Stella's Home, Bechyal Village, Yap, FSM

This was a day for local experiences. We met and had lunch with a local family. Stella's father, recently passed away, was the chief of Bechyal. We ate lunch at her home with her mother, sister, and 18 month old nephew (see photo, www.q-pics.blogspot.com).

Pictured here is the lunch we ate. It consisted of (clockwise starting at 9:00) a fried reef fish, fried breadfruit, swamp taro, fried bananas (edge of plate), boiled land taro, papyas, boiled ripe bananas (center). This was accompanied by a fresh coconut drunk out of the shell using a papaya stem as a straw. All of it was quite palatable the fish especially and the papyas. The rest of the items were all starches. The two types of taro, while good, were a little dry.

After a lot of conversation (and sweat), we explored their. We saw their men's house, a lounge type building for men only. Often used during the hot time of day for sleeping, it is also a place to hold meetings, plan, and relax with drink (tuba, fermented coconut tree sap) and chew betelnuts (mild narcotic). In an unfortunate turn of events, (I cannot believe I am going to say this) Bud Light is often the drink of choice.