definitely does NOT taste like chicken

Before I put a nail in this year's hi-jinx and fun, I have been asked by several people "Why are you such a clown?"... wait a second... umm sorry, wrong question... what I meant to say is many people are asking "What did you eat whilst traipsing about Ecuador?"

Heather is grumpy smurf until she receives her morning cafe latte fix...

Of course, given we are in the tropics, tropical fruit abounds.
We snacked all day on a wide variety of interesting shaped, and tasty yummies.

 Fruit stand in Banos...

Riad going B-A-N-A-N-A-S...

Again with the giant phallic fruit... ugh... looks like a peapod from the Land of the Lost, actually a guarana.

On occasion, we would be exhausted, and simply could not fathom the grueling grind of peeling our own fruit... luckily there was plenty of fruit saladarias about... yep, just like one would go for frozen yogurt in SoCal, in Ecuador, you go for a colorful fruit salad.

Our staple meal was pollo a la planche (chicken breast beaten into a thin sheet of deliciousness) and chicken sopa (chicken soup for the soul)...

Although we were in the Andes and the jungle (not along the coast), there was plenty of ceviche and we dove right in...
A small Cevichochos, serving up maize, unpopped corn, white fish ceviche with onion and pico...

And this folks, is the most perfect bowl of ceviche we have ever tasted... a tiny little hole in the wall in Tena, the afternoon of NYE... shrimp in a broth, beautifully seasoned, with a hint of spicy... magic in your mouth... I cried a single tear on our last scrumptious spoonful.

After the day of rafting, our guides Tovias and Daniel took us out to THEIR Ecuadorian local restaurant... again, a little divey hole called Toro Asado down the street from the bus station.

In keeping with its name... a giant slab of carne asada... "umm excuse senor, there must be some mistake, I ordered the LARGE steak?!?!"

And of course, our ole favorite, sopa, but instead of straight up chicken, it is served with the chicken "parts"... foot, liver, heart... I connected with this chicken after eating this soup...

So before I write the last note on food, may I just say... cuter the animal does not mean less delicious.... and further, just because our Western sensibilities claim to "connect" to certain four legged friends, other countries do not share the same ideas.

Cuy is the Kichwa (indigenous community) word for Guinea Pig and is considered a delicacy.
And with deep respect and apologies to my dear friend Janine, who shares her work space with her little buddy Guinea Pig... I had had had to try it...

The Cuy is roasted outside on a spit, then served with potatoes and a light side salad.
What does it taste like... a gamey pig...

So after finishing up the Cuy plate, I was left with the head, which included the tiny little guinea pig brain... yep so at the encouragement of a nutty American from New Orleans, Daren... 3 of us actually tried Guinea Pig brain... the brain is that white stuff at the end of those knives...

YES... Guinea Pig brain tastes exactly as how you would imagine Guinea Pig brains might taste like... AWFUL...

I actually apologized to two pigs outside later, begging for their forgiveness...