Cuenca
 
We are still following the situation which is not changing in our region. We decide to continue our journey south.
 
We visit:
 
* Royal Tombs of Sipan Museum"
The museum is specialized in the "mochica" culture and more precisely in its supreme leader, the Lord of Sipan.
 
Over 2,000 objects in gold, silver, copper, ceramics and jewelry, all found in the tomb of the lord, cache in a pyramid of Huaca Rajada, are exhibited.
 
It is one of the most beautiful museums we have visited...a feast for the eyes!!!!
 
* The "Mochica" civilization:
This culture appears around the year 100 of our era and will dominate practically all the Peruvian north coast during the following 500 years.
 
The Mochicas managed to domesticate the desert universe of the coast by diverting the water which flows on the western slope of the cordilleras, by installing irrigation networks and by digging artesian wells.
 
We resume our route in the direction of "Zaña" without incident...!!!
Lambayegue Region
 
After checking the situation in our province, we go to visit two sites next to our bivouac
 
* Tucume:
Often referred to as the "valley of pyramids", it comprises 26 pyramids spread over 200 hectares.
 
Built from the year 1000, they are the result of changes in different civilizations, but erosion has unfortunately done its work.
 
A museum traces the history of Lambayeque pyramids and culture (also called Sican culture) through many objects of their daily life
 
* National Museum of Sican
The museum shows funeral objects from 2 tombs of the Sican culture.
 
The exhibition is an impressive collection of gold jewellery including the crown of the buried lord and objects: masks, statues, jars, various pottery
 
* The "Sican" civilization
Sican (or Lambayeque) is a civilization developing around the years 700 and 1300.
 
It remains in the shadow of that of the Incas, much more powerful and better known.
 
We know very little about the Sican people except that they were skilled metalworkers, traders, and sailors, and occupied the vast coastal desert and some fertile river valleys in northern Peru.
 
We return to the same  bivouac as yesterday.
Political situation
 
The day before we arrived in Peru, the president was facing impeachment for fraud and corruption, which he denied and refused.
 
He is arrested and imprisoned, which has caused discontent among his supporters ... The result was a call for a general strike, blockade of the road network and demonstrations in large cities.
 
Being registered on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs we receive  email alerts  every day in which we find links to follow the situation.
 
In the region we are in, few movements or blockages
.
We remain vigilant and avoid risk areas
Piura / Lambayegue
 
Our day is devoted to having the front tires changed to new ones  and trying to find to fill a gas cylinder.
 
For the tyres, we are, since  the equatorian border, in contact with a Michelin tyre dealer who has 2 tyres for our motorhome.
 
We spend part of the morning at this dealer, which also allows us to change a few dollars ... Here the exchange is limited to 100 USD and we also discover that withdrawals from distributors are limited to  400 soles (100 euros) or 700 soles (175 euros).
 
We’ll have to juggle for species.
 
We also need to find a gas distributor for our second bottle. We have several refusals before we find the right one... One less concern, gas allows us to operate the refrigerator, stove, water heater and heating.
 
We finally land outside the city in the countryside in a clean place ... Hard to find…
Mancora / Piura
 
We stay 3 days more in a hotel that accepts motorhomes, which allows us to have electricity and wifi.
 
On the program, walk on the beach, update of our website, visit of the resort and afternoons punctuated by the football world cup followed by the staff and guests of the hotel.
 
The resort is full of Peruvians who come to spend the weekend ... And especially to spend evenings in bars or discos !! Live music assured.
 
We leave our refuge to Piura on Sunday afternoon.
 
The road is monotonous and not pleasant ... Still as desert and always littered with trash
 
Mancora
 
To reach Peru, we plan a 2 days drive.
 
This last trip to Ecuador is done without difficulty, no traffic and a road not too badly maintained.
 
As we approach the border, we prefer to stop at the end of the afternoon as we know that borders crossing can be complicated and long.
 
A novelty in this border ...
 
To  exit  Ecuador ,people have to go to Peru ; that is to cross the border between the two countries and travel 4 km!!
 
Once there we go to the immigration office which consists of two windows: one for the exit of Ecuador and one for the entry to Peru.
 
Then we take our camper back to Ecuador to cancel the "TIP" and then we cross the border, this time to get the Peruvian "TIP".
 
In total all the steps are done in 1 hour 45 .... Super we have experienced worse
 
Crossing the border takes us to another world.
 
We follow a wild and desert coastline filled with litter of all kinds ... It is the national trash yard ... A horrible sight for miles ... We are in shock!! This is not the image we had of the country.
 
We arrive at "Tumbes" to buy a Sim card and buy "Soles"... It is a city under construction and our impression is that it’s a  bombed city.
 
High, dusty streets lead us to the city center with its inevitable deviations.
 
We learn that banks and stores are closed for 4 days due to a national bank holiday. However, we manage to withdraw cash and buy a Sim card in a small store.
 
After lunch we flee quickly to the south ... The landscape is still desert and the beaches do not encourage us to stay.
 
Our stop will be at "Mancora" ; famous resort for the practice of surfing or kitesurfing
ROAD BOOK 137
MAVROS ODYSSEE