"The desert face of Peru" Departamento de Piura by lichinga

Departamento de Piura Travel Guide: 56 reviews and 102 photos

La Legua, close to Catacaos - Departamento de Piura

Unsual sights from a dry land

So many good pages about Peru! So many wonderful locations I never had the time to visit during my 4/5 journeys to Peru! But what I want to talk you about is %cgrural Peru%c*.

By and large there are three rural Peru's: the forest, the Andes and the coast. I'll be introducing the less attractive one, the coast. See the picture of the small village called La Legua to have an idea.... La Legua is very close to Piura, far in the North, more than 1,000 km away from Lima.
Though far from being a tourist target, Piura is quite important in Peruvian economy, and it also has a great importance from the social and political point of view. Piura is a very important place for people related to Opus Dei; as I'm not able to appreciate those kind of half-secret, self-referentiating sects, I won't make any further comment - but they have an influence in the area. More important is the fact the largest and most crowded "comunidades campesinas" are situated in this area - as you may imagine, agricultural land is what you see in the picture: sand. I've been so lucky as to able to work with a couple of them, and one is the largest, most populated and oldest all over Latin America: the "gloriosa y combativa Comunidad Campesina de San Juan Bautista de Catacaos": 400,000 hectares and 100,000 members. Fujimori destroyed most of this, but they resisted for centuries against the Spanish rule and they will also survive after "El Chino's treatment. In fact, now he escaped in his former homeland: Japan....

Last visit to Departamento de Piura: Dec 1995
Intro Updated Aug 22, 2006
Add to Trip Planner (?)
Report Abuse

Reviews (11)

Most of the comuneros used to... - Departamento de Piura

Most of the comuneros used to... Off The Beaten Path (5)

Most of the comuneros used to be seasonal workers in the large landlord cotton plantations. Part of them were entitled... more travel advice

This is how the desert looks... - Departamento de Piura

This is how the desert looks... Off The Beaten Path (5)

This is how the desert looks like before water flows in. This is the land the UCP are entitled after the Agrarian... more travel advice

Yes, this is the main avenue... - Departamento de Piura

Yes, this is the main avenue... Restaurants (1)

Yes, this is the main avenue of La Legua, a small rural centre on the way from Piura to Catacaos. There are alot... more travel advice

Once in seven year, as an... - Departamento de Piura

Once in seven year, as an... Favorites (2)

Once in seven year, as an average, rains appear, and they are devastating. They inundate the flat land, and drainage is... more travel advice

Things to Do (1)
Driest climate, sun, sand,...
Been to Departamento de Piura?
Share your travels with the world!

Comments (29)

Reply
- Report abuse
florry Mar 9, 2004 at 7:16 AM

very nice pages, the best of luck to you!!
Reply
- Report abuse
pepples46 Feb 14, 2003 at 8:49 PM

excellent ..a damn great page, tanx Andrea..so many memos came back
Reply
- Report abuse
demonia Aug 11, 2002 at 3:50 AM

Well done ^_^
Reply
- Report abuse
call_me_rhia May 30, 2002 at 11:34 AM

la solita pagina bellissima
Reply
- Report abuse
Tom1971 Jan 17, 2002 at 10:35 AM

Interesting
Reply
- Report abuse
Orest69 Jun 8, 2001 at 1:24 PM

Bonita página, o Peru é um pais muito interessante
Reply
- Report abuse
LeDragon May 18, 2001 at 8:51 PM

Your page is great, your work there greater !!!
Reply
- Report abuse
art-ur May 16, 2001 at 7:34 PM

for nathing.....
Reply
- Report abuse
photobf May 4, 2001 at 9:52 AM

Looks more barren than I`d pictured =)
Reply
- Report abuse
B_Caro Apr 23, 2001 at 2:13 PM

Very interesting and for sure Off the Beaten Path !