Adventures in Food

I think food is a definition of culture so when traveling I make every attempt to eat what the locals eat. What's the point of traveling if you eat at Micky D's everyday and don't learn something, right? Many of you have asked me, "is Chinese food in China like the American version." The answer is definitively no (I have not seen a single egg roll)-- it is much better. Perhaps I will elaborate on my love for REAL Chinese food in another post but for now I want to talk about the Night Market in Beijing. Our favorite guide and new friend, Rio, took some of us to the Night Market, which he affectionately referred to as Snack Street. I have been fortunate to travel a bit in my life and an outdoor food market is something I have encountered in almost every country I have visited. In fact, it is one of my favorite destinations...you really get a feel for the local community at these places. I am pretty open-minded about some of the 'strange' things people eat--after all, I am from South Texas and lingua, tripas, and menudo could be considered dreadful by some-- But, this market took it to a whole new level. I broke my own rule here and chose not to sample any of the fine cuisine being offered. I can say the locals really seemed happy to be there though. Next time you are in the market for star fish (1st pic), silkworms on a stick (2nd pic), scorpions and crickets (3rd pic), sheep testies (4th pick), or sea snake (5th pic), or pretty much any other type of mammalian innards, this is your place.