The Good Life Travel Blog Living the New American Dream on a really slow trip around the world

The bus rolled with a jerking uneasiness that only escalated my debilitating cravings for food. The smoky green fields ceased their race towards the volcanoes as they met the concrete jungle.

Manila has a nasty reputation as a city colored by the darker shades of humanity, but traveling’s taught me that the more colorful cultures tend to create the most exciting and savory dishes.

My host has the pudgy, round, effeminate features that Filipinas are known for. She’s a master caterer who I’ve decided is the proper guide on my zealous quest for local delicacies.

She knows the place, and the market seems to fit the bill: barbeque carts, stray dogs, and warm, billowing smoke carrying the rapturing smells of authentic grub. My stomach’s reaching the peak of a howling crescendo, but she assures me that she knows the remedy.

We’ve come to the right place. The municipality of Pateros is famous for its production of balut, a fertilized duck embryo that found its place on Filipino palates after Chinese traders brought it from the north.

After 15 days of gestation, the fertilized eggs are ready to sell. They’ve just popped up from the buckets of sand that conceal their warmth, and I'm surprised by what I see.

Through my lens, a fetal duck seems oddly out of place against a backdrop of hot sauce and vinegar, but my queasiness is consoled with the reminder that “it’s more fun in the Philippines!” The locals are ever-happy to see a foreigner try their food, and a small crowd has formed to watch.

With retreat no longer an option, the gauntlet opens and receives the fare. The texture’s from a shockingly different world, but the new infusion of tastes collaborate to charm my former hunger problem. The congregation seems pleased with my reaction and return to their business.

I’ve tried everything from scorpions to chicken brains during my year in China, but I missed the chance to sample the original version of fertilized eggs. Now I’ll have at least one clear goal for my return trip to the Middle Kingdom.