Sunday, August 14, 2016

ANOTHER PAMPA MESA

Interestingly enough, I was invited by my landlord, an Ecuadorian, to join him and his family at a fiesta. Turns out the fiesta was for the baptism of several young people. One  was the child an indigenous family with whom they are very close.



The native family on the left and the In-Laws of my friend becoming God parents for the little boy.

After the ceremony, the family will put on a "PAMPA MESA" and feed   everyone and I mean everyone. There must have been well over 100 people who through out the evening arrived at their home to participate.

 The home 


 Food being prepared

The kitchen with more food cooking.


A simple table

With everyone gathered around to eat..

Now understand, I was the ONLY gringo attending this gathering of family members, close friends and it seemed like most of their neighbors. The food arrived in front of me. A full plate of rice-potatoes-shredded pork- and sitting on top was a "CUY"
Cuy is the national dish of Ecuador and is------



Thats right---Guinea Pig!!!!!!



Now I had never before eaten this animal  and really was not sure I wanted to, but what was I to do. There were at least  15-20 people watching this Gringo. What would he do ??????




Eat it of course-----

 This " delicacy" was enjoyed by everyone



-------especially my friend Felix

Me--not so much. I thought it was very salty and wondered " where is the meat"

Afterward we all danced the night away until 4am.
 This beautiful lady is teaching me some Ecuadorian dance moves 



Unfortunately this is where my camera battery died so I am unable to document the rest of the story.
However I am told that  I danced with almost all the ladies there including some elderly ones wearing their traditional dress, ---some younger ones who were even carrying a baby strapped to their back and best of all my friends teen age daughter who said to me " Where did YOU learn how to dance."

Now this was an experience of a lifetime. 

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