Food in the Rain Forest
September 13, 2008 · Print This Article
The Rain Forest was really nice, partly because we could play all day and then go eat lunch, without having to worry about where we were going to eat. Once we got to the table we did not have to worry about what we were going to eat, because we ate whatever they served.
Lunch and dinner usually consisted of soup, rice, meat or fish, some type of vegetable, a small salad, and a piece of yucca. The soup at lunch was always yucca soup, and the soup at dinner was normally banana soup, but one night we had a noodle soup.
Breakfast was usually some sort of fried banana with egg, more banana, maybe pancake or a banana fritter. There was also hot tea and coffee. There was also some sort of fruit at each meal.
Other than meals, we did eat some things. Along the trail Luis, our guide, would pick up a random fruit and have us try it. One day we were hiking and we came across a fallen termite nest. Luis started to scratch at it, and ended up with a handful of termites. They are not like the American termites, because they are really tiny. Luis just took one out of his hand and popped it into his mouth. Then, everyone but my mom, tried the termite, and yes Peter, I tried it first. The termite was so small, that it did not really taste like anything.
On our hike out of the Rain Forest Luis with his owl eyes, spotted a log that had been eaten by beetle larvae. He used his hands to dig out all he wood pulp from the middle. He came out with a couple grub like larvae. He then took one of the larvae and ate up to the head and then threw the head into the woods. All the kids then ate the beatle, but only after Luis killed it by biting its neck and opened its body up so we didn’t have to eat the outside. Like I thought it tasted like poop.
Ciao for now!
Ainsley
that was interesting anslie so it really didnt taste that bad huh?
Hi Ainsley!
Great video and entry… you are all very brave. I don’t think I could try it…
Can’t wait to hear about your adventures in Peru, especially the culinary ones!
Julia started soccer last week…she is playing up on the 11-13 yr old team. You’ll have to give her some tips when you get back since you’ll get to play all over the world!
We miss you!
-Kim (and H, M, S, & J)
Hey Ainsley, Jack, Elliot, John, and Kelly. I’d love to comment in Spanish, but a 7 hour day of Spanish just takes it all out of you. Sounds like you guys had a great time in the rainforest. Remember eating bugs is just like eating Cuy, you have to eat everything, even the head. Then while you’re doing it, you have to make really funny faces and interact with the food, it’s like a really spiritual experience, not that I’m that into that kinda stuff. Anyways i hope you’re having a good time in Jabip or wherever you guys are right now. I’d love to give termite or beetle a try now that i know how “good” it is. All is well here in Cuenca, i just started school. It’s pretty hard to get through the day and pay attention all the time( I can barely hold my attention through a whole day of english). Alright well I hope that you’re having a great time!! Hasta Luego
omg ainsley you are so BRAVE! i would have never ate anything like that ever! keep trying new things, it is very interesting to watch you trying to eat them. you should put more videos up, because it is really fun to actually see you and to hear your voice!
love
tasha
Hi. It’s me, Simon. I don’t think that I could eat any kind of bug. I would rather eat the food in Asia. I could eat raw octopus but not bugs. I bet I could eat pretty much anything that’s not bugs. The banana soup sounds good though…
Okay, I bow to you all!!
You know, on a really, really good day, I could perhaps be enticed to eat some ants at Bugfest in Raleigh, but never, EVER could I eat a grub that tasted like POOP!!! Amazing. I think the kids watched the video three times…just for confirmation.
We enjoy your photos and videos immensely, and your written entries are just wonderful. It is fun to see you all decked out in your meticulously-chosen gear. Truly, all the hard work and research you did up front is really paying off now! You all look incredibly relaxed and happy. (Okay, except when you’re eating larvae.)
Do write to us and tell us the things that are NOT working, as well. (Surely you can’t be so perfect as to have not made a single error in your packing!) Something missing? Something not needed. Something no good? Just don’t mention anything about bad sleeping bags…
There’s so much I could talk about on the homefront, but it seems rather dull compared to what you’re doing. (Well, except perhaps for that afternoon spent at the Durham County Jail registering voters, but that’s a story for another time. May I just say, though: Get in your absentee ballots!!!!)
We miss you all and wish you continued fun in your travels. Happy eating. Go kids!!!
Cheers,
Jenny, etc.
Thanks everyone for your comments. The kids enjoyed reading all of them and watching themselves taste the larvae over and over again.
Jen, we got word that our ballots arrived in Lima just yesterday, so we are set to vote when we return to Lima in a week or so.
Well, we did get the packing list from you so it was well vetted. That said we are not in Disney World and not everything is perfect.
Here are some random thoughts about our packing.
We probably underestimated the fatigue of being on the move all the time. Now we do our best to program in rest days where we do very little. That is hard to do however, when there are so many things we want to do and places we want to see.
From a gear and clothing perspective, we look like walking REI advertisements. We probably didn’t pack enough cold weather stuff, especially warm long sleeve shirts for the kids. We did the “no cotton” thing which really doesn’t help when we are in cold weather. The layers of long underwear, fleece coats, rain gear, etc. get us by.
Kelli is yearning for cotton and jeans.
Ainsley and Jack miss a good glass of skim milk.
Jack misses all of his friends terribly, although he is having lots of fun otherwise. He also wishes we had a chess set with us.
Eliot struggles a bit with food and wants some plain old American noodles, although we couldn’t carry that with us. They do sell peanut butter at a premium which is ensuring that he has enough nutrition.
I thought we could do without the plug in water heater to make a cup of tea. After not using it for the first 4 weeks we left it with some other dead weight stuff at the hostal in Lima that we plan to return to. So, wouldn’t you know that here in Puno, we could have used it multiple times each day.
I’m glad that we didn’t bring water purification equipment or tablets as bottled water is available everywhere.
We could have left the third sleeping bag behind, although it was a small one.
I purchased a fold out map of Ecuador, Peru and Argentina. We really haven’t used any of them as what is included in the guidebooks is sufficient.
And if there were any way to jettison a bunch of stuff so that my backpack was lighter on travel days that would be great.
John
COOOOOOL!!!!!!!!!!!
The beetle larvae (that smells like poop) looks
gross.
Later-Ben
I thought at first that the creature in the picture was the termite since that is what you talked about at first - I think of American termites as tiny, so I figured that if that was the termite, it doesn’t seem so little.
When you go back to the hostel, will you be able to get the water heater back?
John, I’m so glad you wrote back. I find the details absolutely fascinating.
Isn’t it funny the things you miss? The first two things I did when I came home were: take a 20 minute hot shower and then put on a pair of jeans. (I’m right with Kelli on that one…) Then I ate a heaping plateful of salad. I also drank a large glass of tap water. Lastly, I emptied my stinky pack, washed my clothes, and promptly sent them all to Goodwill so I would never have to see them again! (You’ll be *really* tired of all those wonderful zip-off REI pants in another 11 months…)
If we can send a care package to you of desired items (travel chess set?), we’d be most happy to do that! Perhaps on your little layover after S.Am?
And if you ever figure out how to lighten your pack, please let us know. I’ve heard of folks who obsess about pack weight to the point of trimming the handles down on their toothbrushes, but to us, that sort of behavior seems like splitting hairs when you’re carrying 25 pounds of reading material for the family!
Finally, let me add that the only chance you’ll have of seeing American noodles over the next year is to find the expat stores (pricey, but worth it for the occasional splurge).
Oh…and do sleep soundly knowing that MANY an American child has survived his parents crazy travel adventures by subsisting purely on peanut butter.
With love (and continued admiration!) to all,
Jen