What's cooking?
One of the best ways to pay respect to another culture and its people is in the sharing and eating of food. You honor someone by accepting and eating their offer of food. Hopefully you will have enjoyed it  and asked for more, making the cook very happy. As a volunteer I saw a lot of strange stuff on my plate. I have eaten mushy caterpillars to porcupines to pangolin and fiery peppers. The villagers were always honored when I came into their homes and ate their food. The colonial power would never do such a thing, the local dishes weren't good enough for them. What little these people had they always gave you, the guest, the best and biggest piece. They would kill the chicken they were saving for hard times. These villagers were living from hand to mouth and praying for a good harvest or hunt for their next meal. The next photos show you what's for dinner. Bon Appetit!

     

 ^{Villagers bring their fresh grown fruits and vegetables to the market place.
      Pineapples, oranges, plantains, avocados, garlic, limes, corn, piment, bananas, eggplants, palm nuts, peanuts, taro and manioc leaves and tubers.   Though not in these pictures, you could usually find a slaughtered cow,  goat, pig, or bush meat in the market.}

               <sup>Beer Label
When you are not drinking the sugar cane brew, that goes right to your head, there is always a warm beer that will do it in equal time. Regab was brewed in Oyem across the street from where I lived. This beer was a lot stronger than what we drink in the states. One glass of the warm stuff could make you fly and it was sold in a liter bottle, if I remember correctly. Unfortunately one was usually obligated to drink the beer when you couldn't trust the water.

       More bush meat, a gazelle. This one was caught in a  trap set in the jungle. He is looking a little stiff and hasn't benefited from refrigeration. This was a common meat that I was fed in the village. I can't remember  how it tasted but it wasn't bad. I am sitting in the back of a truck  on my way to Bitam to visit other Peace Corps volunteers. The gazelle was  part of the cargo in the bush taxi.  When travelling, something from the animal kingdom (dead or alive) could be next to you, over your head, or under your seat. It was never a dull moment.</sup> 

Lizard skin, what is left over after you have eaten the creature. Actual length is 4 feet.
 This skin was waved at me as I was passing by a jungle village. The owner needed the money so I bought it for 700 CFA. I saw one of these alive run across the road while in a bush taxi and what a majestic and powerful beast. The occupants of the taxi chorused "there goes a great meal".