Drink up!We made friends with the staff at our hotel in Sapa. Nga (sounds like nyuh), the only English speaking woman, was very friendly and at one point invited us to join them for some food and drink in the hotel lobby. Having come straight from dinner after that 25k hike, we weren't hungry at all, but that didn't seem to stop them. They poured first Josh and then me something yellowy from a bottle and made us drink up. Then we discovered that the bottle was half full of grub/worms. And then they poured us more (Josh in particular had 5-6 shots)- what could we do? We couldn't be impolite!
Check out those worms...
Nga also carefully fished out the best peices from the boiling pot of water sitting on a hotpad on the table. When I looked into my bowl I discovered some vegetables, some dark peices of liver and something decidely round and decidely white-clear and lumpy-looking. I decided it was pure fat very possibly from the spinal cord of some animal and with a bit of cartilege-type material attached, and I decided I would start with the better of the options- the veggies. Once those were gone, I nibbled at the liver. That's when we learned it was actually horse we were eating and that before we could go to bed I had to eat the jello-y peice because it was the very best part (she had very carefully found it in the pot for me). Mmmmmm.... I chewed on that thing for a long time and it never changed shape. But it slid right down the second time I swallowed (The first time I gagged. Politely, though. I don't think anyone noticed.)
Megan, Nga, and another hotel staff person (Nga somehow reminded me of you, Queenie, which made me miss you!!)
5 comments:
So what I want to know is what part was the "very best part" of the horse? Awww. . . black beauty it's okay. It's interesting, when we went to Zambia, they also eat a cartilidge-y part of the chicken (by the wishbone) and believe that to be a "favorite" part to eat. I tried it - it was. . . chewy, slippery, crunchy!
By the way, I'm so glad to read your blog - great job, guys. Many things remind me of our trip to Thailand, and yet, you are experiencing it in a whole different capacity! Melissa
I'm not sure if making you eat things you weren't crazy about or helping you learn to be polite served you the best in this situation, but you "dun good", Megan. Sure glad I didn't have to be that polite though. Ewwh!
I still don't know what the "best part" was exactly, but it basically was cylindrical- about the size of a quarter and about 1/2 inch long. And there was nothing about it that would indicate meat to me- it was entirely white-ish-clear and rubbery. And there was a bit of something opaque white attached to it. I just know that Nga carefully fished it out of the pot just for me!
oh, and thanks for teaching me some manners, mom!
Megan. I MISS YOU TOO! I was looking at the bottle that Josh was holding up. I have to say you both are so brave in trying those delicacies. I can never bring myself to try any insect related food. I guess some of my chinese genes must be missing. haha...
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