Oakland has one of the worst crime rates in America (to be fair, there are 23 worse places) but when people aren't shooting each other they like to have festivals! We BARTed there today for Eat Real. "Putting the food back in fast" the sign said. Unfortunately the shuttle buses weren't fast, or even existent, so we decided to walk the 12 minutes from the station to the event.
Wouldn't you know, on the way we bumped into another festival! This one seemed Chinese in origin, with a few dragons and lots of free food (appetizers before the main event). The queuing system was decidedly non-British, and dependent on age. Pensioners could push in and grab freebies whenever they wanted, us youngsters (ha!) had to hang back. It worked quite well.
Eventually we got to the right festival and were greeted with street upon waterfront street of kiosks selling food. Sorry SF, this is one that Oakland did a lot better than you. We met up with Fi and headed to the wine bar before perusing the merchandise and chowing down some pulled pork, some Argentinean Epanadas (almost as good as Fini's), some rabbit (Hannah reliving childhood stews), and ice cream. Then, with the sun uncharacteristically blazing down, we sat through a phenomenal butchery competition where two professionals cut up half a pig carcass each in 30 minutes in front of a cheering crowd. Wow, I would not want to get on the wrong end of their blades.
The only downside of the day was that I was mistaken for an Australian. Twice! I know they're used to seeing convicts around Oakland, but really...
Someone had evidently eaten the shuttle bus.
Still, no worries when you serendipitously find a festival!
Dragons standing on poles! Impressive, even before you realise there are two people, pantomime style, in each costume.
Festival #2. More people. The sun brings them out.
Cheers from the wine tent.
What do you do with an old school bus? Turn it into a mobile industrial kitchen!
I hope Gerard is hungry.
Pork lover.
Not a Cornish pasty, an Empanada.
More pictures of people eating.
Two bee or not two bee.
They'd removed the fluffy ears and cotton tails before serving.
Butcher vs. butcher.
Dave the butcher, the winner, shows his skills.
Prime cuts.
