A Snake in the Grass: Part I
Snakes are symbolic in literature across the world. In many cultures they represent temptation, evil, and ominous events. In others, they are more positively depicted for ingenuity, luck, and even strong sexual potency. I wish my story were one of light, but unfortunately snake led us to darkness.
I had made several trips and phone calls to the local Backpacker on Ma May street to set up a Snake Village tour for our group that they were offering. It was only US$18 as long as we could get six people. I didn't think that was a problem, and it wasn't. Only three of our group of 19 decided to forego the optional exploration of handling and eating snakes.
The night was set up perfectly. I was able to secure for our large group our own private taxi so that we wouldn't have to walk all of the way to the backpacker to catch our ride. We arrived at the restaurant earlier than our Australian guide, Adam that I had met with previously. The servers took the time to let us handle surprisingly docile snakes. I was amazed that the creatures didn't bite for all of the rough-handling the servers were doing with them. I'll admit though that it was hard to watch the snakes show the aggravation through their body movements, even if not through biting. Then one of the idiots removed a cobra from the cage, a highly dangerous creature. The handler even had the face of an idiot.
Adam arrived with a half dozen other foreigners that had obviously been enjoying themselves prior to the excursion. It was now 8pm. He led our group through an introduction of the night's purpose and events. Snake, and especially snake heart, is a highly prized meat in Vietnam. It is an aphrodisiac for both men and women and only the affluent can afford it. I can't decide if this part is culturally practiced or a show for the tourists, but individuals would have the opportunity to rip a still beating heart from a live snake with only their teeth if they would like. I wanted to try snake heart BEFORE I heard this part. I'll try most things once, but this goes against every inch of my flesh that is an animal rights activist. I'd prefer the snake to be killed quickly and humanely, thank you. Three of the young men in our group and every single one of the other foreigners opted for snake heart though. Time for the show.
The servers brought out a bag of snakes. One by one they would slit the chest of a snake, finger out its heart, and the young man would kneel on his knees to tear the cardiac tissue from the body with only his teeth. Afterwards, he would take a sip of freshly juiced blood from his snake. The stomach of the snake was then opened and juiced and a bile glass taken by the young man. I was surprised no one blew chunks. The server would then snap the still writhing body of the snake hard against the wooden floor and the gaping mouth gasping in pain would stop forever more.
We were all then directed to mats around the table. The glasses of blood and bile were disbursed among us for their contents to be shared into our individual shot glasses. Snake blood did not go down so easy. I was even more skeptical of bile, but that was not bad. It tasted more like rice wine than anything. Then we received plates of snake stir fry, snake spring rolls, snake meat balls, snake ribs, and sticky fried rice. The whole time Adam is encouraging massive amounts of drinking and the rice wine is disappearing quickly. Our group is clearly divided into the party-goers and the nots. I don't drink anymore after one shot of blood, one shot of bile, and one shot of rice wine. I pig out on the meat balls and ribs instead since they are D-licious!
I make it a point to check with the group under my breath, especially the Dr. to ensure that everyone is comforatable aroudn teh debauchery and they know we can leave at any time. About fifteen minutes later we depart. Half of the group has chosen to return to the backpacker hostel with Adam and the other foreigners for more drinking and a pub crawl. I tell them to make smart choices, look out for one another, stick to the buddy system, and make sure they have hotel cards with my number. The other half of us get in our taxi and return to the hotel.
I return to my room to drop off by bag and head back downstairs to reenter the night. There's a knot in my stomach about the half of the group we left behind. I take a moto to the backpackers and give the receptionist my name and number to be used in case one of our students may encounter an emergency. We nod one another a goodbye and I take off walking back to the hotel, drifting in and out of streets set up with second-hand merchandise booths. Finally I hire a taxi back to the hotel and quickly fall asleep.
Shot I: snake blood Shot II: snake bile
Delicioso...
I had made several trips and phone calls to the local Backpacker on Ma May street to set up a Snake Village tour for our group that they were offering. It was only US$18 as long as we could get six people. I didn't think that was a problem, and it wasn't. Only three of our group of 19 decided to forego the optional exploration of handling and eating snakes.
The night was set up perfectly. I was able to secure for our large group our own private taxi so that we wouldn't have to walk all of the way to the backpacker to catch our ride. We arrived at the restaurant earlier than our Australian guide, Adam that I had met with previously. The servers took the time to let us handle surprisingly docile snakes. I was amazed that the creatures didn't bite for all of the rough-handling the servers were doing with them. I'll admit though that it was hard to watch the snakes show the aggravation through their body movements, even if not through biting. Then one of the idiots removed a cobra from the cage, a highly dangerous creature. The handler even had the face of an idiot.
Adam arrived with a half dozen other foreigners that had obviously been enjoying themselves prior to the excursion. It was now 8pm. He led our group through an introduction of the night's purpose and events. Snake, and especially snake heart, is a highly prized meat in Vietnam. It is an aphrodisiac for both men and women and only the affluent can afford it. I can't decide if this part is culturally practiced or a show for the tourists, but individuals would have the opportunity to rip a still beating heart from a live snake with only their teeth if they would like. I wanted to try snake heart BEFORE I heard this part. I'll try most things once, but this goes against every inch of my flesh that is an animal rights activist. I'd prefer the snake to be killed quickly and humanely, thank you. Three of the young men in our group and every single one of the other foreigners opted for snake heart though. Time for the show.
The servers brought out a bag of snakes. One by one they would slit the chest of a snake, finger out its heart, and the young man would kneel on his knees to tear the cardiac tissue from the body with only his teeth. Afterwards, he would take a sip of freshly juiced blood from his snake. The stomach of the snake was then opened and juiced and a bile glass taken by the young man. I was surprised no one blew chunks. The server would then snap the still writhing body of the snake hard against the wooden floor and the gaping mouth gasping in pain would stop forever more.
We were all then directed to mats around the table. The glasses of blood and bile were disbursed among us for their contents to be shared into our individual shot glasses. Snake blood did not go down so easy. I was even more skeptical of bile, but that was not bad. It tasted more like rice wine than anything. Then we received plates of snake stir fry, snake spring rolls, snake meat balls, snake ribs, and sticky fried rice. The whole time Adam is encouraging massive amounts of drinking and the rice wine is disappearing quickly. Our group is clearly divided into the party-goers and the nots. I don't drink anymore after one shot of blood, one shot of bile, and one shot of rice wine. I pig out on the meat balls and ribs instead since they are D-licious!
I make it a point to check with the group under my breath, especially the Dr. to ensure that everyone is comforatable aroudn teh debauchery and they know we can leave at any time. About fifteen minutes later we depart. Half of the group has chosen to return to the backpacker hostel with Adam and the other foreigners for more drinking and a pub crawl. I tell them to make smart choices, look out for one another, stick to the buddy system, and make sure they have hotel cards with my number. The other half of us get in our taxi and return to the hotel.
I return to my room to drop off by bag and head back downstairs to reenter the night. There's a knot in my stomach about the half of the group we left behind. I take a moto to the backpackers and give the receptionist my name and number to be used in case one of our students may encounter an emergency. We nod one another a goodbye and I take off walking back to the hotel, drifting in and out of streets set up with second-hand merchandise booths. Finally I hire a taxi back to the hotel and quickly fall asleep.
Cobra fermenting in bottle.
Restaurant venue.
Idiot uno putting the docile snake's head in his mouth just prior to him trying to put it down my shirt, then upon my refusal put it down his pants. If only it were acceptable for me to punch some people's faces in.
Idiot uno holding a cobra.
The heart has been taken from this snake and now it is being bled out for our drinking pleasure. Poor snake.
The bile of the snake is being taken now from the stomach.
Shot I: snake blood Shot II: snake bile
Shot II: snake bile
What am I about to do? Yes, that is snake blood that was smeared onto my forehead though I did not rip out snake heart.
Delicioso...
OMG... you are brave people!!! Looks better cooked though and as you say it was delicioso.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid to hear the rest being that you have warned us of hospital visits but I will read on.
Hugs, Auntie