Skift Take

After all these years, Bourdain is still willing to wade into the unknown and put anything in his mouth for the sake of experiencing new culture. That's what differentiates him from most others that tiptoe around the outside of a new place.

Samantha Shankman, Skift

Anthony Bourdain travels from the seas to the mountains of Tanzania in last Sunday’s episode of CNN’s Parts Unknown. His journey starts in Zanzibar, the small island-nation, which is technically part of the mainland country. The majority of the population is Muslim and its influence is felt throughout the culture. In addition to its beaches, Zanzibar is also known for its street food.

Snacks include Swahili donuts, fried lentil fitters, and beef and chicken kebabs sold by vendors and frequented often by locals. Zanzibar culture mandates that friends buy the street snacks for one another making 30-kebab purchases a common occurrence.

Bourdain then flies across the country to Arusha near Mount Kilimanjaro on his way to the Serengeti. He stays at a luxurious 5-star lodge where he describes the combination of “idyllic natural setting and good plumbing as pretty much paradise.”

Bourdain spends a good portion of the episode with local Masai. He dives head first into their culture, sipping on a chunky yogurt-like drink, and he drinks blood directly from a slaughtered goat. He travels around with a local guide and sees the expansive wildlife that attracts $1.5 billion in tourism every year.

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Samantha Shankman, Skift

October 27th, 2014 at 4:04 PM EDT

Tags: anthony bourdain, cnn, parts unknown

Photo credit: Anthony Bourdain explores the Serengeti and Zanzibar on a trip to Tanzania. CNN Parts Unknown

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