Being close to equator means that the sun rises around 6 in the morning, and sets around 6 in the evening. Everyday. If you happen to stay in a mud-clay hut built by an Indian who believes in the sun it also means that the only windows is facing east. It also means you are woken up at 6 in the morning at dawn. So were we.
Today was a very special day. Topoco had suggested that he would slaughter one of his animals - a llama - when we came to his place. After breakfast he and a helper went to the llama herd and picked out an animal and brought it back to the "kitchen" in front of the mud hut - and cut the throat of the llama. Malene and Jes watched the whole show including rituals of throwing fresh blood on the outside of the house. Then Topocos helper spent most of the morning cutting and butchering the dead animal. A nice reminder about where most of our meat comes from - live animals.
Another part of the ritual included feeding the remaining 77 llamas so we had the opportunity to sit right next to them while they chewed away on some straw provided by Topoco. They seemed to enjoy it a lot.
Then we helped putting up two flagpoles. One with a Swedish flag and another with a traditional Bolivian indian flag. Topoco explained the meaning of all the colours to us. Then lunch, a siesta and in the afternoon getting the clay oven fired up so it would be ready for llama roast, potatoes and plantan.
The meat and potatoes needed two hours roasting, the plantan only about an hour. We were served meat, three different kinds of potatoes and plantan for dinner as darkness feel on the camp. The different parts of the llama now hanging on the outside wall of the clay hut, No electricity - no fridge.
Today was a very special day. Topoco had suggested that he would slaughter one of his animals - a llama - when we came to his place. After breakfast he and a helper went to the llama herd and picked out an animal and brought it back to the "kitchen" in front of the mud hut - and cut the throat of the llama. Malene and Jes watched the whole show including rituals of throwing fresh blood on the outside of the house. Then Topocos helper spent most of the morning cutting and butchering the dead animal. A nice reminder about where most of our meat comes from - live animals.
Another part of the ritual included feeding the remaining 77 llamas so we had the opportunity to sit right next to them while they chewed away on some straw provided by Topoco. They seemed to enjoy it a lot.
Then we helped putting up two flagpoles. One with a Swedish flag and another with a traditional Bolivian indian flag. Topoco explained the meaning of all the colours to us. Then lunch, a siesta and in the afternoon getting the clay oven fired up so it would be ready for llama roast, potatoes and plantan.
The meat and potatoes needed two hours roasting, the plantan only about an hour. We were served meat, three different kinds of potatoes and plantan for dinner as darkness feel on the camp. The different parts of the llama now hanging on the outside wall of the clay hut, No electricity - no fridge.
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| Breakfast in the "kitchen" |
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| Topoco's place |
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| Cooking stove |
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| Llama for dinner |
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| Some fresh blood on the wall - ritual |
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| Cutting the llama up |
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| Getting the flagpoles ready |
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| Feeding llamas |
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| Flagpole done |
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| Getting the oven ready for fire |
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| Have to be hot |
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| Quiet in the afternoon |
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| Cutting the meat for dinner |
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| Meat and potatoes in place |
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| Closing the oven |
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| Fridge |
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| Fabulous view of the countryside |
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| Llama, plantan and potato - dinner |
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