Food hawkers are a common site in the Philippines. In most of Asia, in fact. In the Philippines, turon and banana cue hawkers walk around in the afternoon and call out in their sing-song voices. When the sun sets, it’s the balut vendors’ turn.
When we moved to this house over a year and a half ago (my, has it really been that long?), turon and balut vendors came around almost every day (the photo above was taken on September 6, 2008). Recently, the home owners’ association voted to ban them from entering the subdivision.
I wasn’t there when it happened or I would have objected. The vendors I wanted banned were the ones who knocked on doors forcing you to talk to them. And the ones who insert leaflets under the front door or leave them outside to be blown by the wind making a mess on the driveway.
But turon and balut hawkers? They don’t impose themselves on you. They don’t knock. If you want to buy from them, you step out of your house and call them. Otherwise, they’d pass by without disturbing you. I miss them. Terribly.
Banana cue is one of my comfort foods. During college days, my best friend and I would always buy them for afternoon snacks.
When I was a law student, hawkers would hang around at the library steps. They had turon, banana cue, kamote cue and fried lumpia with mung bean sprouts. It was the lumpia that was a favorite. I’d bite one end, hold it upright and pour spicy vinegar. Loved it!
Why is the fried lumpia bought from the vendors or nearby sari-sari store taste much yummier than
home-cooked ones? It’s also one of my favorites.
Oh,your neighborhood is clean. I love the plants along the side of the road.
Oh, I don’t know LOL. Psychological, I guess.
The road in front of our house is clean. Not so in all parts of the subdivision. Some residents think the roads and vacant lots are their private garbage dumps.