Now I Can Say I Tried It

Today was one I´ve been waiting for. All the teachers insisted that going to Tipon was the best place to try the real Peruvian delicacy. After classes I tried to take the test for which the school can give students an actual grade. It didn´t go well at all since yesterday was the first day I have started studying in the intermediate group, and the test they gave me today was the intermediate test, but I have been studying the basic class for three weeks. I felt a bit set up to fail, and I know my Spanish is better than that test made me feel. I needed a break from school, and had plans to go out to lunch with several girls to a nearby town called Tipon. Five of us squished all into one cab, clown car style, and made the twenty minute drive full of excitement about trying this special dish. Our cab driver took us to a good place he knew of, where we ordered one cuy to share among us. A cuy is a guinea pig...yes, the beloved American pet! It is cooked in an adobe oven and generally served whole. We became a bit sqeemish as we watched cuys being delivered to other tables. The waiter would generally bring it to present, then divide it into portions with a cleaver for however many were at the table. I think because we were clearly tourists ours was delivered sin cabeza and was already portioned. I asked the taxi driver (who had remained with us) ¨¿donde esta la cabeza?¨ and he promptly brought it over, informing us it was one of the best parts. We found the meat very chewy with what I assume is a gamey type of taste. There was, obviously, very little meat on the poor beast, and it was a messy job trying to find it. It was generally pretty awful, and we went directly to a cake shop upon our return to Cusco to cleanse our pallets with some chocolate cake. Now at least I can say that I have tried it, and I would also like to say I think I have come a long way from being a vegetarian 2 months ago!