Intro

Peru is a wonderful place to visit or to live, with incredibly varied terrain, the most delicious food we’ve had anywhere, generous, thoughtful people, and a fascinating history. Rivka and I lived there for a year in 2000-2001; so we’re not exactly a font of information, but we have a few thoughts to share.

Basics

books

First, realize that all of the guidebooks are out of date. Life in Peru is far too fluid for printed words to stay accurate for long. We constantly found out-of-service phone numbers, nonexistent trains, and long-gone stores.

In many ways the best guide to have was the Discovery Channel Insight Guide, which was full of beautiful full-page photos; it’s the best way to figure out where you want to go. For comprehensive details once you’re there, we liked the Footprint Guide best, but the Lonely Planet and Rough Guide are both fine.

In Cuzco you can buy a really great book called Exploring Cusco by Peter Frost. It’s a great book, with walks, history, and hikes. We’d highly recommend getting it.

John Hemming’s Conquest of the Incas is a thick but very readable and exciting telling of the clash of civilizations between Spain and the Inca empire. It’s a very wonderful book that brings to life the stones in and around Cuzco. We had many enchanting afternoons of sitting atop Inca ruins, reading from Conquest, imagining the hills filled with Inca warriors.

money

The currency is the sol (plural: soles). The current exchange rate is about 3.5 soles / dollar. It’s been pretty stable for several years now.

The best way to get money while you’re down there is with an ATM card. ATMs are common, and your bank will give you good exchange rates. The vast majority of machines are linked to the VISA/Plus system (check the back of your card). If you have a Mastercard/Cirrus card, you’ll have to search wider for an ATM; Citibank and Banco Latino have those machines. Traveler’s cheques are not widely accepted, but you can exchange them at a bank.

If you can, exchange a small amount ($20-$30) into small soles bills or coins before you go. Having a moderated-sized bill when you walk out of the airport will give you a better chance of avoiding extortionate taxi fares.

Be extremely careful with your American and Peruvian bills and coins. Due to fear of counterfeits, most people and shops will not accept bills that are even slightly worn, stained, or torn. Unscrupulous types might try to pass damaged or counterfeit money on to you, hoping that you will unwittingly accept it; so join in the Peruvian ritual of stopping to examine every bill and coin handed to you. One common trick is pasting a fake plastic front on the 20 centavos coin to make it look like a 5 sol piece; pinch the corners of coins with your fingernail to check them. Also, one of the (now worthless) Ecuadorian sucre coins looks vaguely like a 5-sol coin, so look carefully!

This does not change the fact that average Peruvians we met and worked with were overwhelmingly generous, kind, and scrupulous. When visiting, Aaron’s dad bought dozens of sodas by walking into a shop, pointing at a Coke, handing over a fistful of bills, and letting the shopkeeper sort out how much to take; he was never taken advantage of.

phones & internet

The best way to call home or within Peru is to buy a Telefonica card from any corner shop. They come in various denominations (2, 5, 10, 30 soles, etc.) You just buy the card and then punch in your secret code from the back of the card. A 30-soles card used to get us about 15-20 minutes for an international call. Not cheap, but pretty easy to do.

To call the US, after you’ve entered your secret code, just enter 001-(area)-phone number.

Internet cafes are everywhere, in touristy and non-touristy areas. They generally cost 2-4 soles per hour. Access is slow but tolerable.

Peru has both CDMA and GSM cellular networks, mostly limited to urban areas. If you have an international plan on your cellular provider (e.g. T-mobile makes it easy), you will probably be able to use your phone, in the cities, though at high cost ($1 or more per minute).

visa

You’ll get a 90-day tourist visa when you arrive. It’s immediately renewed if you leave and re-enter. The doctor we worked for has lived and worked in Peru for over 15 years, just with tourist visas, so don’t bother with any other kind. Make sure you keep the little visa paper in a safe place; if you lose it, you’ll have to pay a fine when you leave.

Incidentally, other than one guy in a very far-flung mountain town, all of the officials we’ve dealt with have been extremely honest and helpful. So I wouldn’t worry about bribes, demanded or offered.

safety

Peru is a very poor country with chronic, massive underemployment. American travelers are rich and out of their element. For that reason, we make obvious and easy marks for petty theft and robbery. This is true whether you’re in a shantytown of Lima, a touristy zone of Cuzco, or a remote highland village. Out of the twelve or so people we lived with in Peru, we were the only ones not to be robbed during the year, probably because we always traveled together.

There are a few favorite tricks people use to make you a better target for pickpocketing. They all involve distracting your attention. Some to be aware of, all of which have happened to friends:

You’re riding in a “combi”, the minivans that serve as buses. It’s an easy place to let your attention wander. Sometimes someone will just wait for you to get sleepy or distracted, and grab your backpack. Or, someone suddenly drops coins or a pen in your lap, then apologizes profusely, while they remove an item or two from your purse. In a crowded marketplace, you suddenly feel a squirt of water on your arm. A woman near you starts wiping you dry, or several people point and shout towards the source of the water. Meanwhile, you’re being pickpocketed. If you feel something funny in a crowd, wrap your arms around your bags and move away quickly. Somebody in front of you drops a bunch of coins, and bends down to pick them up. Perhaps they ask you to help. Meanwhile, an associate behind you is grabbing your wallet. A guy in front of you notices an envelope on the ground, and picks it up. Inside is a bunch of money. Excitedly he turns to you and says, “look, money! We can split it!” When you decline, he sticks it in his pocket. Then another man runs up and starts accusing you of stealing his money, and demanding to see your wallet to prove you didn’t take his money. Don’t worry about defending yourself; they’re working together, and hoping you’ll take out some money so they can grab it. Just offer apologies and walk away. We did witness one armed robbery of a car; none of the personal robberies we saw or knew about were armed or life-threatening. They’re after your money, not your life. If you stay with others, keep your head up, and think constantly, you should be O.K.

We do recommend that you:

• keep your money in a travel belt.
• give others, both at home and in Peru, a photocopy of your important papers like your passport and plane ticket.
• Also have an extra little wallet or purse with a small amount of cash. * If you are robbed, give them this instead of your “real” money.
• wear daypacks on your front, even though it looks dorky
• don’t wear even mildly attractive watches or jewelry on your person.

Taxis, by the way, are generally safe. Because of the economic difficulties in Peru, everyone, from shopkeepers to economists, also runs their car as a taxi now and then. If you feel extra nervous, you could take only the expensive “Official” taxis, but we don’t see any need.

health

The usual rules apply: don’t drink the tap water, don’t take ice in your soda, and be wary of uncooked street food. That said, the food in Peru is absolutely delicious, and you’d be a fool to retreat to McDonald’s for fear of a couple of days of the runs.

The usual third-world shots like hepatitis, typhoid and tetanus are good ideas. Malaria, including chloroquine-resistant strains, is endemic in the jungle regions, so you’ll need good pills if you’re going there. There’s no malaria in Lima, Cuzco, or Macchu Picchu.

Lima

arriving in the airport

The airport arrival can be stressful. Don’t panic.

Flights from the U.S. generally arrive either very early in the morning or very late at night, for some unfortunate reason. When you arrive, you’ll go through the passport control line (with English speakers), then out to baggage claim. Don’t lose your passport between the two! Once you get your baggage, you pass through a cursory customs check to the outside, where a low fence wards off the horde of taxi drivers calling for your attention.

Within the enclosed area is the official taxi stand, where drivers with little “official” stickers will take you anywhere in the city for $10 to $20, non-negotiable. There’s nothing wrong with taking these guys. It is, however, 3 to 5 times the going rate, so if you are on a budget, or just don’t like getting ripped off, you can do better.

If you walk out of the enclosure, the hordes of taxi drivers will be upon you. “Sir! Sir! Official safe taxi, sir! Combi Central Lima, cheap sir!” Generally you’ll do fine picking someone that seems nice and offering them an amount you’re willing to pay. Make sure you’ve agreed on the price before going, and specify the currency: we did once have a guy say, “Oh, I thought we agreed on twelve dollars, not soles! Twelve soles is way too little!” Our very rough guide (with circa 2001) would be:

• San Miguel (the PRISMA house): 6-10 soles
• Central Lima: 8-15 soles
• Miraflores or Barranco: 10-20 soles

If you end up paying more, don’t worry about it. They need the money more than you do anyway. If you really want the best deal, keep walking to your right, to the airport exit and onto the street. There’ll you’ll find the taxi drivers too poor to buy the airport entry license, but every bit as kind and safe as the other guys. There’s also a bus that runs to near the PRISMA house, but you might want to save the bus adventures for later.

must-sees:

food

• Sabukka (a.k.a. Eduardo’sÂ?):
  • If you eat nowhere else in Peru, eat here. This is Peruvian ceviche at its most perfect. It’s right by the PRISMA house if you’re staying or visiting Dr. Bob et al.
  • Ask a taxi to take you to the neighborhood San Miguel, at the intersection of the roads La MarinaÂ? and EscardoÂ?, where the store Hiraoka is (the store is famous.) It should be a 6-10 soles ride from most parts of Lima. Ask to be dropped off on the right side of that intersection, in front of the HiraokaÂ? store. From there, cross Escardo to the far side, and turn right onto Escardo. Proceed two blocks, then turn left onto Intisuyo (not sure if there’s a sign.) Continue on Intisuyo for one short block; Sabukka will be on the left side.
  • Be sure to order the tiradito en salsa ricoto, the ceviche mixtaÂ?, and if you have room, the lenguado al mango.
• Ice cream at Larcomar:
  • At Larcomar, the American-style mall full of wealthy white Americans and wealthy Peruvians that look like white Americans, there’s really really yummy ice cream. The mall is dramatically set into the bluffs over the ocean; even if you don’t want ice cream, it’s worth going there to walk along the parks that look out over the water.
  • Ask a taxi driver to take you to Larcomar in the neighborhood of Miraflores; any will know where it is. If you’re in Miraflores already, just walk down Av. Larco towards the water to get there. The ice cream is downstairs.
  • Uniquely Peruvian flavors include lucuma (a nutty, chocolately jungle fruit), and manjar blancoÂ?, a creamy honey-like treat.
• El Gekko: Have a simple, tasty sandwich in this real neighborhood joint in artsy/funky Barranco.
  • Take a taxi (7-9 soles) to the central park in Barranco. Facing the library from the square, El Gekko is to your left, on Av. Grau. anywhere you want
  • Antecuchos are delicious shish-kabobs of beef heart. I know, it sounds pretty intense, but they’re great. Get them cheap at any street vendor you can stomach to, or in any decent sidewalk café.
• By the way, avoid the fixed-price lunches down around the central plazas. Anywhere else they’re fine, but down their they all feature a pretty gristly soup.

stuff to do

• The Newspaper El Comercio:
  • Pick up a copy of the best Lima newspaper, El Comercio, from any corner newsstand. It has listings for plays, music, and goings on each week.
• Plaza Mayor and Plaza San Martin:
  • Especially at night, these beautiful colonial plazas in the heart of Lima take on a special air. Most weekend nights, the Plaza San Martin is full of men debating the political issues of the hour. It’s a sight not to miss. Note that you can combine this with the Weekend Music, below. The walk between the two plazas is an amusing commercial affair, full of people selling Learn EnglishÂ? tapes.
  • Take a bus or taxi to the Plaza Mayor in Central Lima. It’s where the Presidential palace, etc. is. When we were in Lima we saw lots of (peaceful) demonstrations and marches there.
• Weekend Music at the Rio Rimac:
  • Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights, from 6:00pm to about 9:00, the promenade along the Rio Rimac in central Lima is packed with people performing, listening to, and dancing to traditional Peruvian music. It’s not touristy per se, but rather a setting for people in Lima, especially people that have immigrated from the highland towns, to enjoy the music they’ve grown up with. Very special.
  • Take a bus or taxi to the Plaza Mayor in Central Lima. Then, in the Plaza Mayor, face the Presidential Palace. Walk towards the palace, along the left side of the palace. You’ll pass through a long block and emerge at the promenade along the river.
• Theater, Art, and Coffee at the Catholic University:
  • The Cultural Center of the Catholic University has a cute coffee shop, and regularly hosts quality plays for great prices.
  • 1075 Camino Real, in the neighborhood San Isidro.
• Jazz Zone:
  • Now and then Susana Baca or another Peruvian musician worth seeing will play at the small club Jazz Zone, in Miraflores. Check the listings in El Comercio, or give them a call. Tickets are usually “expensive”Â?, at US$10 or so, but if it can be well worth it.
  • In Miraflores, on the street La PazÂ?, between Av. A BenavidesÂ? and the street SchelléÂ?. This is just a few blocks from the central Parque Kennedy of Miraflores
• Posada de Angel:
  • A very cozy bar/coffee shop that usually has folksy live music. In the young, artsy (and also clubby) neighborhood of Barranco.
  • Take a taxi (7-9 soles) to Barranco, at the central park. If you face the library building on the square, Posada de Angel is to the front-right, on Av. Pedro de Osma. It’s a couple blocks down.
• Museo de Oro (Gold Museum):
  • A slightly kooky but engrossing collection of thousands of objects bought or stolen by a wealthy Lima businessman. Be sure to pay extra for a tour; the guides are very good, and otherwise the written explanations are scant.
  • Just take a taxi (8-12 soles) to the museum; all the taxistas know it, and it’s in an otherwise uninteresting suburban neighborhood. The museum is just a few blocks from the American Embassy, if you have reason to go there

Cuzco

Be sure to get a copy of Peter Frost’s Exploring Cuzco in one of the shops around the main square. It’s an invaluable guide. Also, if you can, bring a copy of John Hemming’s Conquest of the Incas with you; reading the book in Cusco, you can vividly imagine the sight of tens of thousands of Inca warriors descending the hills around Cuzco, or the mad charge of mounted Spaniards up the hill to Sacsayhuaman.

Places to stay

Our favorite place to stay in Cuzco is Hostal Los Niños. It’s a sweet little hotel (not really a hostel in the European sense) that supports education and a warm environment for local street kids. It’s the best place for its price, and is the coziest place at any price. Call early, because it fills up. At a slightly higher price, we’ve had good experiences at El Balcon. And if you want to pay a lot for an absolutely gorgeous place, look no further than The Monasterio.

Things to do

Do make sure to see the fort of Sacsayhuaman, and the temple of Koricancha (now the monastery La Merced).

It’s definitely worth taking a Sacred Valley tour out to the Pisac market. Yes, it might be full of tourists, but that’s because it’s charming. In the Sacred Valley, our favorite ruins are those at Ollantaytambo. Don’t miss these for the world.

Food

There’s lots of great restaurants in Cuzco. Our favorite Peruvian place is Pucara. In the central square, face the main cathedral. Pucara is to your left, behind you.

If you’re hankering for liberal granola American type food and atmosphere, head up the hill to Green’s. (Complicated directions; Look it up in a book).

The brunch at The Monasterio really is sumptuous, though “expensive” at ~ $15.

Another Peruvian cuisine place that we’ve enjoyed was (?? forget).

De gustibus non est disputandum, but if you ask us, anyway, stay the heck away from any place that advertises live music with your meal. Invariably terribly cheesy music, Westernized versions of traditional meals, and needlessly inflated prices.

Machu Picchu

Just a quick thought or two: You’ll probably be happiest to have a guide at first; figuring out which part of a book description is which can be quite tiring. The Inca Trail hike is interesting, but is very very crowded with people. We’d suggest reading the Exploring Cuzco book and trying one of the hikes out of it instead, to see ruins and countryside without the dirty latrines and terrible crowds. On the other hand, the reason the Trail is crowded is because it offers such stunning vistas of the steep mountains and Inca ruins. And there is no better way to first encounter Machu Picchu than by descending at dawn from the Trail

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 15th, 2001 at 6:59 pm and is filed under travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.