Energy Bath; Ecuadorian Traditions; New Year’s Eve; Texas Tradition Continues

Heavenly La Mirage
Equatorial Energy Bath

This special treatment is oriented towards the total relaxation of the entire body. Incorporated in this treatment are stones, energized in the Equatorial Sun, and natural formations found in the volcanic rocks of this mystical region. Both of these elements influence the mind, spirit and soul.

I was immersed in a warm bathtub that looked like a cave covered in crystals. A roaring fire was burning in the fireplace. I was given crystals to hold in each hand and crystals were gently rubbed on my face, arms, and legs. Rose petrels were added to the bath. The ritual bath combines crystal energized water, mineral salts, medicinal herbs and the aroma of the medicinal Palo Santo plant found in the Machalilla National Park of Ecuador.

The therapist then assisted me onto the massage table and covered me with warm blankets! She then proceeded to align my Chakras (which are the center force, located within our esthetic body) which are very important in restoring the natural harmony of the body. Then I was given a full warm stone body massage.

After the treatment I was led to the eucalyptus room which had exotic candles burning as well as salt lamps and a nice fire in the fire place. My feet were placed on a cushion and I was served a delicious hot tea.
The entire treatment was magical!

Twelve Grapes at Midnight or Black-eyed peas?

It’s a tradition to eat Hoppin’ John, a stew made of black-eyed peas, in the American South. “Many Southerners believed that the black-eyed peas symbolized coins and eating them insured economic prosperity for the coming year”. Well no blackened peas here.

The Ecuadorian New Year’s custom is to eat 12 grapes for 12 months of good luck. But here’s the catch: to bring about a year’s worth of good fortune, you must start eating the grapes when the clock strikes midnight, then eat one for each toll of the clock. The best strategy? “Just take a solid bite and then swallow, pits and all.

Apparently New Year’s is a much bigger holiday than Christmas even though the Ecuadorians are about 95% Catholic. One of Latin America’s most colorful — and bizarre — traditions is the year-end burning of the dummies. When the clock ticks over to 2014 an observer with a good vantage point in will behold an other-worldly sight of thousands of burning dummies and a sky filled with smoke and fireworks. Think Danté’s hell. Think Mad Max. Think Happy New Year.

Most dummies, called año viejos because they represent the old year, are made of cloth and filled either with sawdust, ground cardboard, straw, or leaves. Others are made of paper maché. Dummy faces are masks representing everyone from presidents and city councilmen to wayward family members. Most of the masks are paper maché and hand-made, although some are manufactured plastic. The dummy’s’ stuffing often contains firecrackers and, occasionally, Chinese rockets, which are set off during the immolation. These sacrificial offerings do not go gently into that good night.

The dummy tradition goes back at least two centuries, but its origin is largely a mystery. Visitors to Ecuador report the practice in the early 1800s. Several history books report, without providing sources, that the practice combines ancient Andean ritual with Spanish rites of the 1700s, most likely connected with the Feast of St. Joseph. Although it began in Ecuador, the tradition was spread, reportedly by Catholic priests and monks, to other Latin American countries.

The meaning of the event seems simple enough: out with the old and, we can assume, in with the new. It’s the symbolic catharsis and purification. For good measure, many celebrants jump over the burning or smoldering dummies three times at midnight. Each year, several of the dozens of folks who show up in emergency rooms on New Year’s Eve have the misfortune of jumping into an exploding rocket.

Although the burning are practiced all over Ecuador. On New Year’s Eve, the city sees dozens of neighborhood block parties, complete with bands, open bars, and roaming and noticeably unsteady troubadours accompanied by barking dogs. The highlight of the evening in every corner of the city is the burning of the dummies in the streets.

Although politicians are popular dummies and Presidents Rafael Cornea and Barak Obama will burn hundreds of times during the night, some are of friends and family members of the cremators. Many turnings aren’t simply acts of “good-riddance,” but are conducted with hopes of cleansing bad habits. According to Ecuadorian writer Juana Córdova Pozo, “This tradition is a powerful feature of our culture. For us, it is an important act of renewal. It helps us to partly erase the past, both the good and bad. We are leaving things behind that must be left behind.”

“For many, the fire is a symbolic element that has the ability to scare off evil –- which we literally see vanishing in the smoke.”

New Year’s Eve: La Mirage Style

So what do the Henry’s have in common with the Queen of Spain? Well we both have spent New Year’s Eve at La Mirage. Unfortunately the Queen was not present this year but lots of interesting people certainly were.

What better way to start 2014 than at La Mirage? Well it certainly was not a mirage but a magical evening with making new friends, splendor of La Mirage all decked out in decorations, fine dinning, good wine, fireworks and dancing. I think pic’s can describe this better than anything I can write.

Prayer in the La Mirage Chapel before dinner.

Senior Michel decided to pair Bill and I with another couple for dinner. Turns out that they had both lived in Arlington not far from our house. Nancy is an RN and worked at Arlington Memorial Hospital. She knew a friend of mine from Desert Storm and a friend of Bill’s from Downtown Singles. This certainly makes me believe in the Six Degrees of Separation theory.

Nancy and Martin currently live in Quito and told us where we can find real cheddar cheese! Oh my a trip to Quito is in our upcoming plans.

Texas friends: Martin & Nancy.

Our table.

Martin and Chef. Later the chef drove us home…how nice is that?

Me!

Fire works start outside. Note the USA flag!

Dummy to be burned at La Mirage!

Bill with some sort of rocket!

Billy boy ready to party!

Dinner Menu

Amuse Boucher – offered by Chef

Rabbit Ravioli in Red Wine Reduction

Quail Consommé

Sherbet of Albahaca

Ginger Tempura Prawn & Grilled Grouper with Crab Meat in a delicate Mandarin Sauce

Sherbet of Green Apple with White Wine

Argentinean Lamp Chop, on top of Quino Llapingacho filled with Goat Cheese, Mint Sauce

Sherbet Guanabana with Champagne Accent

Seared Duck Breast with a rich orange cinnamon reduction, Boutique Potatoes

Phyllo Baked Pear, Ruby Port Reduction

Homemade Rose Sherbet with petals, atop Cherry Brandy Roulade

To be honest The print on the menu was so small and along with the candle light I did not realize what I ate until going back over this menu for my blog! I have to admit every was delicious but oh my rabbit, duck, goat cheese and lamb are not something I would ever order much less consume. The portions were petit otherwise we never would have made it through so many courses. I am so glad I did not know I did not know what was eating. Thank havens it was not Guinea Pig!

My brother reminded me as is our family tradition to say “rabbit”at midnight. Of course I forgot yo do this as well as forgot to eat those 12 grapes. I wonder if eating rabbit will count instead of actually saying “rabbit”? I doubt the rabbit would agree.

New Year’s Day Breakfast

Bill wanted to host New Year’s Day breakfast for the folks in our HOA just like he did in Texas. He made breakfast tacos. I made Mora (raspberry) enchiladas to replace the standard cherry that I make and to be honest they were better than the cherry. We served Bloody Mary’s and had a great time getting to know our neighbors better. It was such a hit they want to something similar each month taking turns hosting. Honestly, I thought that this was one tradition we would leave in Texas! But Bill enjoys this event so much each year! He does the majority of the work. Usually we do not go out on New Years Eve but this year we went to La Mirage and did not get home until around 1a so it was a challenge to get up early and start to haul everything to the club house. I had to go to a neighbors to cook the Mora enchiladas since I do not gave an oven.

We have a young Ecuadorian couple that have a baby and a little boy that will be building a house in March. The both speak English and were such a delight. They used to have 2 rose plantations so we will be able to get lots of advise on growing flowers. The young women said she will help us with Spanish and in turn we will help her with English. The two children will be surrounded by lots of San Miguel grandparents.

Happy New Year to all our friends and family! The adventure continues!