Las Chicherías in Pisaq

How can you recognize a Chichería?

In Cusco and most Andean towns such as P'isaq, you can often see "flags" or sticks that come out of the gates with some red plastic bags or colorful flowers to their tips indicating that "aqha" or "chicha" is sold in those places. Chicha is a soft beer which contains a little alcohol, but a bit heavy for the stomachs of Western people. This drink is part of the daily diet of people from the Andes since ancient times. This soft drink is popular among women because it is said that when drinking it helps mothers to produce a lot of milk for their new borns. It is also popular among men because it is believed that drinking it constantly prevents prostatitis. There are also many houses which have little baskets hanging at the tip of the sticks; they all indicate that there is a bakery there. And if you ever find another similar stick with banana leaves at its tip, then you will know that Coca leaves are sold there. That is an advertising system that still exists in our region and which a few decades ago was much more popular among the the population in Pisaq. This fact is gradually becoming extinct as a result of the influence of radio and television. Read this article in Spanish...