During a recent interview with a tour operator I was asked, "What is the strangest thing you've eaten during your travels?"I instantly thought of one particular meal I had in Lagos, Nigeria, and answered, "I have no idea!"
I quickly explained that my answer wasn't due to any short term memory loss but because the food on my plate at that dirt-road-side 'cafe' was absolutely unidentifiable. The color, texture, smell, and more importantly, the flavor, was not like ANYTHING I had experienced before anywhere else on the planet. I honestly ... had NO IDEA what I ate!
After leaving the interview, I started thinking of all the strange foods that I did NOT have the guts to eat. Roasted insect larvae on sticks (pictured above) in Beijing, China, roasted guinea pigs on sticks in Quito, Ecuador, and scorpions on sticks in Shanghai are just a few adventures I choose to decline.
To fully experience a different culture, is it mandatory to eat their delicacies?
