Corn, Colors, and Quechua: Pisac Market on Sunday

The famed Pisac Market, known for being the largest Incan market in the known world lived up to expectations. I’m not sure why it needs to have “in the known world” added to it; I mean, what would the unknown world mean? Regardless, if you’re around on a Sunday, don’t miss it. Whether you’re into shopping or food, there’s plenty of it to fit your fancy.

All the alpaca and llama products you can imagine are here, row after row, along with a fantastic market with fruits, veggies, and other edibles. You can hear the locals speaking Quechua among themselves and with a Quechua accent in Spanish with tourists. While many stalls have the kitchy souvenirs you might expect, you can also find high-quality, local handicraft, at a good price.

Many individual food items are 1 sol, probably for simplicity’s sake. I saw a pile of the largest avocados I’ve ever seen – after asking the vendor how much they were, he replied “1 sol.” “Doesn’t matter which size?” I asked incredulous of how the avocados that were the size of my fist could be the same price as the ones that were the size of my face. He paused for a second and replied, “1.5 soles for the bigger ones.” Lesson learned: don’t point out inconsistencies in pricing.

We bought a bag of coca leaves for our hike up Machu Picchu mountain next weekend (also 1 sol). I was curious about some black rock-looking things for sale. The vendor said they were for chewing with coca leaves. After many back-and-forths of me trying to understand what it is and how to consume/use it, she suggested we use the paste version instead, as it’s much softer. Just put a bit of the black substance in the leaves and chew, she recommended. Will report back after we try it.

Talking to a local vendor who proudly descended from the Inca, we learned that it’s traditional to thank the mountains when chewing coca leaves. He told us that all the mountains have spirits, like the pachamama (mother earth), and they are revered. He also warned us of the winds, which the Incas believed could be friendly or harmful, forcing your neck to turn and leaving you weak and possibly faint. He said there’s an herb (I think he said it’s called ruta) that you can use to protect yourself from any malicious winds.

We ate at one of the many food stands that consist of pots of food, the ladies that serve it, and a few tables and chairs. For 5 soles, you can get a complete plate of rice, lentils, and beef(?)/potato stew, served on ceramic plates with silverware (washed in buckets for the next customer). For 10, you can get roasted chicken, noodles, roasted potatoes, and a fried stuffed pepper. The girl that served us couldn’t have been more than 12 years old, and was there working with her family.

Stuffed to the brim, and taking home our treasures, I was most excited to eat the bit of fresh cheese we bought from an old, old man out of a backpack walking around the stalls saying “quesillo, quesillo.” He had beautiful blue eyes and looked otherwise indigenous.

Getting from Cusco to Pisac:

We took a colectivo (a large van) for 5 soles a person, picking it up on Puputi street, just south of Calle Recoleta. It’s cheap and easy. You’ll find many lots with guys yelling out “Pisac, Pisac” (sorta sounds like they’re saying “pizza”), and the vans will leave once full. It takes about 30 minutest to get to Pisac, winding past tourist destinations and landmarks like Saqsaywaman. We saw lots of land being farmed and farm animals like donkeys, llamas, pigs, goats, and horses nearby, or tied with rope by the side of the road.

You get dropped off just a few blocks from the market. Ask the bus driver how to get there, then prepare yourself for food and shopping!