Retail Therapy - Peruano Style

Over the last week or so in Cusco I've done quite a bit of shopping in the real world, not tourist land!

Sorry if that sounds a bit snobbish! Me, I'm not a tourist, I well I am but not one of those only here for 10 days tourists, I've been here ages!! after my time in the north of Peru, which is much less touristy than the south, my return to Cusco was a bit of a shock, for example in the area that I stayed for the first few days there are no Peruvian restaurants at all, i.e. those that Peruvians eat in, only those that cater for tourists. However, we decided to stay in an apartment for this final month and so looked for somewhere to live for the month. We've landed on our feet it being low season now and negotiated a good rate (the equivalent of 9 pounds a night) for a double room and private bathroom with a big kitchen and dining area. In theory it's shared, but in practice I don't expect we'll see anyone else very often. There are over 10 apartments in the complex and there's only one other resident! The apartment is in real Cusco, just behind the central market and of course now I need to cook, hence the retail experience.

Yesterday we went to the market for the first time and it was great fun. I wonder if supermarkets could learn something from it. The fun came from either
a) all the interaction with people rather than shelves
b) having lots of time
c) the diversity of food on display and the desire to see it all

The central market is huge and just like the supermarkets at home has big signs to show you where all the sections are - fruit, meat, vegetables, flowers, dry goods. The differences are many. Each stand has a stall holder and if it's a woman she often has a pre school child, the good news is her neighbours will step in to hold or watch the child if necessary (so a good child care environment!!). To know the price you need to ask and if you want you can try and haggle, sometimes it works, sometimes not. The fruit and vegetables can be bought ripe or unripe - ripe is perfect, the avacado has to be eaten to be believed. Every exchange is an opportunity for pleasantries and banter. I recommend it and I hate food shopping at home!

Buying meat is not for the faint hearted. No plastic in sight here and if you faint at the sight of blood you're in trouble. "How would you like your chicken madam? Whole, half or quarters...." When I got the half chicken home I found that included in the price was the heart, liver and kidneys still attached. I showed true stoicism and did not rush screaming from the room but merely asked if there was a Peruvian dish that these could be used for. The answer was no not really because the hearts are a bit small. Fried heart is a delicacy here.

I've also been down to another market which sells everything (and I mean everything) other than food. Piracy is alive and well and it would be a brand marketeer's nightmare seeing their brand ripped off and copied....However, realistically almost no one in this economy can afford real branded goods (possibly real Nike shorts 90 soles, fake ones 15 soles, not a hard choice to make if you're taking home 200 soles a week). Again lots of interaction with people and lots of choice. Perhaps there's something about dealing with the person who's living it is, which means you generally get more interest and more help than from some of our great shop staff! Anyway enough moralising and just a thought that when I get home I'm going to try and find some markets because I think I will miss the!