Papa y Cuy

The favorite food of the sierra natives is fried potatoes and cuy  or better known in North America as guinea pig.  These guinea pigs taste just like they are called small pigs.  They are in many of the homes and run loose.  The dirt floors and smoke keep the animals healthy and the family feeds them anything green.  

While this little girl is holding the cuy like a pet, it is actually supper for the family.  

My Chance to be a Bandido

My childhood was spent playing cowboys and bandidos.  I always wanted to be the bandido but i usually had to be the cowboy.

We were hiking to pre-Inka ruins in southern Peru.  The altitude was 14000 ft which meant a person could walk or talk but not both.  We had been walking for what seemed forever, when out of nowhere this little old lady came running up to us and said in quechua, "Are you bandidos?  Are you going to steal my sheep?"

Finally, It was my chance to be a real true live sheep stealing  bandido. But i looked around and saw that #1 i would have to catch the sheep  #2 i would have to carry it but then i couldnt walk or talk because of the altitude and #3 this old lady would run circles around me hitting me with her sack.

So sadly I decided that I would have to wait till i was a little older to be a real true live sheep stealing bandido.