Further away, by the edge of a canal, lunch stands awaited those arriving from work: the sidewalk was strewn with plastic tables and chairs while meats and fish filled with an herb that resembled grass were broiling on the grill. Paul peered into a few pans and reluctantly recognized what travel guides disturbingly claimed: the locals eagerly consumed grasshoppers and other small insects… and not very small ones as well! He shuddered when he discovered fried crickets at the bottom of a pan.
The streets stank and the traffic was harsh. Paul passed above the canal; an empty passenger boat sped gaily along the murky, black water. The heat was overpowering and fainting was a real possibility, as the humidity only seemed to heighten the temperature. Perspiration trickled down Paul’s body, and
