My coworker had just two days left before his three week family reunion was over and I sent him back to the States to do my work at the office. His flight was sceduled for Saturday night, but it was only Friday morning and there were still several people to see and say goodbye to.
The morning started slow for me. My coworker was up and out at 10:30am to meet a close friend of his grandmothers for a salteña lunch. His grandmother and this friend used to make salteñas together from scratch and he had been telling me how great they were for a week. But I couldn`t muster the energy to get out of bed and told him I would just meet him later when we were to meet his other tio and tia for a second lunch.
At 11am I got a phone call. He was sending a cab to pick me up (he didn`t trust my spanish to get me to the right location) and meet him at the house of his grandmother`s friend. My impression was that he was finishing up and I was only picking him up to head to the other lunch. That wasn`t exactly the case.
The cab arrived at 11:30. The driver spoke no english so I tried my best to talk to him in spanish. Him not speaking english wasn`t so important since my coworker had prearranged my trip. But he asked me how I knew my coworker. I told him and the driver went on and on about how great he was. It seemed like they had known each other for years. He asked me about the States and said he dreamed of driving a cab there, but that it was too hard to get a visa. I told him to keep trying. It was about all I knew how to say. When we finally arrived my coworker was waiting outside and pushed me towards the house door while asking our driver to wait. As we went into the house he explained he wanted to introduce me to everyone. Everyone?
In the dining room was a crowd of people; the family of his grandmother`s friend. I made the rounds. Then I was offered salteñas. Salteñas are delicious. But I knew we had a large lunch coming up shortly. But the sweet older woman who offered them seemed so earnest in wanting me to try one. I had two. Then three. All the while chatting with this group who took great pleasure in offering me English words and asking how much I liked La Paz. They were so warm and inviting I didn`t want to leave. And after three salteñas I really didn`t want another lunch. But my coworker finally said it was time to head to the next family. Our cab was waiting outside still and the dear old woman wrapped up two salteñas for me to take home. More food?
On the way, my coworker informed me that he had only just met our cabbie when he rode to the first lunch (cabbie spoke no english thus this was explained in english). The cabbie had told him work was slow lately so my coworker decided to give him more work by going to pick me up and then, later, taking us to his tio`s house. No wonder the guy liked him so much.
Our second lunch was with the same tio & tia I had joined for lunch the first time I was in La Paz. They were happy to see us again and I made my best effort to speak spanish as much as possible. Since I had no other choice. Lunch was incredible. Again. But I was full. Tia had made a comment during the first lunch I had with them that she was impressed by how I ate everything that was offered to me. This ran through my mind as I stared pleadingly at each dish brought out to the table. I was still so full from the salteñas and this food was adding to my misery. One of the cousins allowed me to dump my potatoes on his plate when tia wasn`t looking. That helped a bit. But by then end, after dessert, I couldn`t move.
My coworker spent time chatting with his cousin and uncle as I paced in circles around them hoping to quicken the digestion. It was of little help. I sat down, I stood up, I paced. I felt miserable. I don`t think I have eaten so much in my life. When it was time to leave, I thanked them repeatidly for the invitation and the meal. Then I stretched out in the cab. We stopped on the way home at a place our friendly cabbie thought I might find a cigar.
And then I stretched out on the front porch with a glass of wine (for digestion), my cigar, and waiting for two hours for the food to digest. It was all I could do. This was followed by a nap.
That night we were celebrating my coworker`s last night in Bolivia with a small get-together at the house and then a trip to the bar. A pizza the size of DC was ordered (I had heard about this pizza for three weeks), but I had no intention of eating it - still aching from my two lunches. While we waited four of us walked over to the markets across the street for the "party in a box". I heard heard tales of this as well. You can buy a party in a box: bottles of booze, cups, mix, and ice for about $20. Box secured we went back to the house. Tio Oscar came over as did my coworker`s friends that I stayed with my first night in La Paz. Drinks were poured and folk music was played. I think there might have even been a bit of dancing. I know Tio attempted to teach me how - to little success. And when we were just saucey enough, we headed to the bar.
The bar was a bit of a dive bar, but with a U2 cover band. We bought a bottle of rum and a bottle of coke and took our seats. Drinking continued way into the night as we toasted our time in Bolivia and basically everything that is Bolivia. When the bar finally kicked us out we stumbled home. I think we made it home around 5am. I can`t be sure. But I was still full. And there was another family lunch coming up soon...
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