Some people chew tobacco, some chew gum, some chew fingernails, some people smoke, and some talk, because the human mouth is incapable of staying still. Some people in Asia chew betel leaf. In Myanmar especially, you'll see a lot of people with rotten black teeth spitting red saliva all over the streets.
2017: When I was on holiday in Maldives with my partner, we came across a cafe that served the betel leaf for an after-meal snack (?). There were actually many restaurants that did this. This was what they served us:
I don't know the names of all the items on the tray, but there were cloves, and I think cinnamon powder, betel nuts, betel leafs, limestone paste and something chewy like jelly beans. My partner gave me a simple tutorial:
This particular concoction didn't produce the red-color saliva because there was one item missing, she said. I don't know what it was.
And then it was my turn to try:
It didn't taste like something I would want to chew for fun. I don't understand why people like it. Apparently, it's supposed to get you high, but I didn't feel anything. In fact, this habit can cause gum damage, tooth decay and even oral cancer. But then, I don't understand why people like to smoke either. So maybe I'm just not cool enough, huh?
