Sunday morning musings

Sunday, May 27

Sunday morning musings...since I was asleep by 9:30 and up at 6:00 (quite possibly the longest contiguous sleep I’ve had since my medical leave) it’s 7:30 a.m. and I’m already showered, packed, breakfasted and I’ve been on a walk to hit an ATM.

A few things I noticed or learned yesterday:

This whole thing about cuy, or guinea pig, is mildly upsetting for a vegetarian.  It’s been 4 years now since I’ve eaten meat so it’s not like I never did or I don’t appreciate it, but a guinea pig is meant to be a pet.  I dug a little deeper on this Peruvian speciality and Armando said that they are the meal of choice for the birthday boy or girl, even into adulthood.  I asked how they are raised and he said that each kitchen would have a pen in it where they are raised.  Somehow I just thought it would be more impersonal if you had to go and buy it at the store.  But no, you raise it in your kitchen and one day, whack!  You decide it’s dinner.

But the guinea pig fascination goes way back.  In the main cathedral yesterday, I saw a painting of the Last Supper, which was a pretty typical depiction of Jesus and his apostles gathered round a table.  Except the platter in the center of the table had a guinea pig, four legs up, ripe for eating.

Armando, our driver and I had an interesting conversation about the food here and how it is all fresh and organic for the most part and that’s why obesity doesn’t seem to be a problem.  Indeed, it’s hard to find junk food, or not as easy to find junk food as it is in other places in the world (I’m looking at you U.K. Newsagents and your ridiculously tempting British chocolate).  I have no worries about gaining weight on this trip.  Unless I eat about 80 gallons of ceviche at every meal it’s really unlikely.  Armando couldn’t believe that our culture in the U.S. has sunken so low as to have the likes of “My 600 Pound Life” and that the problem exists to that extreme.  I haven’t seen anyone even remotely chunky here.

I’ve had no problems with altitude so far, which I attribute to taking the Diamox since Thursday.  I was winded coming up the steps to the third floor of the hotel the first time but since then I just take it slow.

The pisco sour was divine.  It would be the perfect summertime drink at home: light and slightly fruity and sweet with an egg white foam.  I enjoyed it.  And will enjoy a few more when I get the chance.

Breakfast this morning was scrambled eggs and toast (with golden berry marmalade) and a glass of passion fruit juice.  I was going to get a Starbucks on my wandering but it wasn’t open yet so I’m nursing a hotel coffee here in my room.

In my attempt to keep my camera bag light for my day trips, I’m jamming a lot more stuff into my suitcase.  It’s at the boiling point, so I’m leaving my hot weather gear here in my backpack.  I’ll be back on Tuesday to stay for 2 nights, so I’ll catch up with it then.  I’ll deal with getting it all back in there later.