¡Hola familia y amigos!
After a lazy, hung over day in beautiful Cuenca, we went to the bus terminal to take an overnight, 12 hour trip into Peru!
As we were waiting for the bus we spent a few moments writing our final Ecuadorian post cards. We were told that the main bus station had a buzón (mailbox) and we figured that it would be very easy to write the cards and send them before we boarded. Once written, it became apparent that, in fact, there was no buzón in the station. There wasn't even one in the neighborhood! As we asked around we kept hearing that the mailboxes are only open during the day (which defeats the purpose of a mailbox) and that we would have to travel to the only post office in town the following morning.
We only had about an hour before we boarded, but we were determined to mail out postcards from Ecuador, and this was our final chance to do so! We made a mad dash to the post office, and after poking around we discovered that Brandt was able to stick his arm through the metal fencing and reach the drop slot of the buzón! If you receive an Ecuadorian postcard, then know that the mailing of them was quite the feat!
The bus ride itself was uneventful until the border crossing. Bleary eyed (it was about 2 in the morning) we groggily lined up in the Ecuadorian line to exit, then walked to the next line, which was for Peru, to get our entry stamp. About five years ago this particular border crossing station was widely considered the most dangerous in South America. However, at 2 AM, we found that the station was sleepy and oddly convenient.
Our trip continued, and after two police stops, where all passports were examined, we made it into the city of Chiclayo.
Honestly, we chose to stop in Chiclayo because if we went straight to Lima, we would be on the bus for 26 hours. Therefore, Chiclayo provided a convenient city to crash for a night.
There was, unfortunately, little to do in Chiclayo. It is a medium-sized city with an overabundance of taxis (As I am writing this on a bus, I literally passed 24+ taxis waiting for a traffic light). The geography is of a desert, and it is hot! Why do people stay in a dusty desert town, you ask? Well, this area is home the site of a major archeological discovery.
The Mochica empire thrived around 1000 BC and was known for its excellent pottery, gold work, and pyramids. This area even used to have several, block-type pyramids. The museum a little outside of town holds many artifacts unearthed in an archeological discovery from the 1980s.
We found the museum fascinating, but unfortunately, we can't provide pictures of anything as cell phones were not allowed in the exhibit. We had to actually store our phones in a locker before we were admitted!
Believe me, when I say that the museum was wonderful, and if you ever find yourself avoiding a 26-hour bus ride to Lima from Ecuador, Chiclayo is a decent place for a quick stop.
Currently, Brandt and I are on a schwanky bus to Trujillo (schwany: adj., a superlative form of swanky). Not only are the seats leather and spacious, but the bus is a double decker, there is air conditioning, free snacks, and drinks (non-alcoholic unfortunately)! It feels like an airline!
Stay tuned for updates from Trujillo. Our next goal is to find a Pisco Sour and some fresh ceviche!
Ciao,
Rob
Rob
