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Post by bixaorellana on May 28, 2009 23:21:52 GMT
and this is what I found there. Friends from Mérida are visiting Oaxaca, so today we visited the the weekly market in Zaachila. Even though this is where I shop for food, I've never ventured into the huge, busy animal section of the market. That situation was remedied today. It's a sea of people. Some serious bargaining goes on. Waiting in the shade for customers. And catching up with friends amid the bustle. Need tack for your new horse or donkey? Don't be shy. Step up and choose. If you don't mind the scent of droppings, there are several little eateries in a row. The altar is at the end of the row of food stalls.
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Post by imec on May 29, 2009 3:34:51 GMT
This is great! So who buys the animals? Farmers? Meat sellers? Families? Do they butcher the animal for you? What are they serving at the eateries? I love eating street/market food!
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Post by Deleted on May 29, 2009 4:30:14 GMT
The pigs look really happy to be there, as though they think they're on vacation or something.
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Post by bixaorellana on May 29, 2009 5:24:05 GMT
The first animals we saw on arriving at the animal market were pigs -- pigs being herded and swatted, and another pig that had been bought & was being dragged away squealing piteously, little cloven hooves attempting to clutch the ground. Although I'd just enjoyed some excellent pork tacos, I could feel an attack of vegetarianism coming on. Lotsa pigs here:
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Post by Deleted on May 29, 2009 9:17:39 GMT
Nice pics bixa. I'd feel sorry for the little pig too
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Post by bixaorellana on May 29, 2009 14:44:42 GMT
Sorry, Imec! I totally missed seeing your post yesterday. No butchery goes on there, just buying & selling. You made me think about something, too. There were bunches of young pigs there, but no baby pigs. Come to think of it, I don't think suckling pig is part of the food canon here. From looking at what goes on, I think it's all small-scale commerce, although I imagine there must be deals made on a larger scale. Maybe people come looking to connect with someone who has an entire herd to buy or sell. As you can see in the photos, the participants are rural people dealing in a few animals. And except for the pigs, none of the animals seem very well cared for or fattened. One of the many beefs (so to speak) I had with my ex-landlord was that he kept putting animals (bulls, mules, horses, donkeys) in the field behind my house. There was no shelter from sun or rain there, and he never gave them any water, claiming they don't need it. This meant my dragging five-gallon buckets out to the poor animals. Five gallons of water is nothing to a thirsty donkey. When I asked how long a donkey lived, the l.l. told me @ 10 or 15 years. This page says 30 to 50 years, and simply scanning it tells you how awful life must be for a poor rural person's donkey.
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Post by imec on May 29, 2009 14:53:43 GMT
30 to 50 sounds more like it - and would explain why my Dad used the expression "donkey's years" to denote a long period of time.
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Post by tillystar on May 29, 2009 15:03:19 GMT
I love those pigs, they really do look like they are having a great old potter round the fair. Its sad the reality is so different.
Considering they are my favorite meat its a bit hypocritical of me to worry about their welfare. They just taste so good.
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Post by Deleted on May 29, 2009 19:39:28 GMT
I keep thinking of all the stories of rural children who lovingly cared for a little piglet that their parents bought, until the big adorable hog suddenly disappeared one day.
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Post by hwinpp on Jun 1, 2009 8:53:10 GMT
The pigs look really happy to be there, as though they think they're on vacation or something. LOL! The guy with the open button also looks quite at ease.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 1, 2009 13:06:10 GMT
.... after a big meal of roasted pork!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 14, 2012 4:56:16 GMT
I was looking at this thread again and I simply must buy a big slab of pork belly.
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Post by nycgirl on Jun 26, 2012 5:16:15 GMT
It's funny, I was just thinking to myself that I hadn't seen any new threads on Mexico's board in awhile, and here we are. I think I'd be sad walking through this market and end up wanting to buy a pig as a pet.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 4, 2012 2:37:47 GMT
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