Did we mention to anyone how much we are loving living in town and are thoroughly enjoying having a home? We have so many more cultural experiences… the security guard who rides his bike up and down our street all evening blowing his whistle every 50 feet, a parade, a man riding his horse at full speed down the street with another horse tied to him, and of course the fritanga.
Even before we moved in here, when we would tell people where we were moving, and they would get a smile on their face and say, “That is right next to a fritanga. It is soooooo good!” We did not really know what that meant. We do now.
Thursday through Sunday evenings starting at 4 through about 10 PM, the most amazing smell of roasted meat fills our house. We resisted for about a week (fearing that with our various ailments that this experience might bring on some other ailments, if you know what I mean). But when I did not want to cook on Saturday, I ventured out!
Let me set the scene. Normal people sell stuff out of their homes- food, kids toys, candies, Christmas ornaments, etc. You just set up a table out in front of your home, put out your wares and wait for people to arrive- kind of like having a garage sell all the time! With our neighbors’ fritanga it is two large tables covered with tacos, taquitos, salad, rice and beans, and fried plantains and two large grills of meat- chicken, beef and pork.
With money in hand I joined the throngs of people- about 20 people, some arriving in taxis, motorcycles, bikes, on foot, with babies, in vans and cars. As we have become aware over the past week, this is a very popular place. I enjoy the cultural experience and feel a little awkward being about six inches taller than everyone there and with light hair. The Sesame Street song goes through my head, “Which one of these is not like the other, which one does not belong…”. I am thankful that I introduced myself to the neighbor the day before.
I tell her what I would like. She gets two banana leaves, wraps up meat and salad in the leaves and asks for 80 cordoba ($3). It is some of the best meat we have had here. Adios and I am on my way to make a “home cooked” meal for my husband.
The sights, the smells, the sound, the tastes, the touch make this country amazing and overwhelming at times! How we just have to decide what we want to sell out in front of our house. Any ideas
