I'm going to start us off light with a story from day one. We landed in Albania and hopped right onto a van for an hour or so ride to Elbasan. About half way there we stopped for dinner. I was already feeling extremely tired from being on an airplane for 9 hours and now thanks to the bumpy and windy bus ride through the balkan mountains I was starting to feel motion sick and dizzy...I was trying to tell myself to hold it together but I was tired and cranky and unfortunately everyone knew it.
Ok-back to the restaurant...after our main dishes were served the waiter then proceeded to bring two extra plates out. Deep down I think I knew what those plates had on them...I just didn't want to admit it. The waiter placed one right in front of me and there was no denying it. It was the head of a goat. Deep fried. Cut in half and laid right there on that plate. Bani then told us the owner thought it was such an honor to have american eating there that he wanted to show us by offering us the head. I gotta tell you friends, it didn't feel like an honor. Part of me wonders if they were watching us from the kitchen to see if those silly americans would really eat the brain or not. Well...my fellow travel buddies did eat it. The brain. The jaw. The tongue. They ate it all. I don't remember much of what happened after but I do remember grabbing Becca's leg and saying "I can't, I can't, I can't. I'm gonna barf." I looked over at Anna Grace and she was making her famous flared nostril face, which meant she wasn't going to be eating any brain either. Every one at the table was reluctantly diving into the goat skull. Sweet Jeremy and Brett ate our portions like champs so we didn't have to and I will be forever grateful. Anna Grace kept saying "I don't know where to look". I realize it was the utter exhaustion but I just started laughing, I was trying to stop but I couldn't. I'm sure Bani thought I was crazy but it's all I could do to keep from crying. I was in a foreign country. I spoke none of their language. I felt extremely disoriented and I didn't think I was going to be eating for the next 12 days. I had already began counting down the days to go home. Little did I know that tiny country and those sweet people would steal my heart. Can't wait to tell you guys more, but that's all for now friends! Here's a picture of the goats head just to help you place yourself in this story:)
Top of the head...
Eyeball side....
i just threw up in my mouth. really.
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