You can say that I’ve been offered and taken on some interesting opportunities during my time here in Peru. I met Cristian, a shaman from Wilcahuian last year through my landlord, Liliana. Since then, I’ve done a Coca Leaf and Wachuma ceremonies with him and he’s taught me to see and appreciate nature and flora with fresh eyes.

Cristian was going to Europe for a couple of weeks and needed promotional photos and videos. We settled on a Wachuma ceremony for my time - although I didn’t really have much experience in videography, I thought it would be a nice day out and I could learn a new skill.

What to see in Nazca beyond the famous lines

After a couple of hours in Nazca, I went on a tour of the Chauchilla Cemetery. The famous cemetery was used as a set location in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The cemetery is in the Nazca plains and about an hour and a half’s drive out of the city.

The site itself is over 1,500 years old, and like many of these sites in Peru, it was discovered and raided by bandits. They would ransack the graves, take the beautifully intricate fabric the mummies wore and discarded the rest.

The ancient Nazca people wore mostly cotton due to its hot, humid climate. My guide, Julio, told me that if there was an individual tomb, it meant they were the only person who died that day. If multiple mummies were found in one tomb, it was highly likely that they were related. However if there are partitions between the mummies, it meant they died on the same day but no related, more likely warriors fighting over water. Water was limited in the plains and was often the cause of fatal battles.

Peru: Walking back in time in Waullac, Huaraz

The rainy season has made me claustrophobic. I’ve missed being out hiking but I’ve learned to listen to advice from those who know this area well, because when it rains in the mountains, it’s not just any rain. It’s glacial rain and it can chill you to the bone.

Liliana and I decided to check out Waullac, an archeological site in the barrio de Nicrucampa and believed to have been in use from 200 AC - 600 DC. It’s said to be linked to other sites I’ve already been to - Pumacayan (which is where I live) and Willkawain. The adobe house structures are typical of the Wari culture, though it looks more like storage houses than the ceremonial buildings in Willkawain.

Peru: Huaca del Sol y de la Luna (Temples of the Sun and Moon)

I had been in two minds whether to go by public transport or pay the extra and just catch a taxi. If you are stretched for time then I recommend going on a tour - it will save you the hassle and stress of trying to get there. However, if like me and you are up for an adventure, then have your coins handy and go by combi. If you don’t want to book a tour online, head to Plaza de Armas and walk around looking for “tours” signs on the buildings. They may seem hidden at first because signage in Peru is more subtle, but there are plenty around.

My guest house, D’Barrig, was in the barrio of Monserrate, in the old part of Trujillo. It was a street away from Avenida Costa Rica which turns into Los Incas, one of the major streets that takes you to the historic centre of Trujillo, Plaza de Armas. There are some street signs in Trujillo being a small city, which helped me to get my bearings. I did find this post by Unpaved South America handy.

The van dropped us off at the entrance of Huacas de Moche, the museum and ticket booth. Entrance to Huaca de la Luna is 10 soles and 5 soles for the museum - although I was only charged 3 soles because either I looked like a University student or Peruvian. It’s worth visiting the museum before going to the temples as it does have English translations and a brief history of the people and the site.

© 2015 Five Foot Ronna

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