''A plug socket, a bathroom tap, a jam jar or an airport sign may tell us more than its designers intended, it may speak of the nation that made it.'' (Alain de Botton)
Today I want to write about the little things that remind me how far I am from my cultural home. Like the door handles, all of which are round with a push-button lock in the centre; the rugs flung over the brick balconies to air in the sun; the rosaries hung from every taxi and car rear view mirror; the way people shake their hand instead of their head in order to say 'no'; the chirimoya and aguacate on the table where we would have apples or oranges; the petrol stations where nonchalant-looking teenagers in baseball caps fill the tank for you, with 'cinco de extra'. Breakfast is coffee and bread, lunch is rice, fried maduro (a variety of banana) and ''meat'' (often best not to ask after its origin), dinner mote and fried egg.
I tried to introduce the family to baked potato and baked beans (in Mike's honour), along with a decent cup of tea. But they ate the potato with rice, and with the tea they put ginger, lemon and so much sugar that it became sugar with tea rather than the other way around.
:)
So, life in Cuenca is still full of surprises (every 15 seconds girls ;)) and I'm sad to be planning my departure so soon. But I'm planning on a little more backpacking before returning to the land of fish and chips. Snorkelling, volcano-climbing and many a bus station await me.
Today I want to write about the little things that remind me how far I am from my cultural home. Like the door handles, all of which are round with a push-button lock in the centre; the rugs flung over the brick balconies to air in the sun; the rosaries hung from every taxi and car rear view mirror; the way people shake their hand instead of their head in order to say 'no'; the chirimoya and aguacate on the table where we would have apples or oranges; the petrol stations where nonchalant-looking teenagers in baseball caps fill the tank for you, with 'cinco de extra'. Breakfast is coffee and bread, lunch is rice, fried maduro (a variety of banana) and ''meat'' (often best not to ask after its origin), dinner mote and fried egg.
I tried to introduce the family to baked potato and baked beans (in Mike's honour), along with a decent cup of tea. But they ate the potato with rice, and with the tea they put ginger, lemon and so much sugar that it became sugar with tea rather than the other way around.
:)
So, life in Cuenca is still full of surprises (every 15 seconds girls ;)) and I'm sad to be planning my departure so soon. But I'm planning on a little more backpacking before returning to the land of fish and chips. Snorkelling, volcano-climbing and many a bus station await me.
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