Peru - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 814

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Ì Nikoro Down the steps at the end of Pevas. This is
one special bar; a huge wooden hut on the river (though in
low water; you're 15m up on stilts) serving jungle drinks
and cocktails (S10). Sit on the balcony for unrivalled
views of the river and the stars. Iquitos' most bohemian
and diverse crowd can be found here, from hippies to
botanists to doctors. Daily 7pm-1am.
Noa Fitzcarrald 298 T 065 222 555, W noadisco.com.
Easily identified after midnight by the huge number of
flashy motorbikes lined up outside, this is the most
popular and lively of the clubs in Iquitos. It has five bars
and plays lots of Latino music. S15 entrance includes one
beer. Thurs-Sat 10pm-7am.

excellent Thai curries (S26). Sofas, bean bags, lava lamps,
cosmic art and chill-out music make this a great place
to relax. Also offers board games, a small library with
guidebooks and a book exchange. Has a happy hour
7-9pm. Tues-Sun 12.30pm-midnight.
La Noche Malecón Maldonado 177 T 065 222 373. A safe
bet for a meal or drink at any time of day - and less
crammed with gringos than nearby Dawn on the Amazon
Café . Has a small balcony looking out on the river and comfy
sofas inside. Mains average S25-30. Daily 7am-midnight.
The Yellow Rose of Texas Putumayo 180. Run by a non-
Texan from the USA, this place just off the Plaza de Armas
is a true Iquitos establishment, a jungle anomaly, and the
most popular gringo meeting spot. Very tasty range of
international and Peruvian dishes (mains around S30) -
there are a staggering 400 items on the menu - in a Texas-
themed atmosphere, including saddles for bar stools and
a sports bar upstairs. Owner Gerald used to work with the
tourist board so is also a great source of local knowledge.
Downstairs open 24hr.

DIRECTORY
Banks and exchange Banco de Crédito, at Jr. Próspero
with Putumayo; BBVA Banco Continental, at Jr. Próspero 961.
Use Interbank, at Jr. Próspero 330, for exchanging money, as
the moneychangers on Próspero can't always be trusted.
Consulates Brazil, Sargento Lores 363 ( T 065 235 151);
Colombia, C Calvo de Araujo 431 ( T 065 236 246); UK,
C San Jose 133 ( T 065 253 364).
Health Clínica Ana Stahl, at Av La Marina 285 ( T 065 252
535; W clinicaanastahl.org.pe). Open 24hr.
Immigration Migraciones, at Av Mariscal Cáceres block
18, Moronacocha ( T 065 235 371).
Internet Jr. Putumayo block three (has the quickest
connection in Iquitos; S2/hr).
Jungle supplies Mad Mick's Trading Post, Putumayo
184b. Provides everything you need for a jungle trip,
for purchase or rent, including rubber boots, rainproof
ponchos, sunhats and fishing tackle.
Post o ce SERPOST, at Jr. Arica 402.
Tourist Police Jr. Sargento Lores 834 ( T 065 242 081).

DRINKING AND NIGHTLIFE
Arandú Bar Malecón Maldonado 113. With a prime
location on the Boulevard, this bar is often packed in the
evenings, with seating spilling outside. Serves a range
of drinks (pisco sour S14, large beer S7) and a few snacks.
Daily 4pm-midnight.
Ì El Musmuqui Raymondi 382. A specialist in exotic
cocktails, this tiny but lively bar is packed with locals every
night of the week. Come here to try traditional jungle
liquors, many of which have strong aphrodisiac properties
(S4-7). Try the charapita ardiente , it's a house speciality.
Also serves snack food. Sun-Thurs 5pm-midnight, Fri &
Sat 5pm-3am.

INDIGENOUS JUNGLE TRIBES
Outside the few main towns there are hardly any sizeable settlements, and the jungle
population remains dominated by 59 different ethnic groups and 14 different linguistic
families, all with distinct customs and dress. After centuries of external influence, many jungle
Indians speak Spanish and live pretty conventional, westernized lives, preferring jeans, football
shirts and fizzy bottled drinks to their more traditional clothing and a fermented alcoholic
drink made from manioc (the tasty, filling and nutritious masato ). Other tribal groups chose
to retreat further into the jungle to avoid contact with outside influences and maintain their
traditional way of life.
For most of the traditional or semi-traditional tribes, the jungle offers a semi-nomadic
existence. Communities are scattered, with groups of between ten and two hundred people,
and their sites shift every few years. For subsistence they depend on small, cultivated plots,
fish from the rivers and game from the forest, including wild pigs, deer, monkeys and a range
of edible birds. The main species of edible jungle fish are sabalo (a kind of oversized catfish),
carachama (an armoured walking catfish) and the giant zungaro and paiche - the latter,
at up to 200kg, being the world's largest freshwater fish. In fact, food is so abundant that
jungle-dwellers generally spend no more than three to four days a week engaged in
subsistence activities.