Cuy for You, Cuy for Me!

I struggle out of bed and meet Sean, Monika, Mark and Mindy at Jacks for brekkie at 09:30. Everybody is here in Cusco! Heading out to the main Plaza we meet crowds and crowds of people. It's to be a huge day long parade celebrating the anniversary of Cusco's University. I think they had a group for each year of every department in the Uni! In the parade it seemed to be mainly the older generation in traditional dress but then there were younger girls and boys wandering around in suits and short skirts. Very tasty! As were the female medical students in nurse's uniforms! Hey! I can't help it, I'm a bloke. It's genetic!

It's a big meet up for dinner but Ana and I leave the crowd and their cheap vegetarian restaurant to sample something more authentic. It's Ana's last night in Cusco and we go to the up-market Inca Grill for Cuy. Or to you and me, Guinea Pig! This Peruvian delicacy comes slow grilled in rosemary and appeared on the plate quartered. Not knowing any better we ordered red wine to accompany it. Picking meat of the bones of such a small creature is no job for a knife and fork - time for sticky fingers! I would describe the taste as a cross between chicken and rabbit with a distinctive after taste. Ana described it as Guinea Fowl. The others found us as we were finishing up and we all went to a Swiss restaurant for dessert and coffee.

It may be Sunday night but Cusco's still kickin'! Ana and I leave everyone to their early nights and get talked into going to the Israeli Up Town Club by means of a free drink. So we grab a free large Cubra Libra each, chat on the balcony and leave! We're then talked into going to Extrem, also by means of a free drink! More Cubra Libras. Only this time we stay for a more as it's a cool venue and rather quiet. It closes and we move on to Mamma Africas where we stay until it closes too. The conversation turns to pulling again. Ana reckons I could have any girl in the club and I'm, um, not so sure. She certainly thinks more of me than I do! She sets me homework whereby I should attempt to pull / chat up some girls over the next week as a confidence booster. I'm, um, not so sure! She doesn't want to hear of the results. I don't think she has anything to worry about.

As we exit the club and enter daylight outside Ana is concerned about staying out all night and going home the next day. "Don't be silly!" I say, "The street lights are on. That means it's still night time." We both look up just in time to watch the street lights flicker off. Doh! Ana may have to leave the hostel by 10:30 to get a taxi to the airport but I have to meet Sean &Monika for breakfast at 09:30! Bed for 06:30.

Posted by Steve Eynon