AFTER THREE CONSECUTIVE DAYS of 5+ hour driving we deserved a little R&R and Wyndham’s Costa del Sol in Trujillo was just the ticket with a quiet location, nice rooms, secure parking, a wonderful restaurant—even a wandering pair of llamas. The resort was also relatively convenient to the archeological sites of Chan Chan and El Brujo.
Well-deserved break, Costa del Sol Resort, Trujillo
Model of Chan Chan in all its glory
Chan Chan today
Gate to Northern Patio with Sea Otter motif
There can’t be much competition for the title “Largest City of Mud” but it is generally agreed that first place has to go to Chan Chan. Constructed between the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, Chan Chan was the capital of the Chimú kingdom in northern Peru. The city declined after surrendering to the Incas around 1470 and met its demise with the arrival of the Spanish.
Protection from the elements—better late than never
Ongoing excavations at Chan Chan
Mausoleum . . . or possible storage?
Chan Chan was much different in its heyday—in fact it’s much improved from when we visited in 2010. Underground aqueducts once supplied water for drinking and irrigation. Fishing and conquests by the strong military and tributes demanded by the victors bolstered the economy. But like today, Chan Chan was at the mercy of the elements. Competing currents in the Pacific, the colder Humboldt Current and the warmer El Niño, alternately caused dry conditions followed by periods of torrential downpours. In fact heavy rains nearly destroyed the newly excavated remains shortly after it was re-discovered in 1969.
Mostly re-constructed Northern Patio
Eroded fishing net design
Fish swimming with the ever-changing currents
I still think they look like squirrels
The high walls are eroded, most of the intricate carvings barely visible and the X-shaped fish-net designs have lost their crispness but the restored areas around the Northern Patio give one a good idea of what once was. It’s interesting that the fish motifs point in different directions, depending upon the El Niño. Also shown are stylized pelicans and sea otters, animals we didn’t know lived around Peru. John thought they looked like squirrels! The signage is in both English and Spanish, the pathways have been improved and there is also new tower providing a vulture’s-eye view of the complex.
Chan Chan won't last forever
"I'm melting!!!"
Although much of Chan Chan has been restored and protection from the sun, sand and rain has been added, climatic forces are still an issue. As with many places around the planet, they won’t be around forever. The sooner you visit the better!
