Eating Street Food
#1
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Join Date: May 2004
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Eating Street Food
I am a great fan of street food and make a point of sampling it whereever I travel. Others, I know, wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole!
I came across this articale on Travelfish which provides some very interesting and sensible comment although perhaps does not come to any specific conclusion.
http://www.travelfish.org/feature/235
There is also a link to the writers own food blog which makes for intersting reading and also provides some info on his streetfood tours of Hanoi:
http://stickyrice.typepad.com/street_food_tours/
I came across this articale on Travelfish which provides some very interesting and sensible comment although perhaps does not come to any specific conclusion.
http://www.travelfish.org/feature/235
There is also a link to the writers own food blog which makes for intersting reading and also provides some info on his streetfood tours of Hanoi:
http://stickyrice.typepad.com/street_food_tours/
#3
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I love to eat street food where they have organized hawker centers, such as in Malaysia and Singapore. When Malaysia moved from street stalls to hawker centers (where there are bathroom facilities and running water)the incidence of food-borne illness was cut by something lke 90%.
Places that only have street stalls, I'll pass.
Places that only have street stalls, I'll pass.
#4
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I'm with Bob and Kathie- you travel 10,000 miles, spend thousands to get there - do you really want to throw the dice and see what happens? Yes there are folks - this original poster- that eat from street stalls and never have a problem- they are the lucky ones or maybe they have a cast iron stomach. And yes you can get food poisoning from established restaurants from time to time but the odds are better where there is air conditioning, refrigeration, bathroom facilities, washrooms etc. As I have said before look at a street stall. How do they keep the meat from spoiling (no refrigeration), how do they keep their utensils clean (no hot water), and when these persons have to pee- where do they go and do they wash their hands with hot water?
My vacation time is short and valuable I won't risk it on street stalls.
My vacation time is short and valuable I won't risk it on street stalls.
#5
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Like crellston, I am certainly prepared to give it a go. I am recently back from three weeks in Thailand, where we ate street food frequently. In fact, we took a food tour of Chinatown, which included four street vendors. (http://bangkokfoodtours.com/chinatown)
That proves nothing, of course, nor do I know whether the Dukoral my travel physician prescribed had any effect whatsoever.
That proves nothing, of course, nor do I know whether the Dukoral my travel physician prescribed had any effect whatsoever.
#6
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Having had typhoid once (and thats enough!) from something I ate in india I'll pass. I would be OK with the food courts in Singapore or other places where cleanliness is in evidence but forget the push cart stuff. Great aromas to be sure but too risky for me. I agree with BillT inre to going so far so why risk it. Also consider the medical care standards where ever you may be.