Eco-Tourism in the Rain Forests of Ecuador

Lorig swimming against the current in the Capahuari River.  (Capahuari means piranha in Achuar, the language of the locals . .  You'd think that would be reason enough not to go swimming in that river.) Photo Credit: Matt

The Pirannha that Matt caught (just look at those teeth!), which the cook fried up for dinner. 

Is that called turning the tables, or what?  Photo Credit:  Lorig

A caiman lurking in the reeds of the Capahuari River, Kapawi Lodge, Ecuador  . . .                        Photo Credit: Lorig

A Caiman of Ecuador in the Capahuari River. "Like all crocodilians, caimans eat a variety of fish, amphibians, turtles, birds and mammals   -- whatever creature happens to be unlucky enough to wander near them . . . "   Photo Credit:  Lorig

When Marash Girl expressed concern at her daughter's swimming in a river shared by pirannhas and caimans, she was told by her daughter, "The piranhas won't actually bite humans if they have enough other food.  And we were told that they have plenty of other food in the river."  Perhaps, but Marash Girl wonders what the caimans were thinking, and what her daughter was thinking that the caimans were thinking she was . . .

Quetzaltenango in Takoma Park

Indigena with coconut and machete.

Marash Girl's Spanish came flooding back to her as she chatted with the young man selling coconuts at the Farmer's Market in Takoma Park, Maryland.  

"The milk in the coconut is delicious!  Here . . . try it  . . . and then I'll cut the husk off of the coconut for you. . . . Yes, I'm from Guatemala.  I'm Indigena from Quetzaltenango . . . my people still speak their ancient language -- as I do...I'm here to help my family have a better life, 
because in Guatemala, jobs are few, and pay is less."  

Marash Girl remembered her years of studying Spanish -- how she had chosen to go to Antigua, Guatemala, to study Spanish, as the Guatemalan people she had met here in the United States had been kind to her, kind enough to slow down when speaking Spanish with her, had encouraged her in her efforts as she stumbled through her newly learned language. . . and this young man was no different.  "You speak Spanish well," he said, smiling as Marash Girl happily spoke to him in a language she once loved.

Moros y Cristianos: A meal fit for a king

Marash Girl's first visit to the home of Alfonso Munera and Lucia Mejia was when Alfonso, a scholar from Cartagena, Colombia, was at the University of Connecticut in Storrs on a Fulbright, and Lucia was teaching Spanish at the University.  Through the kindness of Arppie Charkoudian, Marash Girl was introduced to this wonderful young couple and became fast friends that long ago summer -- was it really over 20 years ago?  And so today, when she decided to prepare Moros y Cristianos (black beans and rice), Marash Girl immediately replicated, as she has been doing for many a year, the meal that Lucia made for her on the first day that she visited Lucia's home.  Although Marash Girl usually prepares this dish starting with dried black beans, she (as Lucia did that day after class) did not have the time to soak and cook the dried beans. Luckily she just happened to have a 15 oz. can of Ortega black beans sitting on her shelf, and let's see . . . yes, she had onions, and green peppers and fresh tomatoes!  So Marash Girl was ready to prepare dinner in 20 minutes.  Setting the rice ("Cristianos") on the stove to cook, she started chopping an onion, and set it in the fry pan with olive oil; while the chopped onions were sauteeing, she chopped a green pepper and added it to the onions; then chopped up three small "Italian" plum tomatoes, and added that to the vegetable mix sauteeing on the stove.  While all that was lending a heavenly aroma to the kitchen, Marash Girl opened the can of black beans (Moros), rinsed and drained the beans, and after about 10 minutes, added them to the vegetables.  Stirred that up a bit, simmered for a few minutes more, then with a flick of the wrist, added Kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper and Aintab red pepper (an Armenian touch which Marash Girl could not resist!)

Moros y Cristianos - Black Beans & White Rice

Voila. (Whoops! Sorry for switching to French!) A meal originating in Colombia, South America, a meal fit for a king.  Thank you, Lucia!