Sometimes I wonder if I eat in order to live or, most probably, I live in order to eat, haha :) I mean eating is such a pleasure! One of the biggest that we were given. I am very grateful that I don’t know what a true hunger is. And that I am able to experience different cuisines and sometimes even travel and discover new flavours.
So you see my point, food is super important in my life. I should add that, thanks to my awesome genes ;) (therefore thanks to my awesome parents!) and the fact that I love sport, I am eating a lot! I mean a lot! My plate is regularly looking like a plate for two or I am the one always asking for a second helping. All this is constantly a subject of jokes among my friends (not family, simply because my brothers are just like me, haha!)
(This photo was taken in Arequipa, Peru. I was served a guinea pig. Guinea pigs are a local must-eat dish, traditional to this region!)
Today I would like to share with you my thoughts concerning travelling and food. I will not say to do what I do. There are so many different styles of travelling, we all differ one from the other, which is great by the way. This diversity makes the world such a beautiful place! I may only tell you what I personally find interesting and the rest, it’s up to you to decide!
As you can guess I am an absolute fan of eating food with locals, in local bars or on the streets. There are several reasons for that, I’ll just concentrate on two most important. It’s authentic and one of the best ways to understand regions that you are visiting. Additionally, it’s financially accessible.
And when I talk about street food I don’t mean going to European capital and eating Kebabs, I just wanted to be clear on that! ;)
I will concentrate on travelling to poorer countries. And how to enjoy your culinary journey in those regions.
Travelling and eating locally isn’t always a piece of cake. What are the possible problems/downsides of it?
There are many prejudices. I have heard from some people that they avoid eating on the streets or in local bars because they are afraid of food poisoning. They have heard stories and they prefer to remain cautious in order to avoid diarrhea, vomiting or whatever can occur. What happens as a consequence? They eat in places for tourists, they taste dishes that are more ‘tourist-friendly” (for example a cook can be using milder spices), and after coming back from their holiday they repeat the stories how one should avoid eating “locally”, because it may cause…. A vicious circle! Sure, there are people who really got food intoxication and it was heavy, but hey, all I’m saying is to give it a try. :)
The same thing with hygiene. There is some pretty delicious food over there, both on the street stands or small local bars. But they lack in our western standards in terms of hygiene. Let’s be honest, sometimes the spot where we want to eat isn’t perfectly clean etc. Yet it would be a shame to skip it “just” for that reason. If the spot is not disgusting and I see a lot of locals enjoying it, this is where I want to eat.
Let me remind you - I am talking about poorer, underdeveloped countries. If you see a street vendor that lack hygiene in so-called “Western part of the world”, just skip it and find another one as this is simply laziness or negligence!
I am not saying that eating in exquisite restaurants serving delicious five-star meals is bad for your travel experiences. All depends on your budget. I am sure it can lead to broaden your taste and open you to novelty, no doubts in that. Especially if you are travelling to countries where cuisine is offering meals from the best cooks in the world, like, for example, Peru does. In Lima, you will find one of the highest rating restaurants which will require you to book your table half a year in advance!
What I cannot understand, though, is people who spend their time visiting the city and its monuments, learn about the history and then…. Go and eat something they know from home, usually something from Italian cuisine like pizza or pasta. Or, often, and this is truly frightening, they look for multinational chains like McDonalds/Pizza Hut, you name it.
To sum up, this is what I did while I was travelling in Latin America.
I didn’t spend much money on food, I kept it simple and tasty. I ate like locals, in cheap bars, in my absolute favourite, must go and huge recommendation - local markets, and on the street stands. In all of those places often I was the only person with “occidental” appearance.
To be completely honest with you, throughout my whole 4- month travel I only ate in “real restaurants” ten, maybe fifteen times (I’ll have to count that cause I really do not remember). I call them “real” because, contrary to bars/markets, they had tablecloth ;), waitress (es) and all that ;) They were still financially accessible (I hope I will be able to eat in a Michelin restaurant one day though 😅) Nevertheless each of those times was always with a local person, in a restaurant serving dishes from local cuisine.
You must forgive me that I don’t have a lot of photos. Back then (and let’s face it, it would be the same today) I didn’t feel comfortable taking pictures of food in those often intimate spaces. It was something too touristy for me to do. After all, I wanted to blend in...
Thank you for being here with me. I hope until next time!
Pura Vida and enjoy the travel!:)
More about me here: You can travel without being wealthy aka a girl from a "struggling" family chasing her dreams!
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Hahah, if I have to say about myself I would say I live to eat lol
You are right food is such a best thing in this world.
You know what, it is 2 in the morning and after seeing your these pictures I am dying to eat something.
Haha that's the pretty truth... I think I live to eat cos the reason why I'm still living is because I eat...... Lol
haha, so great to have another food lover in here :)
Will include in my curation - best of the week list! thank you!
oh, thank you so much :)
101% sure of live to eat! That's what I always have in mind and telling everyone that's my life goal. Regardless of cheap or expensive food, as long as it's good! I am the first to be there all the time :D Always nice to read your article, it inspired me to travel even more!
so i guess we should meet one day and do some "discovering local food spots" together!:)
I have some opinion as you, for me food is most important in my life. When I was traveling, I also always try different local food, and I love street food, I love local food market, for me eating is also one of the best travel experience.
Love your traveling style!❤️
so cool to find someone who shares the same travelling style :) 😍
Hola Kasia! I'm perfectly agree with you! there is nothing better than street food, the atmosphere to sit with the locals and talk whit them. Markets are wonderful places, pulsating hearts of a city. If I can say only in Colombia I was sick and I ate white rice all the time !!
i loved Colombia!! i'm sorry to hear that you got sick at some point. but i hope that it didn't stop you from exploring local food afterwards:)
Today, a coworker brought in a few dozen cupcakes, saying she enjoyed baking them but not eating them. I was like, perfect match, cause I'd rather just eat the cupcakes!! So totally with you on the food front, and I agree it's part of the whole travel experience to try local dishes...though you are definitely more adventurous than me with that guinea pig...
I was vomiting after eating this poor guinea pig, can u imagine... haha. thanks for the cupcake story :)
Oh no! Well now you've tried it so you don't have to eat it ever again lol.
Let's talk about what really matters: Eating is one of the best things that gives pleasure in life. And being a person who cares a lot about travel and various types of food, I was very enthusiastic about the article you wrote.
I'm dying inside because I wanted so bad to prove it tohahahaha
Keep up the good work!
Cheers,
@ t-miles
hi there! thanks for your nice comment! good luck on Steemit! :)
Thanks @k-a-s-i-a!
Good luck to you too!
Cheers!
Same here foodie girl, even its hard to do proper diet for me 😜and yes it's sometime an amazing experience to eat from locals and bars @k-a-s-i-a hope you enjoyed
i loved it! btw. if u are a foodie, diets are not for you i guess :) but stick to a healthy food! :)
Me and my partner was just talking last night about the best thing in the world is food...lol.. And you are right, food is important. I like the idea that you try to blend with the locals and eat street foods. Sometimes eating in those places is better than eating in a fancy restaurant.☺
thanks for the comment :)
guinea pig?????? GOD DAMN!!!!
i know! but it is a must over there!
Delicious meals open my appetite. And cannot be resisted.
thank you!
Look nice.. Wont to try it..
:)
i love food lol yammm !!! good post you made me hungry thanks LOL
haha thanks! :)
Flames make everything taste better
haha
wow great looking delicious
thanks :)
Very nice! I'm very hungry right now and these food photos of your made me even more hungry. I guess I'll have to buy a burger tonight :)
hahaha, bon appetit! ;)
Buen post, la comida se ve deliciosa. Gracias por compartir.
gracias por tu mensaje! :)
Great post... I'm going to take your advise the next time i am overseas i'm going to try some of the local food rather than just the safe option :)
great to hear that! enjoy your travels, girl! :)
Eating with the locals is the right way to enjoy food when you are traveling to a foreign country!
i seriously think that it's the only way :) cheers!
Good photos, I am a photographer, it passes for my blog and sees my content, I hope that it should be of your taste, you have my vote :D greetings
thank you! and good luck on Steemit!
@k-a-s-i-a eso se ve sabroso vale :) saludos
muchas gracias guapo!:)
haha, thanks! :)
keep sharing it s very interesent :)
thanks!
is it possible to learn there dish??
I'm sorry but i didn't understand the question:)
That's the fact you're talking about... I really love that,,, you're wonderful...
haha, thank you!
But I can't deny this,,, what I'm seeing really makes me linking ma lips... Lol.. I'm sorry to say this but I just have to say this
that's ok, happy that you enjoyed it;)
Eating guinea pig would be tough for me after having them as pets as a kid.
Nice post all around, thank you!
i know, it wasn't so easy to me neither. But it is part of their culture so i needed to try it:)
trying local food is a way to travel and discover a face of a country! i'm also a foodie so thanks for your sharing
i'm happy that you enjoyed this post, thanks :)
I travel because I eat. Love your blog! Regards, @texagonia
hahah :)
ahhahahhah gret
I like foreign food too. I love foreign food. Which country's food is this?
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