The colour of history The first thing to make clear is that these temples are great. The second is that they have absolutely nothing to do with the sun or the moon.
Because the Moche built newer, bigger incarnations of the temples over and around the exisitng ones (rather like Russian dolls), the inner temples are unbelieveably well preserved.
Original decoration such as friezes around the ceremonial courtyard survives in full bright colours. The only place I have seen comparable colours, intensity and completeness is in Pompeii. The contrast with the monochrome Chan Chán is stark.
The site is well organised, with your 11 soles entry including an audiovisual presentaion and guide, both in English. Our guide, Cynthia, had infectious enthusiasm and thorough knowledge of the excavations and their place in the context of the region.
Another attraction is that new areas are being uncovered all the time. We saw a mural that had only been opened to the public two weeks previously.
The Huaca del Sol is not open to the public, but was once the tallest building in the western hemisphere until the Spanish tore it apart in search of gold.
I found the Huacas far more interesting than Chan Chán, and the knowledge of the Moche from the Lord of Sipan really made the experience much richer. I shall be back in a few years to see what they´ve discovered since.