Christmas on the Equator

When it´s sunny and in the 70´s every day of the week, you really lose all concept of time. The leaves don’t turn pretty colors and fall off the trees. You don´t need to scrape the ice off of your car. You´re still wearing sunscreen. The only reminder that it´s Christmas time are the decorations….and since they´re cutting the power still, no one has really taken the time to put up lights.

But today, as I walked through the centro, I really felt the Christmas spirit. There was a parade, and then on at least five different occasions throughout the morning I spotted a human Nativity Scene. Three men straight out of Aladdin with their shiny Arabian outfits. Mary, in all her glory. Even real goats. But my favorite, was the full grown man laying on the ground in the fetal position. I guess these men were supposed to be Jesus. I didn´t bother to stop and tell the men they should be hiding until Christmas morning…it brought such a smile to my face, why would I?

Once again I have been deathly ill. Since last Thursday I have been in excruciating stomach pain and really only eating crackers and soup. Today, I finally felt a little better, but of course still a bit queezy. But the nuns and the Hogar decided to take all of us who work there out to lunch, so of course I could not decline. We went to this very pretty restaurant, and as we sat down the first thing my friend Santiago said to me was, ¨Have you tried Cuy?¨ . Scroll back to that picture if you need a reminder of what my first Cuy experience was like.

I started to panic. Before I had a chance to request chicken, the director ordered the same thing for everyone. I imagined them setting the plate in front of me with just a head, green goo coming out of its ear, and everyone smiling at me saying ¨We saved the best part for you!¨. It was like a bad dream. I started sweating. And then pictured myself locked in my bathroom for the next week after I have finally recovered!

After a long and excruciating wait, out came our plates. Thankfully, it was more than just a head. There was a slab of pork, one of beef, a filet of chicken, two different kinds of sausages, potatoes with a lovely cheese sauce, and on top…an entire fried Cuy. Now I´ll admit, I was relieved. Not only because of the various meat products I had to choose from, but because the Cuy actually looked pretty tasty. Imagine a piece of fried chicken, now stretch it out, add some curled feet and toe nails, and a head with its mouth wide open….resembling a rat if you will. I mean anything fried can´t be that bad right? Then I noticed the little eye, hanging on only by a thread. I plucked it off and handed it to Santiago. I started with the chicken, then the beef, then the potatoes. Then I decided I should just go for it. I ripped off the leg, and saw a big juicy junk of meat! It looked just like chicken! Not at all like the last slimy meatless Cuy I had tried. I couldn’t bring myself to eat right off the bone….I mean it’s a Guinea Pig….that’s far too morbid.
The flavor was considerably better than the last time. It´s the texture that bothers me. It´s very soft, delicate, yet chewy. You can´t help but visualize the little critter while you´re chewing. I had at least three bites and then called it good. I did however, get suckered in to taking the leftovers home with me. So now Chip (that’s what I named him) is sitting at home in the fridge, legless, waiting for someone. I know Maria Dolores won´t eat him because she is repulsed by Cuys. So I´ll just wait until he starts to smell I guess.

But the experience wasn’t bad at all. I decided I will bring my parents there ;)

I wish everyone a Happy Holidays! I truly miss Oregon in December….but I´m consoling myself by going to the beach where I will learn to surf, and sip on Piña Coladas to celebrate my birthday. Stay tuned to the news though, apparently there are tsunamis all over the place on the Ecuadorian coast. Of course, that won´t stop me.