After
prouncing around town all morning with Hector we decide to go back to his house
and have some lunch (this was by 4PM and this is when they eat lunch). So, of course I’m famished by now; I am
losing energy and all I can dream of is delicious, yummy food that his mother
cooks and then a sweet, long, quiet nap before its time for the discotechas.
We
finally get to his house and there are 4 people sitting in the downstairs
living room chatting. His mother
says we are waiting for 8 more before we eat and that we should have a
seat. Inside I am dreading the
next 45 minutes because in Cusco, time just stands still and when arrival hour
is 4 people only first start coming in at 4:45/ 5. So we sit, I am staring at the wall because there is no way
my pathetic Spanish skills will work in my favor at this time and I am trying
not to fall asleep or eat Hector’s arm.
With
time, 13 people (including myself) gather around their dining room table on
chairs and stools, with arms interlocking to make more room for everyone
else. Then comes the march
of the food. Gigantic bowls are
carried into the kitchen from outside from Hector’s mother (Koki) and her two
sisters. Within minutes a
beautiful plate of traditional vegetarian food is set in front of me and I am
smiling with ecstasy. I am served
first and I am thinking its because I am the only veggie here, or maybe because
Im the only English speaker, foreign guest, who knows why, I don’t care. Me Happy. I wait, of course, for everyone else to be served. That was my first mistake. Immediately after my plate hit the
table, a scurry of feet and “oohs and aahs” come from the kitchen as the mom, 2
sisters and 2 uncles bring out the main course for the rest of the crew. And within seconds, I see 48 rat feet
sticking up and staring at me.
Cuyi,
the guinea pig. The Cuscenian
favorite. The vegetarian
nightmare. Wouldn’t be so bad if
they served it like chicken or cow.
But the traditional way to present this lean meat is whole, head with
open mouth, clawed feet and all.
Second mistake, not to mention immediately how disgusted I am because
Koki comes with some meat (off the body, since she knows my habits) and tosses
it on my plate. Holy Shit. I literally throw it back at Hector and
tell him I need a moment. The rest
of the table is laughing at me by this point. And, while they laugh, these carnivores are picking up their
meat and slashing through it like it is apple pie. Apple pie.
Apple pie with rat claws.
Oi.
But
the beautiful part of the night was soon to come. Three of Hector’s cousins were there. The whole gathering happened because
one of these cousins, Maya, was in town from Lima with her boyfriend. And, the boyfriend stood up half way
threw the tearing of the flesh escapade and began to speak to the whole
group. Immediately I knew what was
happening and it was amazing to be a part of it. The whole table was shaking with excitement as we waited
anxiously for Oscar to finish his monologue and pop the question already. When he did, the whole table rose and
kisses, hugs and congrats were spread through out. It was so beautiful and exactly like the movies. I think. It was all in Spanish after all.
Finally,
after 2 hours, I was able to get some rest and for another 2 hours I slept like
a baby upstairs while the rest of the crowd chattered away and had second
helping of cuyi.
