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THE LURIN VALLEY
The Lurin Valley (located between kilometer 24 and kilometer 42 of the highway Panamericana Sur, 40 minutes south of the city of Lima), the land that took us in, offers many touristic, archeological and ecological sites. Here archeological sanctuaries are found surrounded by hills, beaches, agro-ecological plots, horse farms, and great culinary traditions.
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The Ruins of Pachacamac
The ruins are located ten minutes from Lurin heading towards Lima. This sanctuary is the most important temple along the entire coast of the Pacific Ocean. One may visit the site’s museum and a series of ruins that date from different eras and cultures: the Temple of Pacacamac, the Temple of the Sun, the Sanctuary of Pachamama (Acllahuasi), and more. |
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The Myth of Pachacamac
According to a legend, in the beginning of the world, there were no foods for the first man and first woman, and the man died of starvation. For his part, the Sun fertilized the woman, but Pachacámac, the god of the earth, was jealous, and he killed the child that the woman birthed. He dismembered the child and buried it, and from its parts the essential elements were born: from the teeth was born corn, from its bones yucca, among other fruits and vegetables. Pachacámac was considered invisible and because of this no artistic images exist to represent him. The pilgrimage site situated in the valley of Lurin also received his name, and there he was worshipped for many centuries.
Source: http://pachacamac.perucultural.org.pe |
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Beaches
Lurin offers tourists many beaches, such as Playa Arica, Playa San Pedro and Playa Los Pulpos. For a day trip or a longer period of time, these gorgeous beaches are perfect for swimming, Hawaiian surfing, fishing, and simply enjoying their natural beauty.
The San Pedro Islands
From the beach one can observe the San Pedro Islands that appear like a whale emerging from the sea. The myth Cavillaca y Cuniraya Huiracocha explains the creation of these islands. |
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The Myth of Las Islas de San Pedro
Cavillaca, a beautiful Incan princess, was coveted by all of the huacas (gods) in the neighboring regions. The god Cuniraya Viracocha, a very powerful god who was accustomed to appear in the form of a beggar, transformed himself into a hummingbird and deposited his own semen in a fruit that the princess ate. The princess ended up pregnant without knowing what or who caused it. Some months after the birth of her son, she made all of the huacas attend a gathering to find out who the father was. Being that no one responded to her question, the princess let her child crawl to his progenitor. The baby crawled into the arms of a beggar. Upon seeing this, Cavillaca grabbed her baby and ran without stopping to throw herself into the sea. Desperate, Cuniraya Viracocha threw off his tattered clothes and dressed himself with inspired elegance, but it was useless. There was nothing he could do; Cavillaca and her son had already transformed into islands.
The San Pedro islands are one of the most important refugees for marine animals, especially the endangered Humboldt penguin.
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