Civilizations

Fun Fact No. 64: People are nicer in the jungle. I don´t normally like making essentializing comments, but honestly, people are nicer in Iquitos. Lima, Chimbote, Trujillo...people just aren´t as friendly or helpful. It´s kind of like people are nicer in Texas than New York. Must be the fresh air.

So I´m back in Lima after a quick jaunt to Trujillo. This vacation has been WONDERFUL! I got into Lima on Wednesday and on Thursday bebopped around with Elsa, Lissette´s mom. On Friday with Wilder, Lissette´s dad, I went to this way cool used book district to look for an out of print publication that I need for my research. I found it and so much more...Lima ain´t all bad! Friday night I went to see Explosión with Finita, Lissette´s cousin and it was a blast and strangely completely different from their shows in Iquitos.

Saturday I spent tht day with my friend Luís, a professional trombonist who I met in Iquitos in November. We went to the catacombs (I love collections of bones of dead people!) and back to the used book district. Saturday night Elsa and I hit the road in a big bus to Trujillo.

Sunday in Trujillo we went to the beach (it was cold. No swimming...) and then went to see Explosión. Also quite different from the Iquitos experience. And a bit chillier...

Monday we went to the Huacas del Sol y de la Luna from the Moche civilization that came about 200 years after Christ and long before the Incas. It was quite badass, and I´m not usually into ancient civ. Seriously, it usually bores me but this art was really incredible and the tour guide was really good. In the afternoon (after eating goat for lunch), we went to the city of Chan Chan, founded about 500 years after the Moches. Also pretty damn cool. Quite impressive architecture. And a nutty guide named Clara who pretty much popped out of the movies. Last night we hopped a bus to come back to Lima and got back this morning at 8am.

Elsa´s a good travelling buddy and we had fun just us girls. Today, however, I´m tracking down some Spanish friends I have here in Lima to eat tapas and drink wine. I so rarely go out in Lima that it´s about time. Back to Iquitos tomorrow.