Happy Andean New Year

According to the Incan Calendar, June 21 is the beginning of the New Year. In the Andean world, we are not in 2010. We are currently living in the year 5557. The Incas worshipped the sun and so to commemorate the New Year, each person hikes to some of the highest mountains to watch the sun rise. When the sun rises, you must raise your hands to receive its first rays and that will give you energy for the rest of the new year. The hike to the top of the mountain is treacherous and the altitude is outrageous so I decided to swallow my adventurous pride, just take the bus up and leave the hiking to the experienced locals instead. That turned out to be a very wise decision. I am a seasoned traveller but altitude sickness in Bolivia is very real! My host family warned me that I would not be able to handle the cold and advised me against doing the hike. Doña Petra also dressed me personally which annoyed me but I thanked her for it later. When I arrived on the mountaintop, I was wearing an undershirt, a long-sleeved shirt, a fleece and a bubblejacket as well as long johns, thick socks, jeans, some legwarmers, a scarf and a hat. I looked like an eskimo and for the first time in my life, I had an idea of what it must feel like to be a fat person. I was carrying so much weight on me, I was breathing heavy.

Anyway when we got there, there was much singing and several bonfires. I sat beside one of the bonfires and enjoyed the singing and dancing taking place. The one thing about celebrating Andean New Year is that you are required to share chicha with everybody. So every random person who is there, comes up to you, pours out some chicha, toasts and drinks with you. You have to put your hand in the chicha and sprinkle some outside, look the other person in the eye when you say cheers, drink and then they take your cup and drink from it as well. Now thats a lot of germs to share with people you don't even know. I tried to say no but its offensive to do that and so I have never shared so much food and alcohol with so many RANDOM strangers in my life.

After a few hours, my body was exhausted and so I decided to take a nap by the bonfire. Suddenly, there was much noise and commotion because the sun was about to rise. So I jumped up but my head was spinning and right before the sun was about to rise, I threw up in the middle of the crowd of people....TWICE! Without my knowledge, (and my host family later explained this to me), I had eaten a mixture of things that one NEVER mixes in Bolivia or anywhere for that matter. Not only had I eaten some buñuelo, then eaten a sandwich with egg, plaintain and chicken, but I had also drank api (a corn based drink)-- made by someone in the street which probably wasn't clean--, shared chicha--a heavy alcoholic beverage with a bunch of strangers-- and had some mate de coco while standing at the highest altitude my body has probably ever endured. And while I was vomitting a Llama was being sacrificed a few yards away. In the midst of my vomitting spree, I looked up and asked my friend, "Is that a llama?" Because I don't know about you, but I always ask about Llamas when I'm vomitting. My friends in Jamaica would attest to that. Seriously.

What a way to end year 5556!

Anyway, a Bolivian friend of mine grabbed me and pulled me up. She stuffed coco leaves in my mouth and told me to suck and chew on it. My Australian friend Kylie gave me some water to drink. Then the sun finally rose and there was dead silence among the crowd. I took off my gloves and let the first rays touch my hands and face, closed my eyes and like everyone around me, I silently said a prayer to the sun.

Then everyone began to sing and dance, the Llama was being cooked and people were drinking more chicha but I decided that throwing up was my cue to go home.

Getting home was difficult. I told my friends I would be fine and went alone like an idiot. I had to take a bus from the mountain top to Sipe-Sipe. The bus stopped a couple times for people to vomit and there were representatives from a local radio show that interviewed me and some other passengers about the New Year celebration. I am sure I was at my most articulate and by their facial expressions during my interview I am sure they would agree. Then, I took another bus from Sipe-Sipe to Quillacoyo, another one from from Quillacoyo to Cochabamba's main plaza and then I took a cab home from there. It took me a little over two hours. My head was spinning, my body was weak and by the time I got home I had a fever. Doña Petra nursed me back to life and explained that I was coming down with the flu. As much as this experience sounds horrible, it was actually really worth it because the celebration was so exciting and fun. However, its one of those things that I would probably only do once. You know, the first time was enough. I mean, I feel much better now and everything. But I have to say that my entrance into 5557, just was not sexy enough.