A clown a day

Back in Quito, bloody crazy Ecuadorians. I had counted on getting an upset stomach, I had counted on seeing Guinea Pigs on the barbie but I hadn't counted on seeing a bloody clown nearly everyday of my Ecuadorian life! I hate clowns, they are creepy and scary and not in the least bit funny. Yet here they are clogging up the lovely old colonial streets of the Old Town with their nasty clowny ways. Something must be done about it.

Apart from that life is good. Twas very sad to say goodbye to our family and the little boys. On our last night Marco bought some firewood and we sat around the loungeroom in front of the fire and downed some wine. In the morning they made us promise to come back to Otavalo as their guests in June for the big fiesta and Yolly packed us off with some pastries for the trip. Such a lovely, lovely family - not to mention a bit crazy and absolutely hilarious - just my kind of people. Little Marquito even gave me his beloved recorder as a farewell gift, I could have cried!

Our last day of school was sad too. Smiley Juan was quite forlorn but I gave him a wee bottle of whiskey and a big hug which cheered him up. Eds teacher offered to take him to a shaman for a 'cuy reading' - picure this - the patient gets naked, a live guinea pig is waved around their body. Guinea pig is then strangled, an autopsy performed where any illness in the guinea pig should be reflected in the person. Guinea Pig as X-ray machine or scanning device if you like. All for 7 bucks (and you can take the Guinea Pig home and eat it later if you fancy.) Luckily for Ed the shaman was all booked up. Weirdly everyone from my teacher to Yolly (who is a dentist) actually believes it works. Smiley Juan swears thats how he found out he had gall stones. Crazy, clowny Ecuadorians.