Pisac ruins, lots of steps and stressful shopping
We woke up to the church bells at 6 am but I stayed snuggled under the heavy blankets until 6:30. As Amanda put it, the blankets were so heavy it felt like you were getting x-rays taken. We sat out front watching the market come to life. Booths were set up and tarps lashed on top for shade. Colorful blankets and crafts and jewelry were set out. Children in their cute little uniforms were heading off to school. All the local dogs stopped by to check out the action. Breakfast was included with our rooms so we sat at the table outside to eat and greet the day.
Our morning activity was to tackle the ruins of Pisac (included in our 
The ruins were impressive, way up on top of the hill like that. Very cool. And very spread out. I wish I knew what we were looking at though. We stopped to rest and I tried a birdseed bar. They were called granola bars but they looked like stuff I used to feed my bird. They were good but not very filling.
The trail came down and ended pretty much in the market. We were funneled through colorful stalls with people asking us to buy stuff in Spanish. We were more concerned with finding food and a cuy restaurant was the plan for lunch. They were supposed to have good empanadas. So I ordered a chicken empanada only to find out they were out of chicken so we ended up getting whatever it was they had. They were small, not filling and not particularly good. The first thing you notice is the big oven. And next to the oven is the guinea pig pen. Amanda ordered cuy - guinea pig - and it was creepy when it arrived with its little claws and teeth. There wasn’t much meat on it so she had to pick around.
The rest of the afternoon was spent wandering the market. Pisac is known for its large, colorful market and many tourists come up for the day just for the market. The secret is to just keep moving and don’t touch anything. They try to get you to buy something, anything. Touch this, see how soft it is - its alpaca so soft, so pretty, only so many Soles. Many of the woven things, such as blankets, sweaters, hats, etc looked like they all came from the manufacturer. I tried to buy a sweater for my mom but didn’t know how to convey this in Spanish. The woman took down the sweater and put it on me and told me how nice it looks and how soft it is.
Shopping at the market was very stressful. You even pause at a booth and they jump up shoving stuff in your hands. One woman tried a bunch of hats on her daughter so I could see how they look.
I got back to the hotel and sat on the balcony. Alone. It was so stressful being down there. I could see the tour buses that had come up for the day - that explains all the gringos in town today. There was a woman dressed in traditional clothing walking around with a lamb - “Bonita, photo uno Sole.” Just the first of many people trying to get us to take their photos for money. After awhile I joined our group at the little German café for a pre-dinner brownie and ice cream. The market was finally closing down and people were going home.
We went to the trout restaurant for dinner. As we discussed the menu we decided that maybe the trout came complete with head and tail. I decided to go for the chicken - I was pretty sure that would be without head and tail. It was delicious. A group of school kids came in as we were leaving and they all turned and shouted “hola!” as we left. I was glad we opted for a second night in Pisac. I decided I could live here. Maybe.
|
|
I got the brownie sundae – DELICIOUS! The chicha morada was good – a purple corn drink. We pretty much had the place to ourselves so the service was excellent. We wanted to have a full meal here, but never had time. It was highly recommended by some fellow travelers we metand is also know for having a good selection of vegetarian options.
We started out with beer. I ordered chicken because I was afraid the trout would come out looking like a trout and I don’t like to eat things that still have heads. (I figured the chicken wouldn’t). Turns out the trout didn’t have its head and was quite tasty. My chicken was also really good. I’m not so sure about the “salad” – that consisted of tomatoes and onions. We were all happy with our food and drink. The service might have been a little slow because the men were gossiping downstairs and not paying much attention to us upstairs.
When we left the restaurant a bunch of school kids had come in and they all turned and said “hello” and the other few English words they knew. It was really cute. This place is recommended if you would like a nicer meal, especially chicken or trout.
It can be a little stressful shopping because you are haggled at every booth to stop and buy. If you even pause, they will thrust something in your hands and want you to buy it. Most vendors only speak Spanish but some know limited English. You are expected to barter to lower the prices, so a basic understanding of counting in Spanish is very helpful. The prices were pretty cheap so I sometimes I felt guilty and didn't try to lower the price. If you can't find your size, the seller will run off to another booth to find the right size.
I think you can get a tour from Cusco, less than an hour away, but it is nice to spend the night in Pisac and get an early start on the market. It runs 9-5. Also, if you hike down (or up) from the Pisac ruins, the trail brings you right through the market. This is a great place to buy souvenirs at a good price so you may want to do the majority of your shopping here - just be prepared to carry everything with you.
Breakfast of fresh rolls, jam, coffee/tea, and juice is provided. A small restaurant is attached, but we didn't eat there. It was a little tricky communicating, trying to pay for the rooms, and order breakfast mainly because we got an earlier start than most people and the staff wasn't quite ready for us yet. The hotel is supposedly owned and operated by a Peruvian-American family, but we never saw them.
This hotel is conveniently located within walking distance to the market, bus stop and restaurants (take a cab to the ruins unless you like thousands of steps). It is a nice place to base your exploration of the Sacred Valley for a night or two (we stayed two and loved it).
|
|
Next to the oven is the guinea pig pen. No, you don't get to pick out your dinner. They are prepared in the morning and are pulled out of the oven (sort of) fresh you don't wait very long. The guinea pig tastes like chicken but there is not much meat and you have to pick it off with your fingers. This isn't for someone who doesn't like to see their food still looking like the animal it was.
Overall, we weren't impressed. The service was slow to non-existant, even for Peruvian standards. We were graced with a musician wanting donations, and the food didn't seem very fresh. I wouldn't plan on eating here, but it is neat to see the oven and guinea pig pen. Maybe just a quick stop for an empanada, but don't plan on getting a good, filling meal here.
