Sunday night was familial feast with music, food and laughter. I am amazingly comfortable with the family and their friends and as usual, entertain with my antics. I have always had that trait, a gift from my mother. Frank commented that he didn’t worry about me not fitting in. I played the bongos last night along with a couple of other instruments I cannot spell but they were fun and I did just fine.
Here when you have a party, the men provide the music for everyone and the women provide the food and serve it to the men. Maria kept holding this plate of this great dip with another plate of chips in front of me when I first got there. I thought she wanted me to take it and set it somewhere. After an spanglish explanation, I realized that I was suppose to take a chip and dip it. It was her way of offering thanks for my part in the entertainment Tony explained. Every time a new plate of appetizers was ready, one of the women would cruise the room with it for everyone to try. Men first, women, then children would take some and then it would be set down for all to eat. A cultural custom practiced in families for hundreds of years, didn’t take me long to enjoy it. Everyone here is so happy to see you and be alive in Puerto Rico.
Lots of things happened yesterday as Frank and I played our slugateer roles well. Up when we wanted, practiced music (work on Comfortably Numb and I Walk the Line you guys), visit with Tony’s family after church then a 2 o’clock breakfast. Pinchos with guanavana juice at a roadside truck sat down under a tarp in a chair and ate. A Pincho is chunks of chicken or pork on a stick, charcoal grille for a bit with real charcoal then choice of sauce. The juice was great but I can’t describe the taste in any manner as I have never had anything like it before. We sat and talked with the proprietor and he is going to squeeze us a gallon for next Saturday at no charge just because we like it so much.
The locals really don’t get much Americans around here. This part of the island is locals only for 99.5% of the time. You will see no motels, restaurants, etc… , they just don’t exist. We went to Crashboat beach yesterday and saw a couple of Americans, ate some more too. Then back to the house for Parranda described above. The end of Sunday, whew!
You are making us very hungry with all the festive food talk. Hope you are having fun and not getting too sunburned and sluggish (hey, what am I saying: you both are already the sluggateers.
Posted by: Claudia Bantel (Alice too) | 01/12/2009 at 10:16 PM
Wow! we didn't know we would be reading a book!! Alice, Lance and Claudia played a rousing game of Boggle tonight. We learned alot about what are really words in the dictionary and which ones are not words in the dictionary. We had 1/2 cooked brownies made by Alice which were very good like the batter. And then of course, we made Cabo Wabo 'ritas to make the evening fun for us all.
Posted by: Claudia Bantel (Alice too) | 01/12/2009 at 10:14 PM
What a great post, i laughed my ass off... Go Slugateers!
Posted by: Amalia | 01/12/2009 at 09:17 PM