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Reisverslag Perú - Travelreport Perú I have been living in Piura,
North Perú, from 2 March 2003 till end of March 2004, working for the
Universidad of
Piúra . I worked as a teacher and researcher in the business economics
department (Auditing theory and practice).
This site is
about my time spent in Piúra and Perú: a lot of photos and background information
about Piúra, North Peru (click thumbnail
pictures to enlarge). My
weekends I spent mainly in and around Piúra, but during my stay I
managed to see a lot of this fascinating country. Perú First I show you a map of Perú, with Piúra marked in the north.
Perú is the 3rd largest coutry in South America, after Brazil and Argentina. Its coastline stretches out some 2440 km. It has a population of 28 mio. The variety in scenery, people, climate, flora and fauna is enormous. Apart from its moved history and diversity in culture, a very notable thing is the distinct division in three climate zones: the coastal desert zone, the highlands (Andes mountains), and the vast Amazon basin (jungle, or ´selva´). All
the sites about Perú you want to see you will find on Startpagina
Peru II. Outings to the Sierra - Huaraz/Cordillera Blanca (Easter 2003) III. Outing to Trujillo (Easter 2003) IV. Outing to the Sierra Piurana -Huancabamba/Las Huaringas lakes (May 2003) V. Outing to the Sierra Piurana -Chalaco (2003/2004) VI. Holidays in Perú - July/August 2003
VII. Piúra and surroundings - first half of March 2003
In the first place, please pay attention to the following wonderful proyects: Social activities: La Palma (April 2003)
About Piura
Piura is a 300,000 city, the first colonial one of Peru, founded by Pizarro in 1532. It is famous for its tropical atmosphere (all year through it never gets lower than 20 degr. C), its cotton factories (algodón) and its delicious though ´picante´ criolla food (carne seca and fish, like ´ceviche´ with lots of ají). And of course it has its reputed Universidad de Piura, which counts among the mayor universities in Peru, together with the big ones in Lima. Together with a characteristic musical and ´baile´dance culture (marinero, festejo), it makes Piura an interesting place to live and work in.
All of the city is surrounded by a utterly dry desert, the Sechura. Except for the land that through irrigation is enjoying a considerable production of rice, mais, cotton and potatoes. Further away at the coast are mostly unspoilt beaches (however with a cold sea) like Yacila and Mancora, and the remote sierra de Piura to the East. Ecuador is a only 4 hr drive away by car. Unfortunately, Piura was hardest hit in 1998 (and quite regularly before) by the climatal phenomenon El Niño, which caused terrible flooding, deathly victims and serious miscrops and misery in the North of Peru. This year there was luckily enough next to no effect noticeable here. In other words: it remained dry and hot.
Here are some impressions:
City view with typical Local market with buzz of traffic, motortaxis market stands and (1 sol = 0,25 €) lots of claxonsounds
(using the claxon is national
Piura´s Plaza de Armas, Tondero, with cathedral tower in the one of the regional back traditional dances
Allthough Piúra lies in Catacaos, with the a desert area, a river and some famous 12 apostles church; irrigation projects make
agriculture possible
On the road to Catacaos (10 km south of Piura), you see rice and cottonfields plus palmtrees; yes, we are in the tropics
Catacaos, known for Back to Piura, horse and its fine handicraft, like wooden donkey are a well used Chicha (sweet corn beer) cups means of transport
In and near Piura you see often Evening falls on the Sechura desert these unpaved, poorly maintained ´barrios´or pueblos jovenes. Some are without basic services like electricity and water.
Another, worse, example of the pueblos jovenes or new towns in the outskirts of Piura. They are literally invasion towns, of people migrated from the Piuran sierra. Some have lived there for many years already and still in need of every basic supply
Belizario: an ´invasion ´ town along the Panamericana. Here you see an example of the typical bosques secos, dry and trees, like the Algarrobo, Vichayo, and Sapote (from right to left) only growing here in Piura.
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