Street Meat You Can Stomach
There is one souvenir that most travelers hope to avoid bringing home... traveler's stomach. In most third-world countries it is nearly impossible to avoid if you are culinarily curious. After all... what fun is it to travel to a new country and eat all the same things you eat at home? Local markets and new ingredients are one of the best ways to get to know the local culture.
This article on CNN offers a few great tips on how to eat street food without ruining your trip. Although I would caution on the recommendation to 'ask the locals'. Often the locals are immune to many of the things that will cause stomach flare-ups. A good friend in Buenos Aires once told me I would be fine drinking her tap water.. and then I spent 2 full days unable to keep food down. One great suggestion here is to watch your food being cooked. Boiling water and a fresh hot grill will go a long way towards killing any lingering travel-spoilers.
Having brought home my own parasitic souvenir from the Kota Baru market in Malaysia nearly a decade ago (whose side effects still haunt me today), I can tell you that it is well worth the precautions. There is nothing worse than spending your entire trip running from one third-world toilet to another!
Check out our suggestions for the best fresh tortillas in Antigua, the best Ceviche in Lima, and for visiting Rio de Janeiro's farmers' markets.