My time in Cusco started because the airline LAN gave me away a free ticket (both ways) to anywhere inside Peru during September. I kind of promised myself not to spend more money for travels this year anymore as my big goal is to get Europe next year. But of course, things planned sometimes don´t work.
I got the free ticket and I thought about Cusco since the first time. I only had 4 days to travel and no much money so i thought this trip had to be just to get relaxed and not much touristic. Anyways I already have been to Machu Pichu twice and also did the entire touristic package. However even when the plan was not touristic i must say i have great and valuable information that can help you if you are traveling to Cusco.
I got Cusco on Friday night. Of course thinking of partying that night. I'm actually not much party girl but since i tried the experience in Wild Rover hostel in Cusco like 4 years ago I couldn’t help with it. Wild rover is the only Hostel i have been in Cusco and i think i will never change. I was traveling alone so it is nice if your hostel has a bar inside hence you don’t need to find a place to socialize, especially if you are traveling by yourself.
First night in Cusco I met nice people in the bar. Although i was a bit tired so the night ended early for me. I really didn’t have big plans for the rest of the days so i would take anything that get close to me.
I met an Irish guy who had just got Cusco too and He asked me to join him to a "Walking free tours" he had just been told about it. And sure i thought it was going to be interesting. It consisted in following a guy or two that showed us the city by walking and they asked for a tip at the end and actually you feel happy to do it. We joined a group at 12pm from La Plaza Recocijo. We were like almost 25 people more or less. Kind of big group and the explanation was only in English, maybe i was the only Latin there.
The guys were really funny. They took us to a typical Cusco restaurant called TINTA where we could get some discount if we said we were in the group of walking free tours. We just went there to tasty a sample of Alpaca but we didn’t stay there so long. It was just a stop place. I made a look of the prices of the plates and i must say the prices were quite fair. (Not as typical fancy restaurant the touristic agencies take you). Afterwards we went to the mirador where you enjoy all the view of Cusco from top. Then we went to the Christ and also passed in front of Sacsayhuaman. They also took us to a place where you can find real Alpaca clothes. Sellers explained the different qualities and how they make it. The last 2 stops were a musician shop where you can find the typical instruments from the past and even they played a little bit and to celebrate our journey, the last point was a bar where they showed us the way to prepare Pisco Sour and a free small one for everybody! It was quite nice know more about the city in that way. Not alone but also not in an agency. Although is not bad to take a tours in Cusco as places are far away to each other but this way was funny. This also exists in Arequipa and Lima so maybe I try in Lima too.
In my next night I met a nice Irish couple in the bar of Wild Rover and the night was quite lively! Dancing a few meeting new friends.
Next day, my day started at almost 1pm. (Because of the party night before) It was so much better after lunch and a great walk all over the city, this time by myself. Even when i already have been in Cusco 3 times before. The feeling of walking on the streets was wonderful. The city in fact is beautiful. So in those walking times i got into a magical place and a must stop if you got Cusco: "The Coca museum", a place very interesting especially if you think everything that comes from Coca is bad. The truth is you are missing lot of great knowledge if you never read about Coca before. So i will share a few of what i just learnt.
What happened is the Coca has been demonized by its relation with the Cocaine and here the explanation. The leaf of Coca has 14 different alkaloids, all of them very useful for the cure of different illness. Even in the past, memorable scientific used it in medical products. You can see the quality of properties it has in the pictures of this article. Regarding of the Incas, they used Coca for working really hard building ruins and also in surgeries. Plus of the mystic prays and ceremonies they believed in too.
The situation changed when a "creative" German named Albert Niemann de Gottingen divided one of the alkaloids of the Coca leaf and He called it "Cocaine". This more or less represents 2% inside the Coca leaf so of course if you separate this and consume 100% of just cocaine alkaloid this can’t be something good. And we all know how people fuck up their lives consuming Cocaine. Although from the said before these amazing Coca leaves might cure even cancer. Just to tell you how powerful it is. The best way to consume this is by "Coca flour" but also you can find Coca in different products as Chocolates, tea, Pisco, infusion and so many more. One of my favorites was the Coca beer, first time i felt i was consuming healthy by getting alcohol. Don’t expect this beer tastes like other beers though. This one is sour but quite good.
By walking inside the Coca museum i met Michael, an interesting American guy that I thought He was the owner of the museum because of the stories he was telling to other people. I was curious about the Coca beer he was drinking that I couldn’t help with it and asked who he was. He told me some of nice stories about how He knew about Coca and now he wants to know more and more about it that he only got Cusco because He is looking for more information. He is very passion and now he spreads all what he knows as much as He can. It was totally a worth time spending a nice chat to him drinking Coca beer.
The owner of the coca museum is a nice and sweet lady called Nancy that is more than happy to tell you everything about the Coca and of course i couldn’t miss the chance to ask her some questions.
There is only one company in all Peru called Enako that is allowed to sell the Coca products to people or companies. However, these products don’t have the cocaine alkaloid inside them.
But what is Enako? Enako is hold by the Peruvian government, therefore is the only company allowed to sell coca products to anyone. That means if someone wants to make any coca product like chocolates, they have to buy registered products from Enako in order to your product become a legal product to sell. Otherwise you only can stay as an informal seller inside Cusco. As example of this, the company Stephan is the American company that buys the concentrates of Coca from Enako to sell them to Coca Cola Company.
Another curiosity i had regarding the coca leaves was the fact that Incas in the past used them for reading the future and I had been told that even nowadays there are people that can do that. The lady of the museum told me that in fact there is a well-known man named PAPACHO that still does it but because of his popularity it is not possible to have an appointment without a reserved date but i would love living that experience.
In my last day in Cusco, by walking looking for a restaurant to take lunch I got into the restaurant on the street "Procuradores" that i recommend, called “The Andean food”. I got a delicious Quinua soup + Alpaca grilled + a drink that even could might be wine or Pisco sour + desert, all for S/.15. Of course don’t expect a lot of food but the tasty make it worth. Enjoying my lunch in the restaurant, there was a Chilean couple that got inside too and due to the tasty look of my meal we started talking and had a great chat.
I always believe that everyone meet the right people at the right time in life. Vicente told me some stories about how He decided to open a spiritual spa in Chile called “Spa Rustico”. He got the experience of the "Ayahuasca" spiritual session in the jungle of Peru and even though He vomited for 40minutes afterwards He said it was the experience that changed his life. It was like a new start of his life that took him close to love and forgiveness. There were some other stories and it was a great time meeting them and also i must to add, i am glad to hear that they are lovers of Peruvian food including Pisco sour. We really enjoyed our lunch.
Trip was about to end. Even when it was not a trip to see ruins i left Cusco so happy of meeting great people who really fill me inside. If you want to know the phone number of the Papacho, or the spiritual Chilean spa owner or where to find more information about coca with Michael just let me know and i will be glad to share that with you.
