Drinking w/ strangers

07.11.2004

Sort of. Last night was tío Ruben's birthday, hosted at tía Lea's house, were all the guests were his friends from college & work (almost all civil engineers). A bunch of late 30s & early 40s jolly types drinking Old Parr whiskey, Kohlberg wines, and Pilsener Tropical. Certainly interesting. Dancing chacarera to a band from the Chaco. The musicians were friends of tío Ruben or tía Graciela (his wife). And quite good. I crawled off to bed around 2am, serenaded through the night by guitars & singing from the patio below.

Dragged out of bed by tía Lea at 11:30 for a trip out to Cotoca, a small town outside Santa Cruz, for arepas, sonzo, and coffee. Arepas are something like pancaces, but made from yuca flour w/ cheese. Delicious.

This Sunday was the jalea festival, so the little town was filled w/ city visitors (more so than on a typical Sunday, perhaps). Jalea is sugar cane honey, sold in little clay pots. We wandered the crowded plaza, making our way to the central market. Rows upon rows of picnic-style tables & benches w/ caseras selling arepas, pacumuto (shish kabob), soup, coffee, hot chocolate, mocochinchi (dried peach juice), and other dishes.

Most Sundays, Cotoca is just filled w/ city folk on excursion. Or pilgrims. Cotoca is to Santa Cruz what Copacabana is to La Paz or Urkupiña is to Cochabamba. Cruceños drive their new cars to Cotoca to have them blessed by the Virgen de Cotoca. The devout will make pilgramages on foot out to the shrine to ask for special favors. It's about a 30 minute drive out from the city.

On the way back, I scored a hammock & hand-made powder blue blanket. The seller wanted Bs. 300 for the pair; I talked him down to Bs. 200. I hope I can put up hammock hooks in my new apartment when I get back to Kalamazoo.

Posted by Miguel at 02:49 PM

Comments

I love arepas. I had them for the first time two years ago in the market in Cotoca.

Posted by: eduardo at July 13, 2004 12:38 AM