At home I consider myself adventurous when it comes to food. I would like to be adventurous while traveling too. So far, I have tried to be conservative, sticking to foods that are thoroughly cooked or fruits I have peeled myself. It might be the stories of people getting violently ill with what in Madagascar is called “Hotely Belly.” A hotely is a place where locals eat and my driver, Lala, said it is wise to stay away. So far so good. I haven’t had any digestive issues. As in most developing countries, the health issue is probably more about the water than the food, so foreigners are advised to stick to bottled water which I have. Access to clean water is a problem for many here in Madagascar.
Last night I found myself with a bit of a conflict. I was raised to eat what was put on my plate and be thankful. I was pretty hungry. I had only one choice for dinner–Zebu steak served with a side of pomme de terre frite, or what we would call French fries. Zebu is a type of cow common in Madagascar. You see them all around the rice paddies, walking along the side of the road, pulling carts, and as pictured above, being herded by children. I don’t know whether it was that image or the image of the street side butcher shops with hanging meat and no refrigeration, but I could not bring myself to eat steak for the first time in my life.
I was thankful the side of fries was big and hot.
For photos around Antananarivo from my first few days in Madagascar, click here.