millions of years ago a warmer sea and a peaceful land
Malecón Costero is a place in the shores of Pacific Ocean in Ilo city, a southern city in the Peruvian coast. Actually this wild place is in the heart of the city and it’s an urban miracle. Usually in Peru every beautiful place is ruined by mayors with beasts of concrete destroying its natural beauty. Ilo’s economy relies in artisanal fishing and the refinery of a billionaire copper mine (Peru is one of the world’s first exporters of minerals, what says that we’re also dumb because after sell the resources we buy them again in the shape of electronic devices). The mine, Southern Peru, financed an urban project and one of my masters at university designed it. Thanks to him, Arch. Edgardo Ramírez Chirinos (RIP), the heart of the city is still a place quite beautiful and at the same time a testament that we can build without destroying.
This happened one month ago in the last days of summer.
Sunset
victory of the sun
I was there barely before the twilight. I used a reverse graduated filter to get the colors of sunset but at the same time get the ground illuminated as seen by my eyes.
Ilo’s magic sun
Gulliver ship caught by Lilliputian ones
But it happened so fast. The sunset was more like a sun falling. So there was just a soft light and a last ship.
in search of a safe port
A primal world
the noise of waves crashing with sharp rocks in a primitive world
Did you know that the ocean was much warmer millions of years ago? I had that impression, that the sea was hot like a soup, and the rocks of the shores seemed like expecting in any time the rise of walking primitive fishes. Even more it looks like I imagine our planet billions of years ago, life dancing in waves and in every song its movements becoming more and more complex.
explorers of the sea
six heads awaiting the return of their gods
conquest
Conquest
Old rocks between the city and the old sea
giants closing their eyes
In other city the mayor had exploded the rocks and put another statue of one of our military heroes, harming the memory of those heroes with that barbarian act. I think that’s a tradition of the old Spaniards that came and used the rivers as sewers and built giving the back of the houses to lakes and the ocean. Of course they are not related to the modern Spaniards that built marvels in the distant Spain in this age. Fortunately the architect followed our native traditions to build harmonizing with the nature, without destroying it but using it as a friend. What you see in these pictures is a kind of main plaza but with traditional pre-hispanic concepts.
Stone dragons dreaming wooden ships
I couldn’t avoid to think in Norwegian fjords with Vikings preparing to dominate the sea. Of course I know the reality is quite different, my evocation comes from child fantasies.
a star above the stone circle of elders
A watcher, employed by the city hall, came in his bicycle and warned me that the place was dangerous at night because the junkies and they could steal my camera. I thanked him and while he was explaining me the danger I stole his wallet, lol. That last is a joke of course. I packed my camera and went to take a bus to Tacna city.
fortress awaiting
When the night came I already was travelling to another place.
Qhapaq 