Long time no writing on the blog. I continue with my travels around the world, visiting exotic and inaccessible places where Internet has not yet arrived. The last months I spent in the Islands needed, a little known group of islands in the South Atlantic. Named after the local tradition, that the god-Turi Nala put these islands in the world that this could work. According to tradition, the day that God remove these islands in the world, this "will stop."
Needed Islands are, in fact, a conglomerate of regions, of which, the two most important are the island of Pago Pago and the Isle of Liberty. Both are named respectively the largest island in each. Island of Pago Pago-American colonization, while Liberty Island is of European colonization (an amalgam of European, Finnish, French, German ...). While logical, it remains curious that the influence is striking that the various settlements have had on local customs of the different islands. Some are obvious upon arrival. At Liberty Island, for example, we are different "urban tribes" torbalinos, mandraco, susos ... At first glance appear to be "very tribe" and all are very different. However, soon after you realize know they all live in harmony with each other under a common philosophy and who are not as different as they seem.
Just the opposite happens in Pago Pago. There seems to all be of the same tribe, because in their appearance does not differ much from each other. However, in Pago Pago is a complicated caste system which divides them into jomes, bisnis, employees, servants ... Members of different castes have different permissions and privileges, and that is of vital importance in almost every aspect of everyday life: while the Liberty Island can all do in Pago Pago some can do very little and others not much. In addition, the Government of Pago Pago is continually legislating on activities, privileges and permits, and only giving these new breeds, which in practice results in a rapid "degradation" of existing breeds.
To illustrate how different can become one and another culture, I'll explain how it works in both islands is something as common as the subject of food.
Island in Pago Pago, when you're hungry, you go to a Pay-Pay, which are the places where the locals eat. (Yes, it sounds like a fan but the meaning is quite different). To eat in a Pay-Pay you must pay to enter. At the entrance, you are given a brochure with a huge text where you explain your rights and obligations in the premises. Nobody reads it. I did not read it over. Apparently, they tell you what you paid only entitles you to use the premises, the food and drink and other things are apart, the owner can kick you out anytime claims are not supported (the place is " as is "), that entry is not transferable, and blah, blah, blah. The typical minor scrolls legal!
Once inside the Pay-Pay, you find that you have tables and chairs, dishes and cutlery to eat, but food and drink only have bread and water. If you want wine, you go out, buy it and traértelo. If you want meat salad, fruit, fish, dessert ... you go out, buy it and traértelo. If you want to read the newspaper while you eat breakfast, you go out, buy it and traértelo. The situation is somewhat shocking, if we compare with the restaurants to which Europeans are accustomed. I must admit that, perhaps out of laziness, I was somewhat uncomfortable at having to bring me out (almost) everything you wanted to eat or drink because there was (almost) anything.
But this has led to the birth of a flourishing commercial environment to the Pay-Pay, and has generated enormous wealth for the island, says Gily-Beytz, owner of the Pay-Pay and good part of the most important of these stores nearby.
Gily has become, thanks to the Pay-Pays, the richest man in the archipelago, but at the cost of great suffering and concerns. Gily a serious problem for the island is that there is only a policeman, and the poor man does what he can, but it reaches out to arrive. Aware of this, the locals got used to sneak into the Pay-Pay without paying the entrance, often also stolen food stores around. To minimize this problem, Gily has hired a pair of private inspectors with complaints, have inhibited the large groups of rogue, but also fail to control the locals one by one. It has also implemented other control mechanisms, such as the obligation to keep an eye on the ticket of entry ( hologram) for as long as the customer remains on the premises. These measures have not yet been proven 100% effective, but still at it ... trying more and "better" ... far as you can ...
The other big problem is not Gily with the locals but with the other traders. In a desperate attempt to try to be more competitive, many have begun to give its main articles, seeking to do business with other products or services and to continue fighting for market share. You can find many shops where you can get free food that can take you to the Pay-Pay. The locals have welcomed this initiative, so I can get free products that would otherwise have to pay. To combat this situation, is trying to Gily Government Pago Pago permitted by law, the privatization of forests, fields and streams. Aware that only he has the money to buy them, could thus inhibit any other villager or trader of the island to get free (with their own work and their own efforts), as it always has been, fruits, vegetables, feed livestock, hunting, water ... And thus, everyone who wants to eat or drink in Pago Pago, will have to go through the box of Mr. Gily, either directly or indirectly. Gily account on your behalf with the passivity of pagopagueños that they used to put food on the plate, go for this stuff intelligently confident that while you can pay will not have to kill the head. You see, the situation in Pago Pago is very entertaining, although the future is uncertain.
The Liberty Island are very different things. Here is eaten in some places called Repos. When you first time in a rest, after eating in the Pay-Pays, eyes will light up with the amount and variety of what there is. You to be very gourmet and very greedy for what's in Repos do not meet, both in quantity and quality.
And not just in a matter of food: if you want to read a newspaper or listen to music or whatever ... probably find something you like. And if you do not see what you're looking for, you can always ask the waiter. In a repo, to call the server using the generic name "Hapeta" which means "food rules." You see, a Hapeta is more than just a bartender. In Pago Pago, I have not had before, there were two types of waiters: the Efun and Emeseis. The Efun were responsible to assist you and answer your questions, but their efficiency and professionalism usually leave something to be desired. A typical conversation between a client (C) and a Efun (E) could be this:
C-Hi, eeeh ...
E-Good morning, welcome to our Pay-Pay Supertragaldabas. Supertragaldabas Pay-Pay is a dream. In Supertragaldabas you will find the largest assortment of high quality food at prices unique. You will live in Supertragaldabas an unbeatable experience to want never to forget. Tell me, how I can help?
C-Do you menu? E
I do not know what is menu: I know what is less, table and counter, but no menu.
C-What's for dinner?
E-Hi, what is? Welcome to our Pay-Pay Supertragaldabas. Supertragaldabas Pay-Pay is a dream. In Supertragaldabas you will find the largest assortment of high quality food at prices unique. You will live in Supertragaldabas an unbeatable experience to want never to forget. Tell me, how I can help?
C-"CO-MI-DA? E-
Food is what you eat. To learn more about food, ask for Supertragaldabas Efun for food. He will help you live in Supertragaldabas an unbeatable experience that you want never to forget.
C-TO-DO-NO-OF-CO-MI-DA.
E-The food is what you eat. To learn more about food, ask for Supertragaldabas Efun for food. If you want to know our menu, ask for Supertragaldabas Efun by menu.
Here you are beginning to despair, so much to see that it was supposed to help you (clearly) not going to help much, as to see that the terms used Efun as he does not know. The point is that you learn you have to go hunting for life on your own, and ignore the Efun going directly to the emeseis. The emeseis are responsible for the service: we put the food on the plate and take it off when you finish.
At this point, a typical experience might be this:
comes the lunch. You're hungry. First, get yourself something good to eat. You go to a store. With the typical difficulties abroad in foreign lands, you get a regional meal, of which only come to know called "Beneida to the pin" and that is beef stew, which was what you wanted. You go with him to the Pay-Pay. Once inside, or you look at Efun: directly call the emesei. Al emesei only two things you can say "put me" and "take away". These guys have little conversation, and the less they have, the better. Usually they ask you how you want. It is best to tell them that "typical" or "everything." The little thing can be uncomfortable if you start asking emesei if you want to fork or chopsticks, if you want flat plate, bowl, bowl ... if you want this so and so, here or here ... But the worst nightmare appears when you question: Do you want put the chufrillos?
And, of course, you had no clue that "Beneida the Pines" had chufrillos : you at the most you got was to know that this was a dish of stewed meat. You have no idea what are the chufrillos, or what they know, or whether they will or inedible. And who is there to answer your questions? Indeed, the Efun! Efun flames and unforgettable experience is summarized as follows: the customer
Efun Question - Hi, I do not know what you're asking the emesei ... Efun
Customer Response - The emesei is asking that if you put the chufrillos. Compared
emeseis Efun and a Hapeta is non-va-over efficiency. Experience in a Repos between a client (C) and a Hapeta (A) may be as follows:
C - Hello, Hapeta, what you have with mushrooms?
A - Well, we have mushrooms in garlic, mushroom salad, mushroom soup, grilled mushrooms, spinach salad with mushrooms, roast beef mushrooms, salmon with clams and mushrooms, tomato sauce with mushrooms, mushroom pate, chicken cannelloni with mushrooms, braised monkfish with mushrooms, mushroom sauce, chicken with mushrooms, chicken in wine with mushrooms, chicken and mushroom lasagna, sautéed mushrooms and shrimp, stuffed mushrooms, roasted foie fluffy mushroom on bread and popcorn, salad london, rice with vegetables, mushrooms and ham, mixed vegetables ...
(Next to the name of each dish, the Hapeta gives a brief explanation of it which I omit for brevity.)
C - Para, stop, stop ...! Let's see, Hapeta, what have beef with mushrooms?
A - Well, we have roast beef with mushrooms, chicken chus whiskey, pork skewers, chicken in wine with mushrooms, poussin the woods, beer, chicken, beef with cream ...
C - Stop, stop, stop ...! Okay, Hapeta, bring the roast beef with mushrooms, you see how ...
Then the Hapeta is removed and within moments you have on the table your request. Result: you have saved yourself having to fetch the life Stepping out of stores to buy food often unknown origin often unknown, and you've saved to pay the entrance to a "restaurant" that may not have liked and where you'd have to eat anyway (because you've already paid), that is, you've saved time, effort and money.
I, since I knew this from the repos and Hapeta, and I did not want to know more about Efun, or emeseis or the mother who ... However, most tourists remain faithful to Pago Pago and Pay-Pays for:
a) are resistant to change (another island, another language, other customs ...).
b) In the repos would not find some unique wines that are only found in pay-pays.
latter makes me pretty funny because the same could be said of exclusive wines only are in the repos and not in the pay-pays, especially because most of those who do not want to take but these exclusive and expensive wines ... Mix them with large amounts of gas!
Yet another great reason Pay-Pay accounts for more than 95% of tourism to the islands, tour operators only sell packages to Pago-Pago. Do not go calling your travel agent to go to Liberty, because it will mean you can not and that is where you can go to Pago Pago. So if you are a tourist forming, end up in Pago Pago and miss the Liberty (which would be a shame, I tell you, I've been there.)
But I am determined to return there. I want to go with my nephew and knows the islands. For many years, only one could go to Liberty Island flying to Pago-Pago, and from there take another flight or a boat to Liberty. Either that or you were a real adventure and going on your own (or adventure you had a good friend to take you.) Now, the product of a burgeoning demand has begun, and a few travel agencies that sell direct flights to Freedom (Dellicatessen Tryps, for example). Moreover, even a trip "adventure" are no longer the preserve for intrepid adventurers, and are available to almost anyone, being already well-known routes.
Anyway, where to take my nephew is a Liberty Island, and not to Pago Pago. My nephew is allergic to milk protein, so you can not drink any milk or milk stew. In Pago Pago, the cooks are reluctant to discuss their recipes: the recipes are yours and nobody else. Scarce public recipes, kitchens are inaccessible, and you have to always be wondering what they wear or not wear the plates, and blindly trust the answers you want to. At Liberty Island, however, the recipes are public and the kitchens are visible. Before each meal, you can read in detail the ingredients are and how they have been cooked, and you can see how in the kitchens closely follow recipes. This assured that my nephew there will be no problem, priceless. Paradoxically, it is that you spend Libertad much much much less money than in Pago Pago.
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