Travel Channel

The scene in Ecuador with the shaman was great! Andrew was a good sport for sticking with it to the fiery end. I also loved the part where the local grandmother showed him how to chug the aloe drink.

Can't wait to see what's next!

Mr Zimmern, I apologize in advance for finding laughter in an instance where you were in obvious discomfort but I found that whole scene with the eggs, leaves, spit, fur and fire (egad!) so hilarious! You're a great sport, buddy, hives and all. Keep it up, because your views are lapping it up like crazy!

Mr. Zimmern,

I really enjoy your show. I especially like the one on Ecuador since I studied there and in Peru one summer. I tried the cuy too, and found it similar to squirrel. I noticed that you missed a good bizarre food when you were at El Mitad Del Mundo (Center of the Earth). While you were eating the cuy, there was a sign visible behind you advertizing yaguarlocro, or blood soup. I do take a small issue with your scene with the shaman, however. Yes, you stuck it out, but it seems to me that you were a bit condescending. Usually you are so respectful of other cultures. These shamans or curanderos are not witch doctors. The term witch doctor is derogatory to both wicca and shamanism, which are both religions with many followers worldwide. You actually got off lightly. If you had been in the Amazon, the ritual could have involved either consuming a hallucinogenic brew or having a hallucinogenic snuff blown up your nose by the shaman. In other parts of the Andes, coca would have been a part of the ritual. The coca probably would not have bothered you, but I doubt that you could stand the more potent sacred plants. Please remember that these people are not charlatans. Medical doctors throughout Latin America often refer patients that they cannot help to curanderos. There have been documented cases of even cancer being cured by these medicine men. There are illnesses known to anthropology called "culture bound syndromes" that are very real to the cultures in which they are found but have no treatment in western medicine. One example, which I am now researching, is called "susto", or fright sickness. It is caused by a usually life threatening event. Western medicine can do nothing for it, but these curanderos can cure it. That is only one example. Overall, you are all right in my book, but please try to keep an open mind about things like this. If you had been more open to it, you would have come out of there feeling supercharged and much like the proverbial "million bucks".

I'm not sure what that whole thing had to do with food... can someone explain?