Peru - Lonely Planet Publications [441]
Many of these schools organize regular Peruvian cooking classes as well as salsa dancing lessons for their enrolled students. In the town of Urubamba, in the Sacred Valley, Tres Keros Restaurant Grill & Bar (Click here) will do Peruvian cooking demonstrations for groups with three days notice (per person US$40).
If you’re interested in studying Peruvian instruments or learning traditional folk dances such as the marinera, try the Museo de la Cultura Peruana in Lima (Click here). These courses, however, aren’t geared toward short-term travelers – most run over several weeks and Spanish is a must.
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CUSTOMS REGULATIONS
Peru allows duty-free importation of 3L of alcohol and 20 packs of cigarettes, 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco. You can import US$300 of gifts. Legally, you are allowed to bring in such items as a laptop, camera, portable music player, kayak, climbing gear, mountain bike or similar items for personal use.
It is illegal to take pre-Columbian or colonial artifacts out of Peru, and it is illegal to bring them into most countries. If purchasing reproductions, buy only from a reputable dealer and ask for a detailed receipt. Purchasing animal products made from endangered species or even just transporting them around Peru is also illegal.
Coca leaves are legal in Peru, but not in most other countries, even in the form of tea bags, which are available in Peruvian shops. People subject to random drug testing should be aware that coca, even in the form of tea, may leave trace amounts in their urine.
Check with your own home government about customs restrictions and duties on any expensive or rare items you intend to bring back. Most countries allow their citizens to import a limited number of items duty-free, though these regulations are subject to change.
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DANGERS & ANNOYANCES
There is no shortage of wild and wooly stories about traveling in Peru, including periodic protests, thefts, and bus drivers who act as if every bend in the road should be assaulted at Autobahn speeds. Certainly, the country is not for the faint of heart. Buses are filled to overflowing – and then some. Violent political protests and roadblocks can shut down arterial highways for days, even weeks. And Peru’s grinding poverty – more than half of the country lives under the poverty line, with a fifth of the population surviving on less than US$2 a day – means that petty crime is rampant. The biggest annoyance most travelers will experience, however, is a case of the runs, so don’t let paranoia ruin your holiday.
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GOVERNMENT TRAVEL ADVICE
The following government websites offer travel advisories and information on current hotspots.
Australian Department of Foreign Affairs (1300-139-281; www.smarttraveller.gov.au)
British Foreign Office (0845-850-2829; www.fco.gov.uk/en/travelling-and-living-overseas/)
Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs (800-267-6788; www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca)
US State Department (888-407-4747; travel.state.gov)
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As with every other place on earth, a little common sense goes a very long way.
Thefts, Muggings & Other Crime
The situation has improved significantly since the 1980s, especially in Lima, where muggings used to be par for the course even in the well-touristed parts of town. Nonetheless, Peru’s widespread poverty means that street crimes such as pickpocketing, bag-snatching and muggings are all too common. Sneak theft is by far the most widespread type of crime, while muggings and ‘choke and grab’ attacks happen with less regularity. Even so, they do happen, and every year we hear from travelers who have been robbed in one way or another.
A few basic precautions and a reasonable amount of awareness, however, and you probably won’t be robbed. Some tips:
crowded places such as bus terminals, train stations, markets and fiestas are the haunts of pickpockets; wear your day pack in front of you