Today was simultaneously: The Festival of Cowboys, Dia del Tamal, and the Colombian futbol game.
Apparently, here in Ibague (capital of Tolima, a department in Colombia), they have festivals every other day, or some other inordinate frequency. Today, it was the Festival of the Cowboy. That meant that children walked through the streets with toy horses, while real dwarf horses (I couldn’t help but think of Tyrion) were led through the streets.
We had to make our way through this throng (at 9:30 am) to the office where we were having our meeting (to coordinate our people for ANOTHER festival happening this Sunday), and we ran into the festival of Tamales.
What comes next is slightly disgusting, but I’m supposed to EAT one of these this Saturday. The very first thought I had, even before, “I shouldn’t name this one,” was, “Lord of the Flies.”
“We did everything adults would do. What went wrong?”
Immediately after I saw Mr. Piggy Went to Market, I received one of these nice little cards.
After the meeting, Eitan (U.K.), Beatrice (Italy), John (USA), and I went to the Tamale Festival and ate tamal. Beatrice and I shared. Here, tamales are wrapped in papaya leaves, not corn husks, so they have a slightly (but no less delicious) flavor.
Then we went in search of a TV for Beatrice to watch the Italian game. Unfortunately, they lost (did anyone see Suarez BITE the Italian player? Isn’t that illegal on all nine planets?) Luckily, we had this cheese and dulche de leche donut to cosole us in our misery.
After that, we went to the bar to watch the game. It was a smashing success! (no cannibals in this match).
This is my “haven’t bought sunscreen yet, sitting in the sun” solution. This face is a result of my rapt concentration on the very important question of, “where does that player rank on my Asian scale of hotness?”
We won, 4-1, and advance to the next round. The USA plays Germany on Thursday and if we tie, we both advance. I really need that to happen…
Until tomorrow!
-Kristina
Traveler at the Edge 