Day two in Puno

The big market day in Puno has to be seen to be believed – street after street for blocks of vendors selling everything from the expected fruit and vegetables to every kind of meat and fish (all outside on trestle tables or the road) as well as clothing, used car and bike parts, second hand everything you can possibly imagine. I only wanted some fruit and bought a pear for 1 sol and a bunch of Lady Finger bananas for the same price. I’d have had no trouble getting the piece of cord I was after yesterday that I couldn’t get. The floating island residents buy miles of that to tie their small pieces of “island” together to make one big enough to live on. I took a photo of a couple of Peruvian women who were selling their vegetables and they soon had their hands out for a tip (which I gave them, of course). As I was walking around the streets following the rail lines hoping to come across the Peru Rail ticketing office to ask about a train to Cusco a big diesel engine trundled down the track toward the market, blowing its horn every 5 seconds to warn the street vendors to move their products off the railway line or risk losing them. I could see the sellers scurrying to drag all their stuff off the line but wondered if for some it was not possible and their fruit and veg were run over. I hope not. The quantity of food on offer is mind boggling – 6 tonne trucks loaded with cobs of corn or what have you, not just one truck but numerous. Just as many loaded with every other vegetable or fruit being sold in the market (and nuts and grains and flours and pastas and spices, everything). I wondered if there would be enough people in all of Peru to consume the vast quantities of produce on offer. Some streets seem to be dedicated to the sale of one type of produce, such as eggs – truckloads of them, stacked on 2 ½ dozen trays, 20 layers high, all along the street. By nightfall there will be a lot of perishable food going back to the villages it came from, I imagine. I couldn’t find the ticket office for Peru Rail and needed to return to the Airbnb to use the loo (you only use a public loo in Peru in an emergency) and referred back to the map I should have taken with me. Off I went again on foot to the ticket office. There’s a train three times a week, the next being Monday. The cost, USD240.00 (NZD345.00) one way Puno to Cusco, 10 hours by train. I considered it but decided against it – only for wealthy Americanos. I’d tried to book a bus earlier but, as often happens with internet purchases, the transaction failed using my debit card. So I hailed one of those three wheeled “tuktuk”s and headed for the coach terminal to sort out a ticket – 3 sols for the trip in that kind of “buggy”. Half the price of a taxi. At the Cruz del Sur counter I explained how I’d had trouble buying my ticket on their web site but had blocked the last seat on the coach in VIP class in the process. The sales person pulled up the seat map on the screen and I could see the seat that I’d requested but he couldn’t unblock the hold on it. Fortunately, there was still a couple of VIP seats left on the service I wanted (8:00am departure Sunday morning) so I got one after all – 80 soles. A lot more expensive than the 20 soles I’ve been paying on Flores coaches, but Cruz del Sur is a first-class operator and I chose VIP for the extra comfort it offers (and the meal en route). Without my translator in tow I feel I can spend more on extra comfort anyway. As I opened my wallet to pay for the ticket I realised my debit card wasn’t in it – I’d left it on the table next to my laptop where I’d tried to do the online booking. Luckily I’d been to an ATM the day before and had drawn out 400 soles so I had enough cash on me to buy it. I’ll need to be up early to check in by 7:20am for the coach (but I’m sure it won’t be a problem if I’m 15 minutes late). I’ve spoken to several tourists here who’ve been to Machupicchu and they all highly recommend it. Should be good. After a bad experience in Arequipa when I was switched from what looked like a good Airbnb to an inferior one I’ve decided not to book my accommodation in Cusco until I get there – it’s low season and there’ll be plenty of hostels to choose from close to the coach terminal or the Plaza de Armas. I looked at a couple here in Puno and discovered that for only 20 soles more than I’m paying for an Airbnb I could have got a private room with double bed, hot water in the bathroom and a buffet breakfast included. So that may be the way I go while in Peru in future. I lodged a complaint with Airbnb about the switched accommodation and they will probably notice that I’m no longer booking through them and may offer compensation – they’re pretty good to deal with.

I just went out for a bite to eat and met a couple of backpackers who’ve already done Northern Peru and have given me some wonderful information about what to visit North of Lima – so good when you initiate conversation with other people as you travel around and discover gems that you wouldn’t otherwise. We shared an hour or so over a couple of beers – he’s an American and she’s Italian – and they’ve travelled extensively, including to some remote places I’ve also been to, like the Gilis off Lombok. We traded information, as you do, and I encouraged them to visit New Zealand, of course. My “bite to eat” was a chicken burger served with a fried egg in it, tomato and shredded lettuce and (of course) fries on the side – 4 soles! Food is so cheap here. The most popular street food from what I’ve observed is a plate of fries topped with thinly sliced deep fried saveloy and ketchup – real healthy! Everyone seems to be eating this combination, probably because it’s cheap and filling. So, that’s my day – I should be able to write on the coach trip tomorrow and post another tomorrow night. Until then, ciao.

The whole street was stacked with eggs for sale.

They hid behind their hats but still wanted a tip for this photo.