You know you're in Northern Vietnam when you start to see signs like this, for dog meat. I've spotted three restaurants so far in the the town of Ninh Binh advertising the speciality popular in these parts. I've not seen any yet for Thit Meo - cat meat - but it is served around here.

You may be thinking how barbaric it is that the people here eat cats and dogs, but as a vegetarian for 25 years, I can see no difference between eating cow, chicken, cat or even human - flesh is flesh. I guess I personally believe that all meat-eaters are barbaric!