A short 50 minute flight from Lima, Cuzco is a world removed.

An Andean woman in traditional, colorful costume leads a llama down a cobblestone street toward the plaza where I'm waiting. We've both arrived early and the market is mostly empty.

Being one of the first customers has its advantages. The women selling their wares believe that a successful first transaction bodes well for the rest of the day. The woman I've approached lowers her price from the initial, outrageously high offer when I insist on what I know to be a good price in fluent Spanish.

Usually impressed that I speak with typically Peruvian intonations and touches, my new contact shares more information with me; which artisan makes the best inlaid jewelry, woven straw bracelets, or hand-painted ceramic pendants, and where to find them. This is what I'm really interested in, finding sources for our artisan jewelry collections. We'll settle on a price that satisfies both of us. I'm not here to take advantage, but to seek out and make connections with silversmiths and jewelers doing outstanding work. The bargaining is just part of the dance that the artisans and I do as we come to know and respect each other.