Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
carvings, ceramics (including lots of pieces from Chulucanas), leather goods and more. The weekends are the best
and busiest times to visit.
Not satisfied with the
artesanía
crown, Catacaos is also shooting for the culinary medal, with dozens of
picanter-
ías
(local restaurants) open for lunch daily. You can get local specialties like
chicha, seco de chabelo
(a thick
plantain and beef stew),
seco de cabrito
(kid goat),
tamales verdes
(green corn dumplings),
copus
(dried goat heads
cured in vinegar and then stewed) and loads of other dishes, not all of them that adventurous. Several good
picanter-
ías
advertising their specialties are located on Jirón Zepita off the Plaza de Armas.
Combis
and
colectivos
leave frequently for Catacaos from Av Tacna in Piura (S1.50 to S2, 15 minutes).
Chulucanas
Chulucanas is located about 55km east of Piura, just before the Sechura Desert starts rising into the Andean slopes.
It's known Peru-wide for its distinctive ceramics - rounded, glazed, earth-colored pots that depict humans. Chulu-
canas' ceramics have officially been declared a part of Peru's cultural heritage and are becoming famous outside
Peru.
The best place to buy ceramics around here is in La Encantada, a quiet rural outpost just outside of Chulucanas,
whose inhabitants work almost exclusively in
artesanía
. La Encantada was home to the late Max Inga, a local le-
gend who studied ceramic artifacts from the ancient Tallan and Vicus cultures and sparked a resurgence in the art
form. The friendly artisans are often happy to demonstrate the production process, from the 'harvesting' of the clay
to the application of mango-leaf smoke to get that distinctive black-and-white design. The village is reached from
Chulucanas by a 30-minute
mototaxi
ride (S10) down a 7km dirt road. A good place to start your hunting is
Ceram-
ica Inge
(Los Ceremistas 591)
, but a visit to Chulucanas is probably for diehards only (ie you are furnishing your
new B&B back home), as lugging this excellent but fragile pottery around Peru with you would be less than ideal.
Civa has frequent buses to Chulucanas from Piura's Terminal Terrestre - Castilla (S4, one hour).
Sleeping
Hotel Las Arenas $$
( 30-5554;
www.hotellasarenas.com.pe
; Loreto 945; s with/without air-con S110/90, d
with/without air-con S140/120, all incl breakfast; )
It was a low bar, but this
remodeled
casona
now offers a smidgeon more character than the other spots in town. It
earns its top Piura honors for the small but enchanting pool with inviting wicker loveseats
and copious potted plants, mismatched (depending on the era) but endearing flooring and
well-maintained rooms.
There's a small cafe and they'll knock S10 off the price for foreigners.
HOTEL
Mango Verde $$
B&B
