unknown sweets, etc.

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on the bus from 'can tho' to 'cao lanh', i was offered a sample of a sweet. it resembled raw meat but i wasn't able to figure it out, nor sadly buy any before i was kicked off the bus. my stop came up far too quickly for me to figure it out or buy any. i was pulling out the money when they got fired up and said this is my stop (it was more of a shouted YOU!!-many people have rudimentary english skills-i am used to being called, usually loudly, YOU!!!!!!). so out i went just like that.

all was not a bust though. at the "highway" intersection where i was dropped off, there was a vendor with some delicious food stuffs. i had fresh fried eggplant, tomato, green beans and mirleton(sp). umm umm good. missed a few minivans while waiting but more were on the way. at least i hoped so.

in cao lanh i ordered a dinner that i had seen many locals eating. it consisted of a pot of 'soup' cooking at the table with vegetables added by the patron. i went for it. i pointed at the meat i wanted in my soup and sat down. well, i got the soup but the meat wasn't quite what i expected. i received cow tongue in place of the nice looking meat i had pointed at. it was fine and got better the longer it stewed but i am sure i would have preferred the other, maybe not?. it was good fun eating though, as i called over the mamasan and asked her to show me what to do. she called another who commenced to helping out and a third brought over a bottle of homemade brew. so we did some nasty shots and i ate cow tongue. was it the cow's tongue that was good, or the company? i do like strange food stuffs.

did i mention i had 6 kids around me for most of my dinner? they were good fun. i offered all some soup but none accepted. they were more quick to accept the post dinner snack i bought for them. all but one little girl who was very reluctant. she finally caved in.

p.s.
the cow tongue could have easily been a local delicacy, chuo dong. which is -------------------------------------------------rat. see things can always take a turn for the worse. actually, i wanted to and still want to try it. however, i was only able to find the live variety before taking my leave of cao lanh. shucks ma!!

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