Donde Estan mis guapos?

Thursday July 20, 2006

“Donde estan mis guapos?”

Travels in Sucre

Oops, I mean, “donde estan mis guantes”!

Spanish is coming along slowly but always moving forward, and we’re moving forward into colder territory. Last night we left Cochabamba, 11 people, 7 suitcases, and 9 or so personal bags all in a minivan. Woo! We got to the bus station and boarded and boy was that a scary ride. Like we haven’t heard enough horror stories from Daniel Gray about drunken bus drivers, the route was windy and rocky. Thank God we’re alive! A fun part was when Uncle Carlos had the bus driver turn on the lights so that the whole bus could watch a magic show by Jonny…I mean of course, the Magnificent Jonatello. Talk about captive audience! Everyone liked it, at least I think so, and that’s definitely a fun memory to have.

In Sucre we had trouble finding a hotel, we finally ended up at the Colonial Real, a real swell joint that is still being finished. We went first class for our first night so we could shower in warm water.

Not being able to sleep on the bus for fear it was my last moment alive we stayed up till eight this morning to get hotel breakfast and then went to bed. Before we knew it it was noon time and then two, and by the time we finally found a place to eat, it was four o’clock! We ate in a kind of touristy part of town near the plaza where there is Italian food.

After the meal we went upstairs where some musicians who kinda remind of nice hippies had set up a little museum for kids to remind them of their roots. There was a display of a woman cooking and he told us about how they make CheCha or something like that, which is corn beer. Most of the museum was instruments, one room of pre-Columbian and another room of post-Columbian. It was really cool. There were authentic pieces that he said were two thousand years old and he let us hold them and everything!

After that we went to see our cousin Tito, he’s a pretty well-known charango player and after listening to him play we sure know why! He even had his friend come over to play guitar with him for us. They’re both going to come to Cochabamba for the August 12^th family reunion and are going to play. Then we went outside to eat beef with our hands, it was so fun! And all those warm things we packed that we found out are not needed in Cochabamba were very helpful today, as we climb higher in altitude it sure gets colder! In Bolivia, it’s winter but never Christmas!

Things I’ve done more than ever before:

Watch TV

Speak/Listen Spanish

Kiss people’s cheeks

Drink/smell alcohol (the drinking was in communion)

Not drink water

Things I still need to do:

Learn to dance the cueca

chew coca

Pray to Pachemama

Just kidding

Take a picture with a llama

Read my Research Seminar books!

Read Boethius

Do something productive for someone here

Integrate “Claro” into my Spanish vocabulary

Buy:

Little presents for dear ones

Wrap-around thing which I don’t remember what it’s called

Poncho

Something out of alpaca

Original art, from the plaza okay

Yarn

Portfolio

Belt

Wallet