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Welcome to my March 2005 travel journal.
Arrive in Chiclayo around 5am and catch a taxi to the Hotel Royal on the main plaza, which Greg had recommended to me. Room for 20/s with hot shower. After no sleep on the coach, I crash and am up at around 2pm, to explore a bit of town.
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Still really tired, but up early to explore more of town. I get a picnic and head down to the ´Paseo de las Musas´ which is meant to be a show piece park !!! It is nice but not all that much, spend about 1 hour there people watching and enjoying, fresh bread with cheese and fresh ham !!! I then book a tour to Sipan the nearby pre-Inca ruins where marvellous gold effects were found, for tomorrow. I then headed up to the massive market in Chiclayo ´Mercado Modelo´ I spent a good 3 hours here, wandering around stalls chatting to people, in my usual spanglish, It is really getting to me, and I cannot wait to get some proper lessons in Ecuador !!! They have wonderful witchdoctors in the southwest corner of the market that will sell you anything for any ailment !! Bats wings the lot....
Up early and meet up with Sipan Tours, and Tatiana, who I met at the tour offices yesterday, will be my guide for the day, she use to study in south London, and is good fun to chat too. We take the 30 minutes drive in the Taxi to Sipan just south of Chiclayo. The site I see is not at all what I expected, although I was probably thinking more of the Egyptian Pyramids !! What I saw as we approached, looked more like a very large termite hill, very battered and weathered.
This in fact had been built by the Moche people around the time of Christ and was where the Lord Sipan commanded from, behind this was a shorter but much larger raised Plateau again made of Mud bricks, each one marked by the family that had made them, where the high priest and warriors and elders had council. What was even more remarkable was that the site was only discovered in 1987 when grave robbers where bringing large gold objects onto the black market from the site. Next to the Pyramid, was the burial area, where the Lord Span’s tomb was untouched by the robbers, and all the artefacts are now in a nearby museum, which I will be visiting tomorrow. It was amazing to thing, while standing on top of the Pyramid that this was the view of the Lord Sipan 2000 year before !!
On returning to the town, I headed out in search of the Collectivo for Pimentel, the nearby recommended beach. I soon found it and took the 10 minute ride for 1/s about 15p, makes our taxis very expensive !! I jumped out where the guys next to me said was the best place for the beach and wandered out onto about 5 miles of sandy beach and the Pacific Ocean !!! I don’t know its something about the ocean that gives me an immense sense of calm and piece. I wandered up the beach, making sure my white skin would not scare the locals too much and enjoyed a good 5 hours reading, playing in waves with a group of girls, and the very fierce current under the waves and generally having a top time !!. The sun was mostly covered by a light hazy sky, but the warm wind and hot sand made it really quite special. I enjoyed a beer on the restaurant front on the other side of the pier before easily finding the collectivo back to town. What was more difficult was finding my way back in town to the hostel from where the collectivo had dropped me !! After a few Spanglish conversations I was put on the right track and found my way back to the Plaza de Armas. Got a little sun burnt despite the clouds !!! a quick shower and bed !! going to head to Lambeyeque tomorrow to see the gold and mummies from the Sipan graves, will also book my bus to Carjamarca. l8r
Up early and catch the Collectivo to Lambeyeque, quick 10 minutes ride along the main highway, for 90 centimos, arrive at the Bruning Museo, after nearly knocking myself out getting out of the van to everyone’s great amusement, although they did try and help me !!! The mueso contains many gold and ceramic atrifacts from the Lambayeque culture which pre-dated the Inca times, and were in effect the parents to the Inca Civilisation. The four floors and extra oro room are excellent and give a great insight into the culture and times. Since they did not write any history, the ceramic designs and drawings are the best window into their lives. I then cross the 4 or so blocks to the Museo Tumbas Reales de Sipan, where the mummies and artefacts from the Sipan tombs I visited yesterday. The four well organised and well displayed floors show some excellent and beautiful pieces, as well as the bones !!! It is an excellent museum and well worth the trip. Following a quick 2 /s set menu lunch in a local cafe headed back to Chiclayo and spent a good hour going round the Bus companies finding the cheapest ride to Cajamarca, ended up paying 14 /s on Mendoza ?? So at 9pm left my room at Royal Hostel and headed to the Tespa terminal, bus left about 30 minutes late, and was very full. Arrive in Cajamarca about 4am
There are certainly not many western tourists in the north of Peru, which is nice, after a while you do get used to everyone staring at you, sometimes though you do notice it, and personally it makes me feel awkward but like anywhere, they are just looking at you because you are different. Times it really gets to me is when they shout ´Gringo !!´, knowing where the name comes from (which is American money (green) go home !!) it is derogatory and I can only feel the hate in people when they say it, although I shouldn’t. I still only look for the good in people !! maybe me just being naive, or maybe I just want the world to be good !! Anyway enough of my Thoughts/Philosophies !!
Chiclayo web site
No sleep on the bus, I was sat next to the largest Peruvian I have ever seen, and he seemed to take up 3 seats, which meant the 2 we were meant to be sharing were a little stretched just with him !! just my luck with busses. :-) Arrive and caught a taxi ride to Hostel Chota cheap and cheerful, once I had woken and apologised to the owner!! Slept in till 10 and then headed out into town. There are excellent views over the city from Cerro Santa Apolonia where I headed to first to get a lay of the land. I already feel more at home here, the city is much more ´authentic´ and lest modern / busy / western as Chiclayo. After a good hour enjoying the sights, I head down too the prison that held the last Inca King, when the Spanish Conquistadors invaded. Story goes that Pizzaro and the Spanish heard that Atahualpa was in Cajamarca, having just beaten his brother in a bitter civil war, so he headed into town with his 160 men, including a small cavalry, but Atahualpa, was at a nearby baths, he sent word that he would return to town the next day. So the next day, quite late, which annoyed and heightened fears in the Spanish he returned to the main square in Cajamarca with over 4000 men. When the Spanish attacked from all sides with horses the Incas were so scared they fled and were pretty much wiped out. Atahualpa was captured and held. Here in prison he offer a reward of 2 rooms of silver and 2 room of gold to be filled to his height, to the people who could rescue him. The money was duly collected and sent back to Spain by Pizzaro. Atahualpa was baptised into the Christian faith and then burned alive, an act that would have horrified an Inca who believe in life after death and was therefore buried whole.
I met a very friendly guide George who took me round the El Cuarto Del Rescate, where Atahualpa was held, which is the only remaining Inca building in Cajamarca, he then took me round the nearby El Complejo de Belen Church and Hospital Museum, I thing just to practice his English, but it was really good. Must admit some of the words I did help translate !! wow must be learning some of this Spanish I keep hearing. Wasn’t sure what I wanted for lunch spent a long time just wandering around places in town. Ended up in the market, and got a great set menu of soup, then Chicken, rice and chips with a coke for 2 /s excellent. Spent the afternoon visiting the churches, booking a return coach to Chiclayo, this time 20/s with Linea, for tomorrow night. Will head to the Banos de Inca where Atahualpa was camped before his capture, tomorrow.
Cajamarca web site
Meant to get up early but had a lazy morning, caught the collectivo which is packed and wishing I had gone to the banos not on the weekend. the 50 centivos ride took about 5 minutes, and we arrive at Los Banos de Incas. It is not at all what I expected and a small town of shops etc has grown up around the baths, all trying to get some of the tourist and locals money that comes here regularly. After dismissing the nearer but smaller advertised Los Banos del Inca as the kids version, I found the main baths where for 5 /s (80p) I could have an Imperial dip !! I collected my ticket, and walked through to some fairly well maintained gardens which at one end had what looked like raised fish ponds, only each pond, and there were about 10, was steaming and the pungent odour of sulphur was beginning to fill my nose. The vivid, copper and green colour in the bottom of these pools was quite inviting, but being about 120 degrees, I waited my turn for the Imperial baths, a rather less lavish block of tiles baths which use the hot spring water mixed with cold. After a quick look at the supposed ´Inca bath´ my number was called out and I entered a decent size room, with what looked like an oversize shower cubical dug into the floor at one end, after the attendant had given it a decent clean down, I shut the door and within minutes was bathing in my own private, although a little small, swimming pool, I could just get one swimming stroke in !!! it was very relaxing, and for an hour I floated away totally relaxed.
Back in Cajamarca, I wandered around the market, and shops buying various street foods. Hot small boiled eggs, which were really nice bought 6 to a small bag, eaten with a cocktail stick and if required given a pep up with a very hot but nice sweet chilli sauce. Hot fruit punch, which had been slightly thickened, making it like almost set jelly, which was very sweet. Peppery skewers of chicken and meat (not sure what !!) but really nice with a bread roll and more chilli sauce. Found another guitar shop and played a few more, again very overpriced, but gave me more resolve that I must get one in Ecuador, and therefore probably shed some of my books before then. Spent a little while in the church hiding at the back watching the evening service, and how relaxed everyone was. Some were obviously there for the communion, others were just standing around like me. 10pm eventually arrived and I boarded the bus for the 6ish hour back to Chiclayo.
back to topArrived back at the Hostel Royal on the main plaza at around 4 am, had a chat with the cigarette boys who stand on the corner with their cardboard box of all sorts of blends, so the taxi drivers can stop on the corner and without getting out the car get the blend of choice. Eventually woke up Romario and got the room next to the one I had a few days ago. This time I had two very large, and quite daunting hospital beds, my first thought was I wonder who had died on these, but I was too tired and just crashed out. When I woke in the morning, I realised my mistake last night, I should not have wondered who, had died on them but what was still living in them !!! I was bitten all over my back, damn bed bugs !! After a quick shower, headed up to the market to chat again with the witchdoctors and again sampled the street food. I save myself for lunch again at the El Ranch, where I was again served with excellent chicken and chips, I think it is a combination of excellently cooked chicken and a very morish mustard, chilli sauce !!!! :-) Booked my ticket to Piura with Linea again and whiled away the time people watching and eating ice cream in the main square. It was soon 7pm and I was at the bus depot in good time, being charged to store my luggage, but thought better to pay than kick up a fuss and then loose my luggage !!! Dam gringo tax !!! First couple of stops had both the seats to myself, then Alias and her daughter Lucy (just 3) joined me. We had a really good chat, and I was amazed at how much I understood, I was getting more and more Spanish words, into my English grammar, and she seemed to be understanding. She lived and worked in Piura but Lucy’s Father lived and worked in Chiclayo, she gave me a number of good spots to go for drinks etc in town, I asked if she wanted to join me, but she made some excuse about Lucy..
Arrived on the doorstep of the Moon Night hostel around 9pm and was shown an excellent room for 35 /s pretty expensive, but hot water and a tired head made me just want sleep so I accepted and after a shower crashed.
back to topHad a lazy day today, went out for some breakfast but again was pestered by people seemingly all the time. In the end I just ended up back at the hostel and watched a load of Spanish dubbed movies on the cable TV. It was nice for a while to take a break from the travelling and the south American people.
back to topWent to the Museo de Oro Vicus, which is well worth a trip. The excellent basement, has one of the coolest rooms I had been to and excellent gold artefacts from the Ollers people who were about at the same time at the Lambeyeque´s but further north, again they were incorporated into the Inca People later. The rest of the museum was a bit of a bore. Headed up to Sanchez Cerro and eventually booked a bus with Eppo for 12/s for the 3 1/2 hour rider to Mancora and a beach. I did think about heading inland and up into the Highlands to find witchdoctors and Shamen, but I really need a few days chilling away from travelling, so decided on the beach. I thought when I am done in Ecuador I can always come back here if I feel I want too.
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Catch bus at 8am, a bit rushed for 3 1/2 ride to Mancora. This is a slow Economy bus which strangely contains a number of business people, who I have not really seen on any of my previous bus rides. As it turns out they all get off at Talara where there is a massive oil works, and not much water. The landscape is again desert and dry and similar to most of the coast of Peru, it is also very hot. I arrive in Mancora around 1pm and a ´helpful´ motor taxi offers me an excellent place on the beach for 10/s, at first glance he seems ok, and take him up on the offer over my preference from the book of HI la Posada, Turns out the Kimbas Bugalows are next door to La Posada. The surrounding are very luxurious, and would not look out of place in a European beach resort. I have a little deck with hammock and two deck chairs, and a sizable room with hot shower attached. I again check the price and the lovely girl Ester assures me that the cost is 10 /s or 12 /s with breakfast. After a quick change, I head off to the beach, which it turns out is in fact the other side of the Pan-American Highway, which goes right through the middle of Mancora. In fact Mancora is no more than a good beach next to the highway, which a number of huts have grow around. After following the dried up river bead under the Highway I am presented with what looks like miles and miles of golden sandy beaches and the Pacific Ocean lapping up at my feet. Again I am taken aback by the sea, there is something about it that I find memorizing, and very calming. I wander up the beach and in no time have about 1mile each way to myself. (I don’t want to scare too many people with my white skin, will warm it up first !!) It is beautiful and I spend most of the afternoon playing on the beach in the surf, which has quite a current, or just lying enjoying the views !!! Later Oscar a 45 year old fisherman stops for a chat. I find out that he gets paid between 20 and 40 /s per 10 hour night shift fishing, depending on the size of the catch, and if no fish equals no money for the 6 crew. We end up at a nearby bar for a few beers and Ceviche (a fresh raw fish dish, with Lemon and Onions, a bit like sushi and really quite nice. I had the mixto, which also had Octopus, shellfish and a white meat fleshy fish, really nice) I said bye to Oscar, again a little annoyed in the presumption and lack of gratitude, and headed back to the Room. On the way I got a little annoyed at myself for letting my own European ways and prejudices cloud how I view South American people. So I stopped for a beer in one of the many now noisy bars at the southern end of town. After a few new friends, my tiredness took over and back to bed.
kimbas bugalows web site
9 days of chilling on the beach or by the pool, learning Spanish, eating raw fish and shell fish (Ceviche, really nice) and generally recharging the batteries. Reading Ted Simon´s Jupiters Travels, an excellent read which I have read twice already. He was a writer for the Sunday Times, and in 1973 he quit his job and headed off on a Triumph Tiget 100 to go around the world. He has an excellent writing style, free and easy and I am finding he experienced a lot of the feelings and longings that I am now, while I am travelling. Although his travels where a lot more hard core in 1973 on a motorbike!! I have it quite easy !! :-) Also opened the book for Ecuador, though I just have an overall plan for things before I enter the country. Also had a couple of lessons surfing, the swell is best in the morning and last light, but all gets a bit crowded, really enjoyed it, managed to stand up a couple of times, for ooooeeee 2 or maybe even 3 seconds !!! There are a number of lively bars / discos at our southern end of town, which were visited a few times !!!
Up early and having been hacked off with the coach companies, found out that collectivos go from the far end of town for 5 sols to Tumbes, quick mototaxi ride and I am on the next collectivo almost immediately. 2 1/2 hour ride is very hot and dirty, more of the same very dry desert landscape, although there is some irrigation bleeding some green patches into the landscape. I get out just over the river in Tumbes to great surprise to the conductor. I had spotted the Amazonas hostel at the last junction, and hoped that I had remembered correctly that that was an ok, and cheap hostel !!, turned out it was, but was given a room right on the front overlooking the Pan-American highway !!! Quick shower and off into town. getting quite used now to navigating myself around Spanish colonial cities. I just have to find the main square, or `Plaza de Armas` get my bearings round the few side streets and I am away !!! Tumbes is an oppressively hot and the main water front on the side of town is a smelly rubble site, as it is being rebuilt from the last El Niño, which flooded the whole town. apart from this I quite like the town, it has a quite, friendly, atmosphere despite the massive military presence.
I find somewhere for my laundry and also book a Crocodile tour of the mangroves for tomorrow, then head down to the main square to find something to eat and maybe seeing I am happy a quick beer!! I get called over to one of the smaller restaurants on the side of the square and get talking to Monita, she is very friendly, and even is understanding my Spanish and I am soon enjoying a Cervaza y Hamburguesa (That’s beer and hamburger !!!) I am soon introduced to the whole family and friends and while away late into the night over many more beers. Back at the hostel late, took a while to raise the night porter (Jon !!!) Didn’t hardly sleep, despite the ear plugs. It was very hot even with the ceiling fan on full, and I had been rather eaten by mosquitoes all night, and at 4am I had the army past my window shouting as they went running `I don’t know but Vie been told ...`, strange really I though they would have been shouting it in Spanish !!!, may have been my half sleepy hearing !!!
Up wandering the older part of town and the market, same as a lot I have seen now, some really good fruits, which temp me, and more boiled eggs !!! plus and ice cream or two !! Get to the Tour agency (Cocodillios Tours) on time at 1pm, to find out that since I am the only tourist going it will cost twice as much, I haggle for a while but she is not budging, having chilled and been cheap living pretty much for the last week, I still decide to go. After a short taxi ride we are at Puerto Pizzaro and catch the small river taxi to take us on the tour, my guide Uri is very good, and speaks enough English to help with some of his Spanish explanations.
We arrive after about 20 minutes at the crocodile sanctuary where there are over 400 crocodiles !!! most are less that 1 meter long though, but it is still fascinating to see them all in there concrete bunkers, each age group seems to be separated, and there are even some eggs, hope the photos come out. Then back in the boat to cruise around the bird island Isla de Oues which is home to many Frigate birds, they have young they are just bringing up so you can imagine the noise!! The frigate bird is the famous jungle bird who’s male blows outs its Red neck in order to attract the females, they are amazing to watch, more cruising around the lake and we stop on island, Isla del Armor for a quick drink before heading back. An excellent trip, but recommended in twos !!! Back in town, met up with Vanessa and Eric, from the previous night at Monita`s restaurant ended up at the nightclub till 2am, pretty quite night but good fun.
Up for breakfast and say goodbye to the guys, get a ticket for the 11.45am bus on Cifa to Machala for $2, and start preparing myself for the next country. Meet Ben and Larry and the Bus station catching the same bus, but onto Guayaquil they are two PhD post grads from Norwich, enjoying last 2 weeks of 10 week trip across from Rio. Border formalities are fairly straight forward, stamp 4 miles before the border to leave Peru, and a mad quick bus change in Huaquillas, to get on the right bus for Machala, get entry stamp for anything up to 90 days just as you leave Huaquillas town. It seems to be immediately different in Ecuador, everything seems so much greener, with thousand and thousand of Bananas filling the whole of your view of the countryside. I also don’t see any mototaxis (the three wheeled, motorcycle taxis) but more American yellow cabs, just that these are clapped out old Lada`s or cheesy !!! Arrive In Machala and immediately don’t like it, it is dirty and smelly and again very hot. check into the Hotel Julio Cesar, and head into town and my initial impressions are not changed, despite the obvious increase in wealth compared to many towns in northern Peru, (Tumbes), all it has created is more cars, more rubbish and more grey crumbling buildings. I don’t find the people as friendly either here. After an ok (ish) soup, chicken and chips with cock for $1.50, head back to the room, hoping that the rest of Ecuador is not like this. I decide to stick it out one more day in Machala.
Up late, and catch a Taxi to Puerto Bolivar, which despite being older seems to have much more character about it, and I am a little happier about Ecuador, spend a couple of hours just chilling and then head back into Machala, find a couple of different bars to while away the afternoon, again oppressively hot, but seems to be less Mosquitoes.
Up early and catch a yellow cab to the Cifa bus depot, well I say taxi, it was a 10+ year old Lada, well I say lade, should really be called `la` since only half of it was there, and my door had to be held on with wire and string !! safe enough !!! Find out, no Cifa busses today to Guayaquil, ok, quick walk up the road to Ecuador Express, find one leaving in 20 minutes. 3 and a bit hours stopping every 5 or so minutes, scenery is amazing, with many more Bananas and hills rising in the distance, again seems like a different world from the coast of Peru. I enjoy some fried banana fritters and a couple of ice creams on the way !! excellent travel !!! arrive in the massive bus terminal in Guayaquil and quickly find this very friendly taxi driver to take me to the Vélez hotel ($8 per night), we end up singing Spanish songs on the way, quite surreal I can tell you !! Anyway get checked in, (thanks Maria and Rolia) and head out to town, most of the shops and stalls are shut, it is then I realise that it is actually Good Friday, probably why there were no busses earlier !!! Oh well, find MacDonalds on the waterfront, wander round a 80% shut black market area and the artisans market the same, quick ice cream and now internet cafe, first one I have seen ($0.50 per hour), write of a few emails to the Galapagos Tour companies to find our more details. Quick pint on the way home then crash.
More exploring of Guayaquil, there is a very modern waterfront any European City would be proud of, Malecon 2000,
with museums, cinema, shops, bars and restaurants running along the river for about a mile, there are some great views of Las Penas Wander up Las Penas for great view of the city, and settle down in a Pirate ship Bar, the owner Rodney, studied English in Oxford for 3 years and only returned back to Ecuador a year ago. It is a fairly quite night, with many children coming into the bar, thinking it is a playground rather than a bar, but I get the full tour with Rodney who bought the place a couple of months ago, and is not just trying to get it started. Get chatting to most people who come into the Bar, Alex a guy on Holiday from Bogotá, and two girls who recommend some Spanish lessons in Quito. Then get chatting to Blanca a local girl with her sister Melissa, despite my lack of Spanish get on well and to cut a long story short, after dancing on the tables, end up crashing at with the girls in Melissa’s house north of the city.
Walk around chatting to more Galapagos tours, many are very expensive, from $700+ for 5 days !!! Still really want to do it, since I am here, but will have to find somewhere a bit cheaper, and that will allow me dive as well. Meet up with Blanca in town and go to the Cinema to see the new Keanu Reaves film Constantine, first one I have seen in English (excepting the bus films). Pretty good, then back to Melissa’s for a meal with Blanca’s brother Freddie with girlfriend Jane, her sister Kerlly, Melissa, and Blanca’s kids, Armando (7) and Naomi (2). I can tell you really testing my Spanish, but I seem to get by !!! Meal of rice and chicken, really nice.
back to topAgain more Galapagos tours, but Blanca has got a friend who works for a tour operator, so will try and get to talk to her later. Head off in the afternoon and see the Jesus monument overlooking the town. Excellent views of the city again. Then a quick visit to Blanca’s friend, who offers a shore based Galapagos trip for around $850 with dives an extra $70 each. Not too sure about this as people and the guide books say that shore based trips mean less time on the islands, as you have to travel during the day. Mmmmmmm will have to get something soon. Blanca then takes me to Manny´s Seafood restaurant in the suburbs of the city for Cangrecos, which is a local institution. We have Cangrecos Ajello, which is basically whole boiled Crabs in a garlic liquor. You are presented with a thick glass chopping block and a large wooden mallet, you then proceed to dismantle each crab piece by piece with the hammer. It is great fun and really good !!!
back to topFind another company Galasam for Galapagos trips, they have a tour leaving on Fri 1st on a sail boat !!! I am hooked immediately, and the cost of $1000 with 4 dives an extra $300. You live on the boat and travel around the five most southern islands. After a little time, I head back to Galasam and book the tour. I then pack up my bags from the Velez hotel leave them and Melissa’s and with Blanca head to the bus terminal and a bus ride out to Banos, via Ambato. Usual bus ride for 5 hours brings us up to Ambato where we find a quick hotel for the night. Don’t really see much of Ambato, but what I do see doesn’t really excite !!
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Up early and catch another bus the 1 hour to Banos, which is just south of Quito in the Sierra. Baños is a really nice small, tourist town, with many famous waterfalls and hot baths. (Hence the name !!) In the afternoon take a taxi ride for $15 around 5 of the nearby waterfalls.
They are really impressive with one having a gondola ride for $1 that takes you across the gorge and over the very top of the waterfall. Another stop to wade in the river, The most impressive of all the falls was the Diablo falls, where after a short walk with our young guide Milton, who tells us about the local plants and history, (he is only 7) we arrive right next to a really the sound is amazing at thousands of gallons of water are falling a few feet from us. We return back to Banos and head to a local bar Mocambo to watch the end of Ecuador play Venezuela, Ecuador easily win in this world cup qualifier. Find out from some locals that the Ecuador team is pretty good and is running third in South America behind, Argentina (who are currently the best) and Brazil. After a few beers we head off with directions to a nearby disco, on the way meet another couple who have found the disco closed, so we all end up in a small bar, with what seems to be the entire population of the town with tourists and dance the night away with the aid of a bottle and half of Tequila !!!
Up fairly late and after an excellent full English breakfast head up to Luna Runtun a local Spa resort which has great views over Banos. We both enjoy a Volcanic ash and Salt full body rub which is surprisingly relaxing !!! The views over town are excellent. A quick wander around town we catch the 7pm bus back to Guayaquil as I head of tomorrow to the Galapagos.
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