vaga #4/4 Meals

That was also a shock especially because I left for the north, everything was poor, and it was my first week in Asia. Here there are fewer influences from the rest of the country and because of how poor it is, the meals are adjusted to poverty.

Part IV

How disgusting were the things I witnessed, I do not think I will find it at this extreme again, and do not worry it will be the only chapter with this menu. Sapa market, I had never seen such a large quantity of disgusting food, nothing is left over from the animals' meat, skinny chickens, a lot of buffalo insides, pig  and even dogs, they eat everything ... there is logic, but seeing it on display for oneself and the first time it is strong. I went through those corridors, the first day I spent rushing without looking at much and for the third time I was able to take some photos, always feeling somewhat uncomfortable about my lack of respect. Beautiful vegetables and a huge variety, those are sold by the natives who come down from the mountains, a variety of rice, rice flour, some made as noodles, which are long, short, wide, semi-skinny, very thin, curled, flat and tubular, the variety is impressive. On the second floor, groceries, clothes, materials for handicrafts were what was most requested; fabrics, threads, beads… … one can eat at a big table, essentially it is for the people who come from the surrounding areas. There I saw the first teenaged girl on a motorcycle wearing traditional clothes, on the scarf that is  on her head that she never takes off she puts the helmet over it, those are the contrasts that surprise me. Saturday was bustling.

And I repeat, my photos are from what I see, not just dreamy landscapes, or wonderful temples, culture in its wide range. Disgusting everywhere for me, but that's how you live here at least in the north, I don't know how many times I had been fooled I'm sure I've eaten those things, in a soup, or spring roll, to say the least !!!! ! LOL !!!

dozens of different wrappers with different types of leaves with shapes, sizes, colours for me, they were all suspicious, nor did I dare to investigate, however it gave me a tremendous curiosity ... ... what was inside? Then over time I saw that there are many enigmatic packages throughout Southeast Asia, but they are few compared to those in this market. Only when I walk with a local and buy it, and I try it,  I see what there is, I try it and no problem, in the future one can recognise the packaging, but  nope  they change their design according to the region or wrapping, they use the most accessible to wrap the food, therefore it is a return to the enigmatic wrappers. The wrapping is the way of transporting the product, whether it is rice, sausages or special preparations.

most of these photos had been discarded for obvious reasons, but they will be enough to give the idea

here is something spicy accompanied by the others, at least the colour gives pleasure to compensate and not completely leave this chapter submerged in disgusting things, my eyes do not discriminate what they see

This is the chicken for my New Year's dinner, I was kindly invited by the owner of the “family stay” in Ta Van, she is a woman from Hanoi far away from poverty, and the food is like that …

or seeing dogs ready for sale, they told me that they no longer eat dogs and I showed this photo," so don't tell me they don't eat dogs… ." (near Hanoi) otherwise I did not see any dogs ​​or strays, or owners walking any dogs. Several months later in Jakarta I saw someone walking a golden retriever, I was so happy that I took a picture of it, how one can miss them even just seeing them.

In the Hanoi area there are snake farms, they are commonly eaten, an exquisite dish by the locals, and expensive, only for certain occasions, and you can even visit them in the farms, you will understand that I was not feeling it. Bottles with pickled bluurgh snakes     ... I couldn't look at them, I had to make up my mind to take a photo. Now comes when I got the courage and a lot of courage more than any adventure in the field, snake alcohol… . LOL    I hate them, I was going on a forced tour to get to know the Mekong River delta outside of Saigon, we passed by a typical food demonstration stand and there it was, snake liquor, “cobra” strain. A tourist was encouraged, said, and he said it tasted like gin. I took a very very very deep breath and said; one for me too, it's the craziest thing I've done, let's live the culture, never in my life will I have this opportunity, nor am I interested in looking for it, much less tasting it. A few days later I was leaving Vietnam, so I took my last chance with this. I was finishing this country with a goldenseal…. unforgettable. I asked for a photo to be taken because I didn't believe it and no one was going to believe it haha, haha I have not done any other culinary irresponsibility and I have no intention of venturing there again.

I finish this chapter without disgusting photos out of respect for the readers