to their car.

The Sanchez drop me off at the waterfront and then begin their return trip home. I stroll down the boulevard and soon reach the first little food stall selling Raspadilla. I order some of the crushed ice with strawberry syrup and then head towards the beach. Having watched other people burn their feet on the hot black sand, I keep on my sneakers and continue walking. There are lots of people and almost no space to sit down. I finally reach the water sports area and find an empty rock from where I have a great view of the fathers teaching their toddlers swimming and surfing.

It’s also the place where you can go for a ride on the traditional Huanchaco reed boats which attract lots of (mostly Peruvian) tourists. The tourists again attract street vendors selling fresh Ceviche, which I happily buy a portion of. Enjoying the delicious food and the beach atmosphere, I think about how all I experienced this day was so much different from how I expected Perú to be. Even more excited for the next 6 weeks I am going to spend in this country, I lean back and soak in the afternoon sun.

Around 6pm when everybody starts to return home, I am struggling to find a cab to take me back to Trujillo. Fortunately, the laundromat is open until late that day and I manage to pick up my clothes before heading to the bus terminal.