Well I did it. Today, after much hesitation, and explanation that in fact, I have been reluctant to try cuy, the local specialty, which is guniea pig, because, it was my one and only childhood pet (rusty). After deciding to go to Tipon, a nearby ruins site, I was informed that it is also the best place in Peru (or least the area) for cuy. So I resolved myself to going for it.
The hike up to the ruins was peaceful.. a long uphill road took us there. Tipon is known for it´s extensive, complex and beautiful irrigation systems which feed the many angular agricultural terraces. The whole place had a very zen, japonese garden feel. The executation of this site is really quite beautiful. The known image from this area is the 4 fountain structure,still strongly spraying water, keeping the cycle going.
We took the camino inka back down half way.. lots of direct stairs, then followed the road into town, where we selected our lunch of fate. In all honesty image and ideas aside, it was not that great at all. it´s like dark, stringy chicken meat. Here the way to prepare it is in an over, roasted.. so the skin is super crunchy and knarled (which I didnt try). Unlike other animals (except fish) they dont bother to hide the fact that it´s an animal. they are killed by slicing the stomach open, then spiced up, and served, still in the same position as their last breath... tonenails and teeth intact and all. The site of this little animal on your plate is quite a twinging exp.. but nonetheless I tried. The accompanying pasta, relleno and papas were quite good however.
