For those of you that didn’t know I was in the Philippines recently for my winter vacation and I have to say I absolutely loved it!!!!  Well that is except for Manila...that is one creepy city.  I actually didn’t spend that much time there but made the most of it nevertheless.

We spent our very first night in Manila at a small place called the Green Mango Inn.  It was fairly close to the airport and was actually in a neighbouring suburb of Manila.  Neighbourhoods in the Philippines are quite different than we are accustomed to in Canada...well in most western countries really.  “Safe” neighbourhoods are walled or fenced and the only way to gain entry is trough a guard station.  The closest example I can think of to something back home would be the gated communities found in the suburbs of many larger American cities.  Beyond the walls surrounding neighbourhoods many properties are also enclosed by a security fence complete with heavy duty locked steel gates.  I know...sketchy.

I have to admit that I felt very uneasy as we traveled from the airport to the Green Mango Inn.  But once we arrived at our destination and met some of the people there I felt more at ease.  When we got to our Inn we quickly put our bags in our room and headed out to the patio to relax and have a few drinks.  That’s when we met a guy named Nietzsche and his girlfriend Crystal (to be honest I cannot remember her name...but it might have been Crystal...it was something like that).  Shortly after meeting our new Filipino friends someone decided to ask about Balut, a favourite local delicacy.  In short Balut is a thee week old fertilized duck, chicken or the less common turtle embryo.  The embryos are formed with all the normal appendages that you find on a young duckling or chick, like the legs, partially feathered wings, complete with the beak as well!  The partially formed skeleton of the embryos is what gives the Balut its distinctive crunch.  I will admit I did not try the Balut.  I just could not get past the pungent odour.  It kind of smelled like a foul combination of old rotten egg and sweaty foot...not cool.  Here are some Balut pictures...BUT... be warned...they are not for the faint of heart...or stomach.

Here we see the duck version of Balut...see the duck bill?  This is not what we got.

 

Here they all are...strange colour but Johan does not seem to mind.

Andrew, Ryan and Judy...they said that the flavour is kind of like a regular egg...which made me ask...why not eat a regular unfertilized egg?  Maybe Balut stems from accidental fertilization...it is a heavily Catholic country and contraception is a no no...even for chickens and ducks it seems.

 

Do I regret not trying it...well...yes... but if I could smell it right now I know my answer would change to no right quick!!!!  Until next time.