....God I’m not very good at this game but I’m getting gooderer at pool!

Saturday night is party night in Tena, but I am tired and accept a modest invitation for dinner at my God daughter’s Uncle’s house. What they fail to mention was that he has returned that day for his annual visit form the US.

Rocking up at the house, we step into it from the street into a designated pool room. Designated in that there is nothing else in the room except for a pool table and a large fridge containing nothing but beer. I kiss everyone and have the usual introductory conversation and I am invited to play. After potting a few lucky balls on the table, I am offered a glass of beer and as the hours progress it becomes clear what I am really being invited to play is an age old game called Ecuadorian drinking. It goes a little something like this..

One by one people circulate the room with a single glass and a large bottle of Pilsener beer. They pour a glass. You raise your glass. You say cheers. You are then required to drink this as quickly as possible so as not to keep everyone else waiting for their glass of beer. No sippage allowed. It’s impolite to refuse. You can get in quick and say ‘a ti’ - for you and then they have to drink… but then they pour you one anyway. Similarly this works against you if you are the one taking your turn to dole out drink, as people have the right to get you as drunk as possible by saying ‘a ti’ with every person you come to.

And if it’s realised that you’re above average at pool, the game is to try not to get drunk whilst everyone else is doing their best to get you as drunk as possible so you lose at pool. Amazingly the drunkerer I get the bettterer and gooder I become at pool… only I don’t appear to be winning anymore!