Part 2/7:
The narrator describes walking through an authentic Vietnamese market, where live animals are slaughtered on the spot to meet customer demands. The scene is bustling, pragmatic, and unembellished, showcasing the local approach to meat consumption. From aardvarks to pigeons, nearly every creature is available for purchase, often prepared immediately after the sale.
A typical interaction might involve requesting a specific type of meat—say, a bit of aardvark—then witnessing the butcher crack open the animal's spine, extract bone marrow, and prepare small cuts or "art medallions" for the customer. This vivid description underscores how meat is a readily accessible and integral part of daily life, with little sentimentality involved.