On Saturdays in small villages as you drive through the Andes, it is quite common to see multiple Hogs hanging by the snout and head or to see one on a spit being turned and cooked. The roasts are called hornado. The word for pig or hog is chancho. It is also a derogatory word and if it is aimed at you, best to be laying off the hornado. There is apparently no health department in Ecuador that finds a food source next to the highway that is for sale to the public to be a problem. I haven't heard of massive illnesses or deaths attributed to this practice either. If I ever get the courage to try this, I'll probably have a side of diesel fumes and dust with my chancho.
Cuy
Cuy is a delicacy in Ecuador. It is a large guinea pig and is for special occasions. My kids had pet guinea pigs growing up and, while it wasn't my favorite of the myriad caged animals they had, I really don't think I could bring myself to eat one without thinking of that little soft furry ball with the wiggly nose. I have heard it is much like duck which I have tried. Duck was not a good experience for me as it is a little sweet and greasy. I'm not sure there are enough margaritas in this country to make me try something that is normally served head and all after being barbecued on a spit or deep fried. Minus the cute wiggly little nose.
Baby Slinging
This is one of the sweetest practices. I've seen it in small villages and in larger cities. Mostly done by the indigenous, special blankets are carried over the mothers back with the baby in a sling. Babies always seem to be quite happy in these positions and, with a simple change in the fold of the blanket, the baby can lie down in a cozy little nap or sit upright to peek over their mother's shoulder. It really seems to be quite fun for them.
Sidewalk tripping.
On several occasions, I have come close to being "sidewalk kill" (as opposed to roadkill). There are so many amazing things to stare at above street levels sometimes you forget to look down. And looking down is very necessary with pieces of rebar sticking out, uneven cobblestone streets, inexplicable holes in the streets or sidewalks and just plain wear and tear.
Doctor's house calls.
My actual experience was a "hotel call". A few weeks ago, on a visit to Cuenca, I became very ill on the second day there. After four hours of what I think Montezuma's revenge may feel like, I peered out of my room to talk to the hotel clerk. I told him of my illness and asked if he had a heating pad. He was alarmed and said he had none of what I was requesting but he could call a doctor. I was askance. A doctor would come to me? Is that even legal? Nevertheless, a doctor showed up about 25 minutes later with a shot for nausea and the dear hotel clerk interpreted for the two of us. Cost? $30. Medication came about an hour later for $20. I was amazed and grateful. I wasn't exactly up for photography during his visit so I'm including a picture of what I think of when I think of a caring physician. At least he played one on TV. And if you don't recognize him, you are definitely not a baby boomer.
Two equators.
This story started in the 1700s when the first geodesic expedition took place. It was the goal of the French Geodesic Mission to find and mark the equator. The equator passes through 14 countries but some of the countries were a bit uninviting and definitely a hassle to the French such as Uganda and Somalia. In South America, they turned to a nice Spanish controlled territory, later to becme Ecuador where a nice colonial city, Quito, was already built nearby. The King of Spain okayed their venture to find the equator with the caviat that they take along a couple of Spanish scientists to share in the glory. Through a lot of measuring of the curvature of the earth and walking around and using some kind of voodoo math, they decided on the spot of the equator and called it Mitad del Mundo which means Middle of the World in Spanish. There are a lot of signs on this spot for photo ops labelled 0'0'0'. There is a big painted line on the ground to represent the equator complete with compass markings. The only trouble is it is not actually on the equator. The French guys were good, especially for their times, but they were actually 250 meters off.
Located on the actual equator is the International Nan museum. Besides sitting on the actual equator, the museum has hands on exhibits regarding indigenous Ecuadorian life. There are experiments to try such as walking the equator line with your eyes closed which will make you feel like you are falling. Balancing an egg on a nail is easy since gravity is straight down. I didn't actually get to do the actual equator because I was unaware of it at the time. I will be there in September and the museum seems like a really cool, nerdy thing to do. I'm wondering if straight down gravity affects my weight. I'm afraid to find out. My picture of the "fake" but well-visited equator spot is an unabashed brag and opportunity to show people how beautiful my daughter is.
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