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Catamayo, Ecuador
August 12, 2025
After four days in Catamayo, Ecuador, I’ve decided this town has officially claimed the top spot on my list of potential new hometowns. The standout difference compared to Moyobamba, Peru, is simple but huge: there are no moto-taxis or three-wheeled motorcycles here. Zero. None. Without that constant swarm of buzzing engines, the streets are quieter, the traffic flows more smoothly, and the air is blissfully free of that familiar haze of exhaust. And, Catamayo is only an hour drive west of Loja, so a reasonably big city isn't far away, if needed.
Read MorePiura, Perú
August 8, 2025
Piura, on the northern coast of Perú, has a population of around 600,000. This was my second visit to Piura and I wrote a blog back in January 2023 of my first visit, and it includes much of the the history, so I won't repeat that this time. The city was founded in 1532 with the name "San Miguel de Tangarará," by Francisco Pizarro.
Read MoreLambayeque, Perú
August 6, 2025
Lambayeque, Perú, is a very old small city, around 80,000 population, on the northern Perú coast. It's not a beach city, Lambayeque sits about 12 kilometers inland. The city was officially founded in 1553, though there is evidence of people living in the area going far back before the time of the Incas. Here you will find two of the most important museums in Perú, home to the treasures of the Lord of Sipán - Royal Tombs Museum and the Brüning Museum. Outside the city is the Museo de Sitio Chotuna - Chornancap. I've been to all three and have photos in the photo album from them.
Read MoreChota and Cutervo, Perú
August 3, 2025
I visted the towns of Chota (population about 50,000, founded in 1562) and Cutervo (population about 51,000, founded in 1560), Perú, this week. Visiting Chota and Cutervo feels like stepping into a quieter, higher-altitude world - where life slows down, the air is cool, and history clings to every hillside. These two towns are both in the middle of the Andes Mountains in Northern Perú. Being in the mountains neither of these town have much in the way of level roads - they pretty much all go up or down. Chota sits at an average of 2388 meters (7834 feet) and Cutervo sits at about 2647 meters (8684 feet). The daytime afternoon temps I am seeing are under 20° C (68 ° F). Which I am finding to be too cold. Chota is known as the "Bullfighting capital of Northern Perú."
Read MoreDiscover Cajamarca, Peru: History, Tours, and Hidden Gems
July 31, 2025
Cajamarca, Perú, sits at about 2,750 meters (8,900 ft), and so it a bit on the chilly side, and downright cold at night. Night temps drop into the single digits (Celcius). Cajamarca sits in the Andes Mountains and serves as the main commercial and cultural center for north-central Perú. The city has a population of around 250,000. The first settlement was in 1320 by indigenous peoples, and the Spanish, after the conquistadors conquered all the indigenous people, founded the city in 1532. But the real history goes back much further - 200-100BC.
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I used to teach English as a foreign language in Barranquilla, Colombia. Now I'm retired and traveling throughout South America.
I'm from Kennewick, Washington, USA. In my previous life, as I call it, I was an IT guy, systems administrator, computer tech, as well as a shipping/receiving guy and also worked as a merchandising guy in a RV/Camping store.