Peru - Lonely Planet Publications [205]
Shop of the Weavers of the Southern Andes (26-0942; inside CBC, Tullumayo 274; 9am-noon & 3-6pm Mon-Sat) is a cooperative run by 12 mountain communities from Cuzco and Apurimac.
Casa Ecológica (25-5646; Triunfo 393; 9am-9pm Mon-Sun) Handmade textiles from 29 communities as far away as Ausangate, plus homemade jams and essential oils – a little slice of hippie heaven.
Markets
For many travelers, markets are a highlight of South America. If you’re one of them, have no fear, Cuzco won’t let you down. Keep your wits about you and don’t bring valuables; professional pickpockets work them all.
Mercado San Pedro, Cuzco’s central market, is a must-see. Pig heads for caldo (soup), frogs (to enhance sexual performance), vats of fruit juice, roast lechón (suckling pig) and tamales are just a few of the foods on offer. Around the edges are typical clothes, spells, incense and other random products to keep you entertained for hours.
Less touristed, and just as interesting, is the Mercado Modelo de Huanchac (cnr Avs Garcilaso & Huascar). It’s the local destination of choice for breakfast the morning after, specializing in the two hangover staples – jolting acid ceviche and greasy chicharrones.
El Molino, just beyond the terminal terrestre, is Cuzco’s answer to the department store. Even more congested than San Pedro, it’s a bargain hunter’s paradise for clothes, housewares, bulk food and alcohol, electrodomésticos (electronic goods), camping gear, and pirated CDs and DVDs.
Return to beginning of chapter
GETTING THERE & AWAY
Air
Most flights from Cuzco’s Aeropuerto Internacional Alejandro Velasco Astete (CUZ; 22-2611) are in the morning, because climatic conditions in the afternoon typically make landings and takeoffs more difficult. If you have a tight connection, it’s best to reserve the earliest flight available, as later ones are more likely to be delayed or canceled.
Several airlines offer daily flights to and from Lima, Juliaca, Puerto Maldonado and Arequipa. Check in at least two hours before your flight – even people with confirmed seats and boarding passes have been denied boarding because of overbooking errors. During the rainy season, flights in and out of Puerto Maldonado are often seriously delayed.
The only international destination is La Paz, in Bolivia, with AeroSur, on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.
Departure tax is S12.77 for domestic flights and S35.50 for international flights.
The following airlines serve Cuzco:
AeroSur (25-4691; www.aerosur.com; Av El Sol 948, office 120; 9am-1pm & 3-7pm Mon-Fri, 9am-1pm Sat)
LAN (25-5555; www.lan.com; Av El Sol 627B; 8:30am-7pm Mon-Sat, to 1pm Sun)
Star Perú (01-705-9000; www.starperu.com; Av El Sol 679; 9am-1pm & 3-6:30pm Mon-Sat, 9am-12:30pm Sun)
TACA (0800-18-2222; www.taca.com; Av El Sol 602)
Helicusco (in Lima 01-993-52-6251; www.helicusco.com), which has an office in Cuzco’s airport, offers scenic helicopter flights between Cuzco, Machu Picchu, Choquequirau and the Sacred Valley.
Bus & Taxi
The journey times given here are only approximate and apply only if road conditions are good. Long delays are likely during the rainy season, particularly going to Puerto Maldonado or, to a lesser extent, towards Lima via Abancay. This road is now all paved, but landslides can block the road in the rainy season.
INTERNATIONAL
All international services depart from the terminal terrestre (22-4471, Vía de Evitamiento 429), about 2km out of town towards the airport. It’s a relatively pleasant walk: once Av El Sol turns into Alameda Pachacutec, you can walk in the pedestrian paseo in the middle of the road. Straight after you pass the tower and statue of Pachacutec, turn right, following the railway lines into a side street, which brings you to the terminal in five minutes.
To get to Bolivia, catch Littoral (24-8989), Real Turismo