Site Visits

Part of my job is to travel to different team locations and participate in Det 2 site visits. This field activity was no different, and last week I headed out with my boss to visit all of the recovery teams that will be operating in this upcoming 117th Joint Field Activity. One of the more famous cities I visited last week was Dien Bien Phu, where the French were routed by General Giap in 1954. While I didn't get to visit the historical museum there this time, I did get to eat one of the more exotic foods on the Vietnamese menu.

We were invited by our host nation counterparts to dinner at a local restaurant that specialized in, among other food animals, water turtle.  Turtles in Vietnamese are differentiated with two different names.  The tortoise or land turtle is referred to as a 'con rùa',  whereas the terrapin or water turtle is referred to as a 'ba ba'.  We were invited to witness the ba ba's execution before the meal and most of the team shoved their way into the kitchen to view the large turtle that had been selected.  Many stayed to watch as he was hooked under the jaw to pull his head out of the shell, and then unceremoniously decapitated. Though I don't have an issue with eating an animal that was raised to be food, I did opt out on watching the butchering of the turtle.

From the turtle, four dishes were produced for the team from various body parts.  The preparation was different for each part and the presentation was varied as well.  The bile and blood of the creature was poured in separate bottles, mixed with locally produced rice wine (Cuốc Lùi).  There were other assorted dishes presented as side dishes, not from the turtle, to include sweet potato fries and chicken.

While I believe the intention was to bestow honor on the visiting guests, the reality of eating nearly every part of the huge terrapin was not as enjoyable.  On the list of least favorite parts of the turtle, I would rank high the testicles, seconded by the bile rice wine, and thirdly, the soup filled with the grissly part of the shell that makes up the hinging areas (I believe I referred to them as gummy worms from Hades).  The turtle was tough in general and not easy to eat at all and the fries and chicken disappeared quickly.

Though there was much to be desired in the food selection, I did enjoy the company.  I think  we become closer friends with those whom we share turtle testicles.  I only regret I wasn't able to find someone more honorable than myself to do that.