Pork Fried Rice?
Trip Start
Jan 21, 2010
1
10
56
Trip End
Jun 30, 2011
Where I stayed
Sunny's Guest House
yuanyang, Yunnan Province, China
Sunday, February 14, 2010
For one speck of Spam moment I considered leaving my hardened vegetarian ways in the name of new travel experiences and embracing the foods of China. That thought came to a screeching halt today as Carly and I left Geijui with the mission of welcoming the ‘Year of the Tiger’ a few hours south in Yuanyang, an ancient flooded rice terrace area known for amazing sunrises and sunsets off the mirrored fields.
I woke up this morning ready to try chicken, pig or cow, or actually…to be more accurate…to not question what is put on my plate but to just try it all. It is now 1800 and I have never been more of a die-hard, veggie loving herbivore. What happened? Well it started at 0630 on my daily run. The streets were quiet due to the holiday but as the sun started to rise and unveil hidden alleys, I saw where the action was. I almost tripped over a beheaded pig carcass as I dodged the gutted intestines being thrown into the gutter. Quick left to avoid the guillotine chicken line up and try to keep the shoes white by not stepping in a pothole of blood and guts. Apparently, spring festival is synonymous with public execution of farm animals to feast on during the holiday.
Trying to stay upbeat, I went back to the hotel, packed up and Carly and I got on the bus to the hills. Everything was going well until we arrived in the new city of Yuanyang where we changed buses to head to the old town where we were staying. Throw in the bus two American backpacks, three live hens, plastic bags filled with blood and random pig appendages and you’ve got yourself a party. The narrow and frequent turns up the mountain road in a small dingy bus and nostrils flooded with the sweet perfume of fresh kill mixed with cigarette smoke almost did me in, BUT, by some miracle I was able to survive. True to form, comedy is the only answer when faced with such an awful situation and watching the sympathy/amusement on the face of the ladies sitting in the front of the bus as they watched us try and protect our backpacks from the puddle of spilled blood creeping closer to us and our eyes grow wide as we saw the ease at which small women could hoist butchered animal parts and place them in their backpacks or strap to their heads, only made us giggle and eventually full on belly laugh. We got off the bus haggard but excited. You never know what to expect when traveling here and today was no exception.
I continually learn about myself and the world on this Chinese adventure but an old adage never rang more true for me today than, ‘if it ‘aint broke, don’t fix it’. I think I will stick with trying new varieties of fruit and veggies but will leave the meat for the locals.
Comments
Katie, this is SO well written! You now remind me of Julie from Julie & Julia. If you haven't seen the movie, you need to. Your writing is so amazing, it could be turned into a book just like on the movie. I think a book about Katie's travels would be an excellent seller - I would buy it! Keep on journaling, I love reading it! Hi to Carly! All my love! ~Jal