On my first trip to Hong Kong, I asked a cab driver to take us to a nice restaurant that served american style steak dinners. No problem, says he.
Off we go, up through some of the most delapidated buildings and people packed twenty to a foot...we end up in a small building with chickens and snakes hanging from wires. No one but the waiter spoke any english. So, trying to convey our request for a good steak...he nodded and said "yes"...we ordered.
The steak that came was a dark irregular mass of meat laid on a bed of white rice...very common in this country. It had a peculiar smell...but after determining that it was indeed edible, I dove right in. My first bite should have told me to get up and run...not wanting to be a "rude american" I took several more bites before I pushed it away and called the waiter back to ask about my food. In broken english, he asked if I was enjoying the savory flavor and pleasing aroma. I,of course, being the "rude american" that I was, I responded NO! It tastes like ****!
The look of utter contempt on his face and several loud shouts in chinese, I was informed that it was the "Best" dog they had and I should be more appreciative of the cooks culinary skills.
Well...I could not just get up and leave, so I had to keep smiling and look like I was enjoying the meal. My friend had opted for the more traditional meal of Cantonese fare.
Lucky him!
Funny how just retelling that story makes my mouth kinda pucker...I can still taste it.
A common saying in Hong Kong is: You only hear a dog bark once!
-------------------- Jackson Smart Jackson's Signs Port Angeles, WA ...."The Straits of Juan De Fuca in my front yard and Olympic National Park in my backyard...
"Living on Earth is expensive...but it does include a free trip around the Sun" Posts: 1000 | From: Port Angeles, Washington | Registered: Jan 1999
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Shortly after arriving incountry first time, I was delighted to spot a hamburger vendor on streets of Saigon...enjoyed them immensely until Lt. reminded us that there were no cows in Vietnam, more than likely it was water buffalo...damn...
-------------------- Frank Magoo, Magoo's-Las Vegas; fmagoo@netzero.com "the only easy day was yesterday" Posts: 2365 | From: Las Vegas, Nv. | Registered: Jun 2003
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I had a similar experience in South America. While participating in a week long air show, our group had to eat from the local food vendors on the airport.
One day I was pushed for time and the lines for food were really long at every food stand I found. There was one vendor line that was moving pretty fast and it looked to be a meat type product so I pointed at it. Thats how I ordered since I didn't speak the language.
Well after one bite I nearly hurled right then and there. I couldn't tell you if it was cat or dog but I'm sure it was one of the two. I just could not believe that all the locals were eating the same thing as if it were a juicy t-bone.
Take it from me, "not everything tastes like chicken"
Presentation is everything! I go to great pains to feed my snakes well.
[ February 12, 2006, 04:50 PM: Message edited by: Bob Stephens ]
-------------------- Bob Stephens Skywatch Signs Zephyrhills, FL
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