We'd decided to sat two nights in Majes to give us a break from the up and down driving. Julio sat with us at breakfast and gave us his lifestory. Then he showed us around his hotel. In the gardens there were many trees including papaya, mango,fig and avocado, as well as grapes. He had built his own bull ring and church as well. 
Avocado (palta) tree
He was keen to take Kevin kayaking on the river, but we graciously declined saying we wanted to rest after the day before. In the afternoon, Julio said he would take us up to Toro Muerto, the largest collection of petroglyphs in the world.
We took our pick up and on the way we stopped at a pre-Inca cemetery. The hillside was strewn with human bones and skulls, and Julio explained that graverobbers plundered these graves to sell the artefacts to tourists and collectors.
Next we continued to Toro Muertos. Just on the edge of Corire, the petroglyphs are in a desert like hillside over looking the lush Majes valley. It was quite difficult to find and for anyone getting off the bus with a back pack, it is a steep walk up hill across hot desert. Luckily we had the HiLux and could drive right up there. Julio also advised us to go late afternoon when it was coller and there was a wind.
Many of the rocks depict local animals such as llama, and fertility ceremonies. One in particular seemed to be a map of Brazil and Peru showing the Majes river running down to the Pacific and the Amazon running down to the Atlantic.
He was keen to take Kevin kayaking on the river, but we graciously declined saying we wanted to rest after the day before. In the afternoon, Julio said he would take us up to Toro Muerto, the largest collection of petroglyphs in the world.
We took our pick up and on the way we stopped at a pre-Inca cemetery. The hillside was strewn with human bones and skulls, and Julio explained that graverobbers plundered these graves to sell the artefacts to tourists and collectors.
Next we continued to Toro Muertos. Just on the edge of Corire, the petroglyphs are in a desert like hillside over looking the lush Majes valley. It was quite difficult to find and for anyone getting off the bus with a back pack, it is a steep walk up hill across hot desert. Luckily we had the HiLux and could drive right up there. Julio also advised us to go late afternoon when it was coller and there was a wind.
Many of the rocks depict local animals such as llama, and fertility ceremonies. One in particular seemed to be a map of Brazil and Peru showing the Majes river running down to the Pacific and the Amazon running down to the Atlantic.
We stayed until sunset, with Julio telling us his interpretations. He's wriiten an (unpublished) book of his theories. He doesn't want to publish it until he dies.
Julio has lived here since a child and he believes he has a special communication with the people who made the carvings. He showed us many stones but we were most shocked that they are unprotected, and vandals have carved their names on the rocks.
Back at the range, Durby had prepared a delicious pumpkin soup, sweet empanadas and spaghetti with stir fry veg. Delicious!
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