Iron House, designed by Gustave Eiffel.
Health
Malaria is not as much of a concern as people may think. Hundreds
of people who visit or live in the jungle, locals and foreigners alike,
dont take anti-malaria pills. Some of them get the disease, most
don't. Take repellents on the jungle trips, and wear pants and
long-sleeved shirts.
You can follow these simple rules:
- Yellow fever vaccinations are recommended, at least, 10 days
before arrival.
- Drink plenty of water, and eat more salt than usual to replace
the minerals lost due to sweat.
- Many locals don't drink unbolied tap water. It is recommended
to buy bottled water, or order purified water in restaurants.
Banks
Banking hours are from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. Monday to Friday, and
Saturday mornings. ATM are accesible 24 hours, they are available
in calle Prospero 2nd block, 3rd block, around Plaza de Armas (Main
square), at the Airport, and between calle Arica and 9 de Diciembre.
Main Square - Plaza de Armas
Money exchange
It is recommended that you exchange your money in hotels, banks,
and authorized money exchange offices rather than with the hordes
of "cambistas" lining the streets around the 2nd block of calle
Prospero, just before the Plaza de Armas. There have been many incidents
of theft by tricky counting, rigged calculators, bad exchange rates,
and false bills. Now, registered "cambistas" wear a uniform and
a badge, but there are no guarantees.
Food
Iquitos specialties are huge plates of strange animals from the
jungle. In any number of finer restaurants you may try alligator
steaks or fried strips (chicharrón de lagarto), wild deer (venado),
wild pig (sajino), capybara (majás), turtle stew (sopa de tortuga),
and various specialties from the river, including piranha (piraña),
and paiche. In small towns, and Belen market you may find grilled
monkey (mono). Also, you can find a diverse international plates in restaurants around the main square or "Plaza de Armas"
Typical food, "juanes" made out of
rice, and yuca |
Tipping
It is customary to leave a tip according to the quality of the food,
and service in restaurants (not expected in street stalls, or tables
outside of someone's home).
Shopping
There are two markets of art and crafts. One is below the Boulevard
on the banks of the Amazon river, at the end of Calle Napo. The
other is on the highway toward the airport, called Mercado Artesanal
de San Juan. Any motocar can take you there.
