Caldo de galina for the soul.

Today was a day of lazing and basically doing nothing. Long needed and much enjoyed.
Back to the local fast food shop for a bowl of chicken soup, Caldo de galina; a local kwicha dish with a chunk of chicken and a piece of yucca in a chicken broth with spring onion and rice. Too good and just what I needed. Could only be made better with the addition of egg and lemon sauce!
Its neat to get back to speaking a few of the words I had learned. I enjoyed having basic conversations with the people at the lodge and was surprised at how much I picked up from the native people who speak Spanish quite slowly. The guides all spoke fluent Spanish and English but most of the native guides only Spanish and Kwicha. I’m sure they understood more English than they let on as I often caught Wilson smirking to himself when one of said something smart.

It was great to have some local food again too. Although the food at Sacha was exceptional it was predominantly international with a few local veg thrown in.

As I sat drinking my espresso duble earlier on I was thinking of the neat people in my group. Myself and 5 poms, and then there was an American and an Australian couple in our other group. An American and an Australian bird watcher made up the entire tram that arrived on the same day.
As usual theres always one who’s been everywhere, done everything, knows all there is to know even about the things they don’t know, doesn’t stop talking and is bloody hard work. But I guess thats what makes group trips so interesting and maybe why I like to travel alone.

Wandering back home from my lunch I popped into a bag store next to the hotel. Who should be there but the divine Senorita Lucia from the hotel. It is her son’s store and she was there visiting her father who was holding the fort. What an amazing lady. She never stops and has everything under control. I told her not to bother with my room as I was as only going to be out for a bit (and I made the bed before I left). But I get back, fresh sheets, new towels and the divine scent she uses permeating every corner. I adore her and would so like to do something special for her. But what? I guess some $ is the most useful.

I lazed the afternoon away then went to a little local place for dinner. I chose the Fritada which is the ‘national’ dish. Fried dry and crusty chunks of pork with hominy (big corn) salad and avocado. I should have stuck to the place I had been going to. Oh well I had a pastry in my room.
My lazy day had come to an end and quite frankly I could do with another.