Ah... the combi

One of my most favorite and interesting experiences in Cusco has been riding the combi. Combis are tiny microbuses that serve as the city´s public transportation. The combi in this picture, ¨Servicio Rapido,¨ is the name of the combi´s route, not an indication of the speediness of its service. To get to the center of Cusco, I take the ¨Arco Iris¨ combi. The trip costs 60 centimos, less than a quarter. The combi is always jam-packed, and more than once I have had to contort myself inside with my ear nearly pressing against the top of the cab. Two people work the combi - the driver, of course, and the cobrador. The cobrador is the one who makes riding the combi an exciting, if uncomfortable, experience. At the paradero, or bus stop, the cobrador slides open the the side passenger door and, like a carnival barker, shouts out a rapid stream of upcoming paraderos. The first morning I rode the combi, the cobrador was barking at the oncoming passengers a phrase that sounded like, ¨Sway sway sway sway sway sway sway sway!¨ I later learned that he was actually saying, ¨Sube sube sube sube sube sube sube sube!¨ which essentially means ¨Climb aboard!¨ The cobrador also collects fares, dispenses change, and often makes a running leap from the combi to punch a time card for the driver. You´d think that with all the mad intensity the cobrador displays, ¨Servicio Rapido¨ would be an appropriate moniker. Alas, no.