S M F G · A Counter-Clockwise Trip Around The World

Surfin’ Peru?

Jun 30th 2010
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Just arrived at the Pacific coast—not counting the grey, oppressive Lima waterfront—my attention was captured by some reoccurring iconography and taxonomy about the Caballito de Totora all over the place: restaurants, hotels and monuments in public squares in Huanchaco. I am talking about those banana-shaped, wooden rafts used uninterruptedly for the last 3000 years by fishermen of the area ((At least according to St. Wikipedia: in English here and here in Spanish.)).

Many say that this is the first documented form of surfing, although there is a lot of debate around it ((For a brief history of surfing, check here.)). Anyway, the water was way too cold for your beloved to give it a try, so I moved up north to Máncora: now we are talking! Beautiful sunny beach, not-that-cold water and more ceviche than your belly can fit! :-)

On the other hand, if you add at the preceding the fact that this place is a famous surf spot, one will not be surprised by the village being all but polluted by a gigantic croud of gringos, making the whole Máncora experience less pleasant ((I am especially thinking on the bleached-hair tattooed youngsters yelling We want party! at 5 AM in the middle of main street when the—shitty lousy yet played incredibly loud—music eventually stopped!)).

It reminded me of similar spots, specifically Kuta Bali, most of the Australian east-coast, Punta del Este in Uruguay for naming a few.

Instead, what I was looking for was waiting at a couple of hours walking: beauty, silence, peace.

More photos in a dedicated gallery.


This post is filed under America, Peru and tagged , , , .

2 Responses

  1. a-l-e says:

    Hola Pier! “…que onda?” (someone told me it means “How R U?”)

    just 4 a while…
    …I thought U were the surfer on the wave!!!
    eheheh…
    U know… after the parachutes and the bungees… :-D

  2. MAMMA says:

    Finalmente ce l’hai fatta a cucire le bandierine del Perù e dell’Ecuador! Bravo!

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