St. Kateri Tekakwitha

Finally.  After living 29 years with a almost saint patron, Kateri has finally been canonized!  Last Sunday was the canonization of my patron and I couldn't be more excited.  For a while I had deliberated actually going to Rome, but I decided it would be a bit wiser economically to celebrate it here at home.

We had a little Kateri Tekakwitha Canonization get together.  We dressed up in indigenous garb, at least what they taught us about in grade school and had lots of corn snacks, like popcorn, candy corn, corn chips, corn puffs, and corn dogs.  We figured that lienenkugel was the most appropriate beverage. 

Kateri was finally eligible for sainthood after her latest miracle.  In 2006 a five year old boy named Jake Finkbonner was playing basketball when he cut his lip.  It became infected with a flesh eating bacteria and within days he was on his deathbed when a priest, knowing of his native american descent, suggested that his family pray to Kateri.  Things looked grave and the family was talking of his organ donation, when suddenly he recovered.  His cure from the infection has been deemed medically inexplicable and is the miracle that allowed Kateri to become a Saint.  Finally.

While I was not able to go to the canonization in Rome, I hope to travel to La Crosse, WI where I have heard there is a beautiful shrine to her.  I am also lucky that I have an amazing friend (Ellen)  who was fortunate enough to be in Rome for the canonization and is sending me a prayer card from the ceremony. 

YAY for Kateri!!!

Bolivia

My trip to Bolivia not only added a new country to my list, but also a new Continent!  While it was simply a work trip I had a little time to relax and still enjoyed the thrill of a new place with new sights.

I arrived in Bolivia at El Alto Airport, which is rightfully named because it happens to be the highest city in the world.  I have not verified this fact, but it is at 4150 meters and the swift kick of altitude sickness would lead anyone to believe it.  Within 30 minutes of being at the airport I saw someone on the ground and passed out from the height.  I only had a short layover so I went to my gate and slept the feeling off until I was called to the gate to board for Cochabamba, Bolivia.

I was not sure what to expect of Bolivia, except that it happens to be a very poor country and they speak Spanish.  From what I saw, both proved to be very true.  I was quickly the uninformed American overtipping everyone at the hotel...

Bolivia was also full of lots of color, energy and Alpaca!  Okay, I don't know that I actually saw alpaca, but it is a huge part of their economy and I came home with a soft warm Alpaca vest.  The colors were everywhere. The city buses looked like school buses, but each one was painted a unique vibrant pattern.

Cochabamba sits up in the Mountains.  Literally.  I have never seen any city like it.  It sits in a valley in the middle of the mountains.  It was absolutely beautiful.   Since I arrived early I was able to partake in the ancient worldwide tourism fad of going up high to look down at the city.  I rode a 'sky glider' to a huge hill in the middle of the city where the giant Christ statue overlooks the entire city.  The Christ statue is surrounded on all sides by the city below.  It's as though the entire city sits within a crater.  The boarder of the city is surrounded by mountains.  Within the crater there was one lake and a few winding roads that follow the mountains off to the other major cities.

These are pictures of the hotel.  It was a five-star hotel with the most slippery hotel floors EVER.  It also happened to be my first experience with turn down service.  (I think that it what it is called?). Each night I would return to room and the shades would be drawn, with the nightstand lamps on and the corner of the comforter folded down and a chocolate on my pillow.

Lastly, my food reviews.  I don't have any pictures, but the doctor I worked with from Bolivia was very proud of their trout.  It was excellent.  I also tried duck, yucca (similar to potato, and awesome), plantains (i guess cooked banana), and arroz con queso (this sort of cheesy rice).  Loved them all.  I also learned about a new drink called Pisco Sour.  I did not know what was in it at the time, but Pisco is a type of Brandy from Peru.  The drink also contains egg whites and I would assume whatever else is in a typical 'sour.'  I can't find any specific recipe.

 My work went well and my trip was quick.  I returned so quickly it was hard for me to believe that I had been so far away.