To eat or not to eat?
 

We are leaving for Peru in one week. What suggestions does everyone have on what foods did you try and loved or what should we stay away from. I know about "peel it" "cook it" and only bottled water. But, the cebiche (marinated seafood) looks good in pictures - any problems with that? What about that "Suspiro a la limena" (pudding with meringue) I know I want to try the roasted guinea pig. (Don't tell PETA).

All of our days are scheduled and I sure would hate to miss anything because of something I ate. It's no fun taking photos from the window of the bathroom.

We have hired Percy as our guide because of the recommendations on these boards and I will make sure to post when I return. (I will tell you what it's like spending "an arm and a leg" to stay at the Sanctuary Resort.)

Spent 7 weeks in Peru in 2008 ate at a wide variety of places from upscale restaurants to market stalls to camping in the wild and didn't experience any problems. Ceviche was excellent! The best we had was in Molino market in Cusco.

Can't help with "Suspiro a la limena" as I am not a pudding person. We did try numerous Pisco Sours which apparently contain raw egg white but again, no ill effects.

We never got around to trying guinea pig but our trekking guide did tell us that he avoids it because it gives him diarrhea.

I only ever had food poisoning once and that was from a prawn in at a buffet in 5* hotel in Hanoi - put me off buffets for a very long time! (our bathroom didn't have a window!!)

Look forward to reading your report.

www.inkagrillcusco.com

Was best for Cuy for me

Sonia's in Lima best for cebiche

the top places are fine just the street food is a problem

The only place I had an issue with was in Nasca where I made

the mistake of thinking the chicken soup would be ok.

They put the feet/feces IN the soup so I had to get

some antibiotics immodium but started it quickly

only had issues for for 24 hours so a good medical kit wise

Check the seals on the water carboanted best..

mdtravelhealth.com Peru careful to adjust to altitude or

take a good preventive to have a good time Cusco 11000 ft!

Happy Travels!

Here are some classic Peruvian foods you should be sure to try:
- anticuchos: grilled skewered cow hearts or beef
- cuy: guinea pig
- pachamanca: earthen cooked meats, legumes, and potato (very Andean)
- pollo a la brasa: rotisserie chicken (very local)
- ceviche: marinated fresh seafood
- causas: potatoes filled with chicken salad
- papas rellenas: stuffed potatoes
- lomo saltado: stir fried beef with rice, fries, and salad (very local, perfect example of Asian & Peruvian fusion)
- aji de gallina: chicken in a slightly spicy aji sauce with rice
- seco de carne: tender meat with a rich sauce (very local)
- chicha morada: fermented dark purple corn juice

Depending on your personal disposition, seafood is always a hit or miss when it comes to food sickness. Typically, if you eat in a nicer restaurant, the ceviche and other seafood will be fine. On the street, your chances of getting ill will be higher. Try to look for establishments with many people, which will help ensure high er turnover of food and less chance the ingredients have been sitting out for too long.

Eat well!

Peru For Less

Something like half of tourists are going to get a touch of TD in their visit to Peru. So be prepared and don't be surprised. If you aren't taking Diamox you might try the one or two tabs of PeptoBismol daily as a preventative (it worked for me last trip).

I was okay with ceviche (Lima), if you want to be careful you could try an upper end place in Lima such as La Mar.

Be prepared for ginormous serving sizes in local restaurants (maybe less so in the upscale/tourist ones).

Other things to try
Boiled choclo/giant corn (bought from a street vendor)
Anything with huacatay (Peruvian black mint)
Alpaca
Palta = Avocado
Maracuya = Passionfruit
Humitas (corn tamales)
Lucuma ice cream
Picarones
Alfajores
Aji amarillo is the milder chile and rocoto is the spicy one!
Pollo ala Brasa..wood oven chicken..
Chicha morada isn't fermented. It's a sweet drink from boiled purple corn usually with pineapple and spices.

For the fermented chicha drink you might ask to stop at Descanso Bar near Maras. If you like home brewed cider you might like it, I wasn't crazy for it although the strawberry version was better.

http://www.peruthisweek.com/food-110...hicha-in-Peru/

Mlgb-thanks for the heads up on the pepto and diamox. I have the diamox but still am undecided on taking it. I will have to talk again with the pharmacist. Wow, two choices. Bathroom and no headache or no headache and bathroom.

Thanks to all for the food suggestions. It's good to be adventurous but safe.

If you are not going higher than Cusco, maybe just bring some advil for the headache!

You aren't supposed to take a salicylate (aspirin or Pepto) if you also take Diamox.

If you are interested in who was at the 2011 Lima gastronomy fair (Mistura), it is online here, click thru the links and you will get their permanent locations as well as info and photos of their famous dishes.

http://www.mistura.pe/quecomer-cat/carretillas

http://www.mistura.pe/quecomer/pescados-y-mariscos
http://www.mistura.pe/quecomer/cebicherias

We fly into Lima, airport hotel 1 night, then on to Ollaylantambo for 4 nights, 1 night Macchu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge, then 3 nights Cusco and lastly, 2 nights Puno.

I'm thinking that itinerary might just get us used to the altitude. I might take one diamox pill at home just to see what happens.

You'll probably be fine, especially with 4 days in Ollantaytambo. Just take it easy the first few days and when you get off the plane in Cusco.

Your itinerary sounds as good as it can be to help you cope with the altitude. The biggest shock to the system is arrival in Cusco by plane but as you are going straight to Olly this will be largely offset by the lower altitude. Puno is at an even higher altitude than Cusco and, even though we had been at altitude for several weeks, we still noticed the difference there compared with Cusco.

The Inka Express (or similar is a great way to get from Cusco to Puno as there is loads to see along the way and the gradual increased in altitude compared with flying definitely helps.

We didn 't use Diamox but drank copious amounts of Coca tea which helped. Also chewed coca leaves when trekking which helped even more, but not to everyone's taste!