Peru - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 745

SHOPPING
The best shopping area is around Plazoleta San Blas -
Tandapata, Cuesta San Blas and Carmen Alto.
Books The best bookshops with extensive English-
language sections are Jerusalén at Heladeros 143, with
a large book exchange (if you give two books you can take
one) and guidebooks, and the smaller SBS Bookshop on
Av El Sol 781A.
Clothing Buy quality T-shirts with unique designs at
Andean Expressions on Choquechaca 213; makes for a nice
change from the standard T-shirts advertising Inka Kola
or Cusqueña beer.
Crafts Mercado Modelo de Huanchac stocks a good range
of crafts and you can find quirky gifts at Mercado San
Pedro. Try Aymi Wasi on Nueva Alta for handmade fairtrade
gifts - anything from jewellery to ceramics to art.
Food Self-caterers can stock up on fruit and veg at the
Mercado de Wanchaq on Av Garcilazo, at Huascar (daily
6am-6pm). The best supermarket is Orion, just opposite
the Mercado San Pedro.
Textiles Centro de Textiles Tradicionales del Cusco, on Av
El Sol 603A (daily 7.30am-8.30pm), promotes traditional
weaving techniques, so not only can you purchase textiles
of excellent quality, but you may also watch weavers
demonstrate their skill.

Internet Café-Internet Melissa, C Triunfo 338, 2nd floor,
has a good internet connection (daily 8.30am-9pm;
S2/hr); alternatively, try Infonet at Procuradores 340 (daily
8.30am-11.30pm; S2/hr). Most hostels, as well as plenty
of cafés and restaurants, offer wi-fi.
Laundry The cheapest laundry places are along C
Choquechaca. Try Lavandería Amanecer at Choquechaca
216 (Mon-Sat 8am-8.30pm; S3/kg). Alternatively, Casa
de Los Cerezos, Suytucato 681, San Blas (S4/kg), is open
24hr - just knock at the blue gate; or try Lavaclin, Suecia
400 (daily 8am-8pm; S4/kg).
Police The 24hr tourist police is at Plaza Tupac Amaru s/n
( T 084 235 123).
Post o ce The main o ce is at Av Sol 800 (Mon-Sat
8am-8pm; Sun 9am-1pm).
Taxis Reliable companies include AloCusco ( T 084 222 222).
Tourist police Plaza Túpac Amaru s/n ( T 084 249 654);
24hr.

9

INCA SITES OUTSIDE CUSCO
There are four major Inca sites, all an
energetic day's walk from Cusco: the
megalithic fortress of Sacsaywamán ,
which looms high above the city, the
great huaca of Q'enqo , the fortified
hunting lodge of Pukapukara and the
nearby imperial baths of Tambomachay .
To start from the top and work your way
downhill, take one of the regular buses to
Pisac leaving from Avenida Tullumayo or
Calle Puputi every twenty minutes
throughout the day and ask to be
dropped of at the highest of the sites,
Tambomachay, from where it's an easy
two-hour walk back into the centre of
Cusco, visiting the above sites in reverse
order. he opening times for all the sites
below are daily 7am-6pm and entry is by
Boleto Turístico only (see box, p.741).

DIRECTORY
Banks and exchange BCP has a global ATM (Plateros,
at Espaderos on the Plaza de Armas), and there are ATMs
in the BCP and BBVA bank branches along Av El Sol. Up in
San Blas, there is a BCP on Plazoleta San Blas. The best
place to exchange foreign currency is along Av El Sol,
where there are dozens of money exchangers. Cambistas
(moneychangers along the pavement) may offer slightly
better rates than foreign-exchange bureaus, but rip-offs
are common.
Camping equipment Most tour agencies rent out tents,
sleeping bags, sleeping mats and cooking equipment.
There are also several shops on Procuradores and Plateros.
Try Camping Equipment Rosly, C Produradores 394 ( T 084
248 042). Make sure to always thoroughly check the
equipment before renting.
Consulates Most embassies are in Lima, though there
are several honorary consul representatives in Cusco:
UK ( T 084 239 974); US ( T 084 231 474); Finland ( T 084
252 721); Germany ( T 084 235 459); Holland ( T 084 224
322).
Hospital and pharmacies Clínica Peruana Suiza ( T 084
237 009) on C Oswaldo Baca J-8, Urb. Magisterio 1ra Etapa,
and Clinica Hampi Services on Av Collasuyo A-8B, Urb.
Manuel Parto ( T 084 224 575), are both well equipped to
deal with 24hr emergencies. There are pharmacies along
Av El Sol.

Sacsaywamán
From central Cusco, it's quite a steep
2km climb up to the ruins of
Sacsaywamán from the Plaza de Armas.
Take Calle Suecia, then the first right
along Huaynapata until it meets the even
narrower Pumacurco going steeply up
(left) to a small café-bar. From there,
follow the signposted steps all the way up
to the ruins.
Because SACSAYWAMÁN was protected
by such a steep approach from the town,