Last minute advice, etc.
 

Am leaving for Peru on Tuesday and will be going to Cuzco, surrounding areas and Macchu Picchu. Will also be spending time in Lima- any suggestions for Lima re: day trips outside of the city, etc. Also favorite restaurants in Lima and Cuzco? Also, I always like to bring something home that is locally made - aside from Alpaca sweaters, what would you recommend. Thank you

Bistrot 370 in Cusco, Calle Triunfo, was excellent and absolutely the best place we ate in Cusco. It's a little more expensive than other places but compared to US and Europe prices its a bargain.

El Gusto es Nuestro Cusco best

Astrid Y Gaston Lima best

www.tripadvisor.com good restaurant reviews

Inka flutes make nice gifts pretty cheap exotic

For a special meal... We ate at Huaca Pucllana and had a great meal. It is a little more expensive, but well worth it. It is right at the ruins. We sat on the patio and looked out at the ruins; it's like not even being in the city anymore - a real treat (away from the honking and gas fumes). We walked there from our Hotel not far from the Larcomar shopping center.
http://www.resthuacapucllana.com/

Another vote for Huaca Pucllana ... we also walked from the Larcomar mall - about a 20-minute stroll. Had a great late lunch on the patio after touring the ruins. Good service, good food, and a unique ambiance with its view of the ruins.

oooops ... clicked before pasting the link for blog entry with photos ... http://2totravel.blogspot.com/2009/0...-pucllana.html

The little handwoven belts that are the first weavings that girls in the highlands around Cusco make. They are useful not only for belts but camera straps. You can find some handcrafted weavings at the Pisac market but more likely at Chinchero or from vendors on the streets. They also sell them at the fairtrade stores in Ollantaytambo or Cusco at a markup.

I wish I had bought more of the carved gourds.

Tiny pottery bulls. You will see them on the roof shrines. There was a store front in Olly that had very small ones. Should have bought all of them. Handy for your Taurus friends.