Journeys.... Let's explore the world by foot and take the highest road that has the most potholes...

Today we saw another major adobe temple site, Temples of the Sun and Moon, Trujillo, Peru.  The Temple of the Sun has not yet had any restoration work begun, but it looks like a hill unto itself.  It was the largest mud brick structure in the Americas, estimated at over 140 million adobe bricks.  Unfortunately, looters diverted a local river and washed away fully 2/3 of the original temple.  The Temple of the Moon, however, has been extensively dug and restored over the last 30 years.  The work has been undertaken by private interests, mostly underwritten by the biggest brewery in Peru.  Our guide pointed out that each time I drink a beer, I am helping in the restoration of the Temple of the Moon.  I feel real good about that. In any event, the private restoration project is obviously better funded that the government projects that we have seen over the last several days.  Most notably, they have taken much greater care to shield the vulnerable adobe from the effects of rain.  Although infrequent, the rain certainly takes a toll over time, especially during an El Nino event, which they expect next year.  This afternoon we took a taxi (about $2.00) to the national headquarters of the Peruvian Paso Horse Association in Trujillo.  We saw an exhibition of riding, and a woman in traditional costume dancing with a horse and rider.  We ate dinner in a fairly touristy-looking restaurant and learned a lessson we should know by now--get a recommendation from a disinterested third party (such as the hotal desk) for a good place to eat.  The food was the most unexciting yet, we may go out for ice later...