These following foods from the world cuisine are not only peculiar in their ingredients, but they also appear to be very violent in their preparation and inflict great suffering on animals. Some of the following pictures and videos are pretty graphic, and should be approached with caution. They are included to present visual examples of these types of foods, and to show that these kinds of dishes are not rare in the world, but instead exist daily in many cultures.

1. A Monkey's Brain

The following dish is actually quite a murderous scene, and the ensuing feast can be quite gruesome. A captured monkey is first forcibly pulled to the dining table. The monkey is tightly held with hoops over its hands and legs. One of the diners uses a hammer to knock hard enough to actually create a hole in the live monkey's head. Its cracked skull opens from its head and the diners use a stick of iron rod to extract the monkey's brain. The monkey usually screams terribly before dying near the table.

Some of the more aggressive and "hungry" diners may actually use their spoons to scrape through the bloody monkey's brain, eating in a greedy manner as though they have not eaten in a long time. The diners continue to eat the raw brain completely, often with their fingers and hands covered with smelly blood. Others may prefer to dip the raw brain into a traditional herb soup in order to add to the aroma while eating.

Comment: I personally cannot understand how these people swallow this bloody delicacy with no apparent regret and without nausea. I think that it is unbelievably disgusting to see how they chew hungrily on the bloody brain. While researching this article, I found many videos on this popular custom but I decided that they were just too violently graphic to use, and I decided to spare you the trauma of these painful scenes.

2. A Baby Rodent

This apparent delicacy consists of a newly born rodent, a small selection of seasonal vegetables, and a traditional eating custom. The diner initially uses a special skewer to stab the live rodent. The first "chi" sound is apparently heard as the rodent, who cannot bear the pain of being pierced, squeals as it is impaled on the skewer. As the diner dips the still-live rodent into the boiling oil, the second "chi" sound is said to be heard.

As the well-fried rodent is finally placed into the diner's mouth, the third "chi" sound is allegedly heard one last time. Such a delicacy is actually quite simple, but the diner obviously needs to have certain degree of courage, energy, and very possibly, a real culinary open-mindedness to try it.

Comment: It is perhaps not as disturbing for those who eat this delicacy as compared with those who enjoy preparing this extremely graphic type of food. Maybe they should be put in jail instead for abusing these animals in such a terrible manner. How strange it is to see people laughingly enjoying this cruel delicacy in such a happy mood!

3. Turtle Flesh

This dish begins with a live turtle being covered with appropriate seasonings and herbs, while a pan of water is being heated. As the water begins to warm, the turtle is then put into the water. Due to the extreme heat, the turtle will actually begin to drink the water as its body begins to become cooked by the hot liquid. The cook then allows the turtle to remain alive in the herb soup in order to create a good flavor. As the water gradually becomes hotter, the turtle will begin to struggle helplessly in pain.

Comment: It is really quite disturbing to see a live turtle struggling hopelessly in the extremely hot water. Do humans really have to torture the helpless animal in this manner just to satisfy their own eating instincts?

4. Roasted Duck Legs

Here is another popular food that begins with a live animal. A live duck is placed on a slightly hot frying pan. Prior to this, an appropriate amount of seasonings is rubbed all over the duck's body. Due to the heat of the hot-plate, the duck will obviously try to make every attempt to get off of the hot metal, and from time to time, it will try to jump out of the pan.

Finally, the legs will become fully roasted, while its body is still actually alive. The cook will then cut off the duck's legs for them to be placed on a plate to be ready to serve hot to the diner. The remaining part of the duck is then put in the freezer for other future uses.

Comment: This is an extremely disgusting and cruel delicacy when it is viewed from the initial moment of preparation until it is finally served to the diner.

5. Donkey's Meat

This queer delicacy involves eating fresh donkey meat, where the flesh is actually eaten raw without cooking. The diner uses a special fork and spoon to scoop out some of the flesh from the donkey. The meat is then totally dipped into the fresh red blood before it is eaten. According to tradition, the more the diner heard the screaming of the donkey, the more excited they will then be to dine on this delicacy.

Comment: What types of human being are these? They appear to be quite inhumane as they show no benevolence towards the donkey's painful screaming. This unusual eating behavior is among the cruelest in the world's delicacies that I encountered.

6. A Dried Chicken

To make this dish, the cooks need to work fast in order to create it. With the chicken completely alive, they quickly peel off the chicken's feathers, taking out the heart in an astonishingly short time. Later, they fill the chicken's abdomen with seasonings before sewing it up. Finally, they hang it up to dry it out before serving to the diner.

During the preparation, the chicken is still alive, and it will keep on making a noisy sound. It will often struggle violently to get away from the cooks. The cook's hands eventually become totally bathed in large amounts of red blood.

Comment: This chicken has to bear an extremely painful torture as first its feathers and then its heart are removed. The diner eats this dried-alive chicken with apparent pleasure. Indeed, the one time I saw this personally, it caused me to me vomit while looking at the other diners eating it in such a high-spirited mood.

7. A Flesh of Live Shrimp

This seafood dish is not only raw, but served while the shrimps are still alive. First, a cup of Brandy, Whiskey or Vodka is poured onto the live Shrimps. Then, the diner eats these live shrimp, apparently with great excitement.

Comment: This seems simply disgusting, and although it looks harmless, I was still shocked and disgusted by this peculiar eating habit.

8. Grilled Unborn Lamb

First, an entire pregnant female goat is butchered and thrown onto a charcoal fire to burn until it turns a golden brown color. When it is entirely baked, the cook will then cut through its abdomen to take out the cooked, unborn lamb from inside its mother's body. It is said that in this manner, the softness of the young lamb can offer the diner an especially pleasing taste.

Comment: This is another delicacy that just seems tasteless.

Pigs Brain and Chicken Feet Soup

This herbal soup is boiled with the Chinese herb kei chi (for good eye sight), dried longan fruit and Chinese yam. The pig's brains and chicken feet are said to nourish the brain and strengthen muscles.

Boiled Jellyfish

Shredded jelly fish takes just 2 minutes to boil. You don't want to over cook it and spoil the texture. However, if you are using the head and eyes too, it will take a few minutes longer. Apparently this is best served ice cold.

Fried Spiders

These street hawkers are selling fried spiders on the street in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. They are said to be a very popular snack.

Balut

Filipinos enjoy balut which is an egg containing a half developed duck foetus. When you crack open the egg you find a miniature duckling complete with feet, a beak and feathers. The smell is is said to be quite horrible.

Guinea Pig Roast

Guinea Pig is a popular but expensive dish in South America, especially in Ecuador and Peru. It is said to taste just like chicken with a similar texture.

Frog Sashimi

This sushi dish is enough to put you off for life.

Frog! What more can I say?

Hairless Rats

These hairless rats are very popular in Taiwan. They are a special kind of rat bred for food and not the same as the ones running around the sewers. However, I don't think that fact helps them sound any more palatable.

Roast Snake Soup and Tonic

This Cantonese dish is said to make men virile and women healthy and strong. It relies on fresh ingredients for a perfect dish. Oh, yummy, fresh snake.

It is often said that the main difference between cultures is in the food eaten. Most of these dishes sound quite intimidating to the western palette but they are all favourites in someone's culture.

A visit to Liverpool wouldn't be complete without visiting Beatles City and Matthew Street. There are also other places to visit which have a connection to the Beatles including visits to Paul McCartney's old house in Forthlin Road and John Lennon's old house in Menlove Avenue. You could also go past Sgt. Peppers, Strawberry Fields and George Harrison's old house in Admiral Grove, Wavertree.

Many tourists love to visit the Albert Dock and the Pier Head. You can also go for a trip on the Mersey Ferry. The ferry travels up and down the Mersey with a guide. Whilst your down the Albert Dock why not take a trip on the Liverpool Duck. The Duck can travel on the road and in the water. On the water the duck goes through the South Docks.

Well I hope this is enough to keep you all going. Don't forget to visit the city's two football teams Everton Football Club and Liverpool Football Club.