Meat Or Mineral? Travel Creator's Pork Belly Rock Haul Goes Viral

Meat Or Mineral? Travel Creator's Pork Belly Rock Haul Goes Viral

Many of us share the joy of bringing home little treasures from our travels - a quirky magnet, a vibrant postcard, a shiny seashell, or a hand-carved miniature. Each souvenir tells a story, capturing a moment in time long after the vacation ends. But one California-based travel vlogger gave her passion for collecting a deliciously quirky twist. On her trip to Taipei city, the capital of Taiwan, she went hunting for hyper-realistic, meat-shaped rocks to decorate her home. What does she want? Pork belly look-alikes, yes, really.

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In a now-viral Instagram reel, the vlogger shared her journey to the famous Jianguo Jade Market, a sprawling maze of gemstone and jade vendors. "I'm hoping to find rocks that look like pork belly," she says in the clip, before explaining that she first spotted them seven years ago at the same market. "There's a small niche of rock collectors in Asia who are obsessed with meat-shaped rocks," she revealed.

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The market itself was a feast for the eyes - tables covered in colourful sculptures, figurines, beaded jewellery, and gleaming crystals. Her first stop? A stall run by "a kind uncle" who had a few thin slices of meat rock on display. She picked up three pieces that looked uncannily like strips of raw pork. At another booth, she scored three larger pork belly stones.

"I really loved how they carved each stone to highlight the layers - skin, fat, and meat," she said. Once home, she styled them on decorative plates to enhance the illusion.

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The internet loved the meat-themed showpieces.

One user called the rocks "fabulous."

"Omg this is so cool and I want to find them now," admitted another.

"What a fun idea to carve the edges to make them look even more realistic! That's SO cute," read a comment.

"This is so unique! They really do look like pieces of pork belly," noted an individual.

"Imagine seeing this when you're drunk," read a fun remark.

"They look so yummy," confessed a foodie.