Don't Eat the Tomatoes!

My roommate, Liz, and I missed the continental breakfast at our hotel this morning, so we decided to look for something quick to eat in the neighborhood. We asked for a suggestion at the hotel, but the man at the front desk recommended the main square, which was a touristy area that we knew would take more time than we had. Instead, we ran down the street and found a local place that had desayuno (breakfast) for 3 soles ($1). What a deal! We decided it was worth a try, though we were not quite sure what would arrive on our plates. When it arrived, we found a delicious mix of fried meat, potatoes, rice, and a piece of lettuce with two tomatoes. We were both eyeing the vegetables, but knew better. 

Our group has learned the hard way that it's not safe to eat anything that may have possibly touched the water. But even after all of the Cipro our group has gone through, we have a tendency to forget, or maybe to tempt fate. It's just so easy to forget we are not at home, and the patterns we are used to, like using tap water to brush are teeth, do not work. So a few minutes later, I found myself yelling across the table, "Liz, don't eat the tomatoes! And don't even think about the lettuce." I imagine in a few days we will be sitting at a restaurant in the States with tomatoes on our plates and it will hit us - we can finally eat the tomatoes.