Luverly London

Our last stop on our journey was the hectic and historic London.  After spending time in the relaxing Cornwall countryside and seaside towns, it was a bit of a shock to be angling for my spot on the crowded sidewalks and to be smashed like a sardine into the muggy underground trains of London.  

Our first stop was to the theater discount ticket booth to see if we can procure a ticket to a musical that starts in a few hours.  There is one in Paddington Station.  After hearing all the choices we opted for some nicely priced orchestra seats to Kinky Boots in a theater a few steps from our hotel.  We rushed to the hotel, checked in and got  our bearings.  I chose an architectural gem built in 1865.  The Alba on the Strand presented  lofty ceilings, grand curving staircases and a fine location next to the Charing Cross underground. 

The subways or “tube” in London is the way everyone gets around here. They are quick, cheap and easy,  for even a directionally challenged traveler,  to follow.   On this trip, we have stayed in lodgings so small the bed hardly fit in the room and at the Alba, we enjoyed a more luxurious lodging with free Wifi and marble bathrooms.  

The show, Kinky Boots, was a rollicking evening of fun!! The premise of the show was that a failing shoe company decided to make sturdy kinky boots in which transvestite men could be comfy.  The songs, acting and story were first rate and I highly recommend it!

Our vegan food experience in London was wonderful!  It seemed that each establishment had a number of plant based items on the menu.  I enjoyed Farmacy the most. My favorite meal of the day is breakfast and Farmacy delivered.  My entree was an “omelette” made out of chickpea flour and filled with sweet squash and savory kale.  KO had gluten free macaroni and vegan cheese with a truffle crumble and we shared a Caesar Salad  with mushroom “anchovies” and avocado and a delicious plant based dressing.  I loved everything! 

Another breakfast we traveled to by tube was Wulf and Lamb.  The sign outside said, “Friends Who Prey Together Stay Together.”  This seemed like an odd choice for a plant based restaurant and the name, Wulf and Lamb,  seemed off too, but the food was pretty good. My porridge of quinoa and oats hit the spot.  KO really enjoyed  his “eggs” made of ackee, a fruit found in Jamaica.  It was way too spicy for me!

The last night we tried a Turkish restaurant called Tas.  It was near the British Museum and offered al fresco dining.  The Mediterranean countries often supply dishes that complement our diet and Tas had many choices for us.  Turkish menus accentuate vegetables and that was what I was craving.  KO’s dish was described as Turlo, a mixed vegetable stew of potatoes, eggplant, peppers, carrots and tomatoes, served with couscous.  My dish was Pirasali, leeks cooked with chickpeas, green lentils and pomegranate sauce, also served with couscous.  Both were tangy and delicious and nice for a change. 

Other foreign cuisines that lend themselves to veganism are Japanese (vegan sushi, tempura, ramen soups), Chinese (tofu dishes), Mexican (vegan beans, rice and veggies in a corn tortilla), Italian ( pasta with sauteed veggies and chickpeas), and Greek (hummus, tabbouli, falafel, eggplant dip).  Salads can be found at every restaurants but the dressings might not be vegan.  In the airport, we needed some food for ten hours of traveling.  I was surprised to find Leon, a healthier alternative to the usual airport fare.  For my lunch I chose Grilled Butternut Squash on a bed of kale with pinenuts and sunflower seeds. For dinner I purchased Falafel resting on a salad with brown rice.  So you can find healthy options, even in an airport these days.

With only one and one half days in London our time was spare.  Portobello Market near Notting Hill was a pleasant way to spend a Sunday afternoon.  Our favorite market is Borough Market but unfortunately it is closed on Sundays.  Portobello Market extended for many blocks with stalls of eclectic wares being sold along with international foods.   We opted to locate the actual setting for “Notting Hill”, an older movie with Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts which was filmed nearby. 

Others, speaking in foreign languages, were taking photos right along with us of the famous blue door behind which Julia hid out with Hugh from her adoring public.  Then we found Hugh’s travel shop,  which is now a souvenir shop.  I must admit I was quite disillusioned to see the real thing as it looked nothing like the movie and Hugh didn’t even show up to give me a hug!  Earlier that day we stopped in to the British Museum which is free to wander.  KO spent his time searching for the oldest treasure in the place and decided it was some figurines of the oldest representatives of man, 7200 years BC, found under a house in a pit.  I rested my tootsies in the gift shop and looked at books of Japanese Erotica, read Peter Rabbit, skimmed the book of Anne Frank, and learned that the American government funded Mengele’s experiments on Eugenics and twins.  It was a very educational experience to peruse all the interesting books.

A word about air travel...

Air travel is not for the faint of heart.  If you have difficulty walking or carrying your luggage, you would probably be better off staying at home.  On our last day we had to go to Heathrow Airport. We packed light for this trip. 

Everything fit into two backpacks, mine light, KO’s large, and a medium suitcase that only weighed 35 pounds. Occasionally we had a food bag to carry with meals and snacks.  That last day, we had to take a subway train and transfer once.   Then we took the Heathrow Express, included with our Britrail Pass. When we got to Heathrow,  we had to find Terminal 2, which was nowhere near where they let us off.  We walked for several minutes, then got to the place for tickets and checked our bag, waited at the VAT office to get my refund for a ring I purchased, went through the security, where KO was frisked and had his backpack unpacked and searched and had to repack himself, went down four moving side walks, up several escalators and finally arrived at our gate where another 300 people were waiting!  It was exhausting, and we are pretty fit!!!  I didn’t see any wheelchairs or people moving vans. All I saw were people scowling that it took too long!  You must be in healthy shape to travel.  Before this trip, I had suffered for months from a case of sciatica and plantar fasciitis.  If it had not healed by the time of my trip, it would have been very difficult to accomplish the long days of walking and sightseeing that we did.  This is a good reminder to me to eat healthy food and stay fit because I’m planning on traveling for quite awhile!  

In addition, traveling requires “going with the flow.”  Once my friend and I were coming back from Vienna when they took us out to the runway, kept us there three hours and then decided the plane and crew couldn’t fly that day after all. It was a Sunday and they only had one agent for 400 people to rebook all of us, put us up overnight in a hotel and give us dinner. It was a madhouse,  but in situations like these you must keep a cool help and let go.  Things go wrong all the time.  Delays, cancellations, missed flights and other unexpected and unplanned mishaps are all part of the journey.

This trip to the UK has come to an end and its back to our day to day lives.  Next year we have found a Vegan cruise that goes to Lisbon, Portugal, Barcelona and other spots in Spain, the island of Mallorca, Marseilles in France and ends in Monte Carlo in Monaco.  This trip includes airfare, four excursions, tips and taxes, and all your food and lodging!! All this for just about $2200 for an inside cabin on the Oceania around September 29, 2018. Would love to meet some of you on this relaxing voyage. Contact me for more info or check out Vegan Cruisade on facebook.  Please follow me on Healthy Chef and Macro Travel Friends on facebook so we can “meet” and share ideas.  I loved sharing our vacation with all of you.  My viewers  are from England, US, Spain, Peru, Israel, Germany, Netherlands, Ukraine, Australia, Singapore, India, Malaysia,  Russia, France, Canada, and many other places and there were 2500 views of macro adventures these past two weeks!  It is so exciting to know that I can reach so many of you and to share my love of vegan traveling.  Would love to see some comments and to “meet” you online.

Til we meet again....

Charming Cornwall

Stress melts away as our Great Western Railway train rounds the bend and we spy clear blue waters lapping up on a sandy beach cove.  Now we know we have arrived in St. Ives, Cornwall.  Five years ago, we discovered this precious jewel situated on the southwestern tip of England.  We have returned to this little slice of heaven almost every year since then.

The train ride from Paddington Staion in London to St. Ives takes about six hours.  Cities dissolve into small towns and then beautiful lush green patchwork fields and farms as you journey toward Cornwall.  Friends recently flew into Newquay and then got a driver to St. Ives, to shorten the journey, but I think the train is an essential and enjoyable part of the journey.  Modern life, with its cars, technology and upsetting news fades away on the train ride and when we arrive we shut off our phones, avoid the tv, use our feet to get around and contemplate where we are right in this moment.  

The Little Leaf Guest House has been our home away from home every time we have visited St. Ives. Our innkeepers, Anthony and Tim, welcome us like family and make it easy for us to stay healthywith our plant based lifestyle. The breakfasts here are included in the room rate and fill us up for a day of wandering the meandering cobblestone streets and seaside paths.  Our morning meal is composed of creamy porridge made with almond milk, fresh fruit, homemade granola, crispy hash browns, vegan sausage, baked beans and a grilled portobello mushroom.  Eggs as well as french toast and waffles are also offered.  Our hosts even purchase gluten free, vegan digestives for us to go with the tea offered in every room.  Chatting with Anthony is fascinating as he has lived in Thaijland and continues to run a business there.  This personable host seems to never tire of giving us tips on where to pass our days and always makes time for us.  Tim has shared her native Thai rice with us and its a treat to talk with her too.

What I love about St. Ives is the small country town feeling I get when I walk along the ancient streets.  The shopkeepers are friendly and take the time to chat with you. This year we met a couple running a sushi stall type restaurant. She was French and he was from Tahiti.  They have moved to another place with their kids almost every year!  Now they are calling St. Ives home.  What a fascinating life they have had, so different from my own. 

The curving streets and passageways of St. Ives always lead you to an interesting shop or spectacular view or quaint tea room.  The tides here are very interesting to me.  I had never seen bobbing ships at high tide end up sitting right on the dry sea bottom at low tide only to be lifted up once again by the next high tide. 

Plants and flowers grow bountifully here due to the temperate climate and plentiful rainfall. I am envious at the kitchen gardens and baskets brimming with gerbera daisies, purple and yellow pansies, and a wide assortment of wildflowers.  The unique shops and the local bookstore call out to us as we walk by, as do the windows full of baked pasties and British treats that are new to our eyes, with names like sticky toffee pudding, figgyhobbin and fluffy meringues.  There are photo opportunities at every turn!  

Food is a bit of a challenge for us in St. Ives.  We did have some success at the Porthminster Beach Cafe which is perched right on the beach and has lovely sea views while you dine.  The talented chef prepared a thick creamy vegetable soup and a tart filled with nicely seasoned root veggies mounded into a pastry shell and surrounded by a crunchy cucumber salad.  The Blas Burgerworks boasts being among the top burger joints in the country.  We wanted to try their promising Beet Burger but the one hour wait put us off.  At Rajpoot we enjoyed some brilliant korma, a chickpea dish prepared with coconut milk, and served over rice.  Our final night we ended up playing trivia at Coastal Pub and Kitchen. Many of the questions related to England, but our educated guesses proved successful.  We ended up performing better than the British couple at our table while munching on crisp snap peas, kale and lentils.  So we managed to find enough vegan food to get by, but it would be nice if a vegan restaurant opened in St. Ives.

Now for a word regarding travel companions.  When you do journey away from home, it is important to choose wisely and carefully when you decide who to take with you.  Ask yourself these questions about any potential candidate.  Is the person an early riser or a nightowl?  Is the person extravagant with money or a penny pincher?  Does the person prefer hostels or luxurious hotels or quaint 100 year old bed and breakfasts?  Is the person someone who has “diarrhea of the mouth” and won’t even be quiet when you ask them or does the person hardly utter a word?  Is the person a daredevil or a worrywart?  Does the person eat the same way you do so you will be choosing meals that complement both of you?   Is the person a shopper, a moocher, a hiker or the opposite?  Does the person snore or like the room hot when you prefer it cooler?  After you have asked yourself and the potential travel partner these difficult questions, take a trial run. Go away for a few days locally to see how it turns out.  All of this prep will save you lots of heartache in the end.  It is better than going away with someone for two weeks and ending up not speaking to each other because you had certain expectations that your partner can’t meet.  Also, plan on compromising.  You won’t always want to spend time looking at old cars and looking at electronics and he/she won’t always want to wait while you try on dresses or look at jewelry, but both of you must bend to make it work.  Traveling is a lot of fun under the right circumstances with a partner who is a good match.

England’s Lovely Lakes and Tricky Transit

This blog is being sponsored by T Mobile! (Not really). Thankfully KO has the phone service which is based in Europe. Wherever we go, on trains, in pubs, on the lake, or in the inn his phone service has worked every time and he has been able to give me a hot spot so I can chat with all of you.  So kudos to KO and T Mobile for connecting me to the world.  In addition a shout out to KO for lugging our suitcase up and down the hills of these quaint little towns, even at 6 a.m.  I am grateful for all his help. KO also takes the photos and figures out how to insert them into the blog.  He’s an electronic whiz!

The road from Edinburgh to Windermere, in the Lakes Region, was full of drama and delays.  A trip that should have taken two and one half hours, ended up taking ten hours!  Apparently bank holidays and striking train workers were conspiring to upset my Type A carefully planned punctuality.  The universe has a way of sending us a lesson when we get too attached to things and this definitely taught me one about “You think you are in control, well I’ll show you!”  When I described our plight to the station agent, he looked bored and disinterested.  He proceeded to tell me that he had worked twelve hours that day and he had already been regalled with sordid stories like ours for weeks!  No sympathy or compassion there, it’s just the way it is here.  Then this guy informed us that our early morning train may or may not show up and the replacement bus may be AWOL as well.  I ask you, “Is this any way to run an airline?”  This is where my daily meditation practice and staying in the moment really came in handy.  KO was, of course, his usual unflappable self.

Our visit to the Lakes Region, even though it was cut short by a day, due to train snafus, was magnificent.  Adorable towns with Victorian architecture peppered by lofty church spires, colorful wildflowers spilling out of their stone boxes,  glistening lakes encircled by imposing mountains and delectable food greeted us there.  Our lodging was an Air b and b in Windermere as our base. Our room was huge compared to our cramped quarters in Edinburgh.  A large kitchen was at our disposal and I did prepare brown rice, red lental dahl and blanched watercress and kale on the gas burners.  The owner was so generous he told us to tour around for our only day while he washed all our clothes, dried them on the clothesline, folded them and placed them by our door!!  He was a “ prince among men.”

The air b and b was a scenic twenty minute stroll down hill to the enchanting village of Bownes-on-Windermere.  The town was teaming with tourists as it was a Bank Holiday.  Bownes perches right on Lake Windermere and has adorable local shops, pubs, restaurants and ferries that carry you to other  waterfront towns.  We located an open air table for breakfast called Mio Mondo.  We could people watch while we enjoyed a delicious Vegan English breakfast.  Munching on baked beans, hash browns and amazing vegan “sausages” created from creamy beans, corn and peas, we fortified ourselves for a day of sightseeing.

The Lake Country was the home of Beatrix Potter.  This talented woman was the genius who gave us Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddleduck, Benjamin Bunny, and many other forest friends. We watched the movie, “Miss Potter” in preparation for the visit to her neck of the country.  We found out she was an artist, writer, conservationist, mycologist and very independent lady for her time.  She purchased land parcels so builders and developers couln’t spoil the landscape.  She self published her first books.  Unfortunately Beatrix let her mother’s opinions almost destroy her happiness. You see her mother thought marrying a tradesman was below her station.  Beatrix did finally defy her mom and become engaged to her love, only to have him succumb to leukemia one month later. Her mom gave her a difficult time about her next choice but she did marry him in her late 40s and they had many happy years together.  The books she wrote are beloved and many of us read them as children.

My favorite stores, which are all over England, are the Oxfam and other charity shops.  You can find everything there and pay very little for it. I head for the books 
first searching for that perfect romance that takes place in the Cotswalds, Cornwall or the Lake country.  Next the used clothes are my destination. Unique items not found in the states catch my eye. I ended up buying a lacy aqua tea hat, with a veil, for a relative.  Looking forward to these shops when we arrive in Cornwall.

We queued up with all the holiday crowds to ferry across the lake to the next town.  The ride was so lovely as we were surrounded by crisp white sailboats, imposing mansions from the 1940s, multicolored mountains in the distance and the pleasant breeze on our skin.  We have been so fortunate to have clear, warm weather as this area can be beset with rain and fog.

Ambleside was a less crowded place and we walked uphill one mile to town.  The quaint tea shops all over offer a place to rest while you can enjoy a scone( a type of biscuit with currants), a sweet treat( the windows are brimming with the most beautiful cakes you have ever seen) or a nice cup of tea. 

We opted for a bowl of Potato Leek Soup. It seems like this is the signature soup of the UK as it is offered everywhere!  After a look in the shops, we boarded the bus back to Windermere.  Riding on the top, with the tall trees whizzing by, felt like we were in a treehouse in the sky.  After returning to our guest house, it was time to get down to some serious macrobiotic cooking to balance ourselves once again.

I wanted to say a few words about staying healthy while venturing away from home.  I always bring certain items with me on my trips.  These items include umeboshi concentrate, a macrobiotic remedy for tummy trouble, and probiotic packets that

 do not require refrigeration.  I pack fiber packets as well in case we can not find enough veggies to keep us “regular.”  I believe in homeopathy and I take the ones that help in emergencies.  Arsenicum album is for food poisoning and has helped me out of a few jams when I have eaten bad food.  Apis is helpful for bug bites.  Passiflora Incarnata helps with jet lag.  I pack dry brown rice in a baggie and soak it overnight and prepare it the next day.If I have eaten “wide” on my trip the brown rice often centers me.  The idea I love about macrobiotics is that we learn to balance our eating and we know the steps to take if we want to counter the occasional beer or sweet cream tea with scones.  Having these “first aid” tools serve to avert possible sick days on vacations.

Hopefully this aids you supporters out there and a big thank youfor reading my blog and tracking our macro adventures.

Scotland’s Captivating Castles and Harrowing History

The past two days have been chock full of castles and history.  Yesterday we toured the Edinburgh Castle, one of the most visited in the world.  This castle dates back to the twelfth century.  The wonderful audio guide led us through each room in the castle which we could visit at our own pace.  I was most impressed by the number of gateways you must pass to even get close to the portcullis, an iron gate that comes down to keep invaders out.  In addition the Mons Meg on display was quite interesting. It is a 13,000 pound siege gun from 1449.  This weapon was used to fire 330 pound gun stones at the thick castle walls to create holes that invaders could then crawl in.

The oldest room in the castle was St. Margeret’s Chapel in use from 1124-1153.  The original stained glass window and peaceful ambiance evoked a time of yor.

Many cities have Hop On- Hop Off buses where a traveller can rest her weary feet and see all the city sites while listening to the guide’s narration.  It takes about an hour to complete the loop and you have the option to get off and on anywhere along the route.  Your ticket is valid for 24 hours.  We heard about the places we hadn’t gotten to and then the bus stopped to drop us off right at our hotel in Grassmarket.

Grassmarket was the perfect place to stay in Edinburgh.  It is located right behind the castle and just a few steps from the Royal Mile.  It is surrounded by a cobblestone plaza with pubs and restaurants galore. We opted for Italian food this night and enjoyed pasta with sauteed vegetables, a nice green salad and the ever present Leek and Potato Soup.  Then it was off to sleep for our early tour.

The next morning we woke up at 7 am to meet our Highlands Tour bus for a twelve hour bus tour up to Loch Ness and some more castles.  The bus was comfortable and we grabbed a seat right up front.  The ride up north was picturesque and took us down windy narrow roads decked with sheep roaming the kelly green mountainsides and fields.  In this country sheep outnumber people two to one.  Our driver told us they love their mutton and lamb chops. Certainly not my cup of tea!!

Finally we arrived at a pastoral photo opportunity called Glencoe.  As we stepped out to capture the scene our guide related the story of the MacDonald clan.  This family was constantly mixing it up with the English, fighting for land and castles.  In this place, the MacDonalds were assured that the English came in peace and so they fed and housed them only to be murdered by them.  At the Battle of Bannockburn 35 of the MacDonald clan were murdered by 900 English!  After this battle in 1314, the  Scottish and English finally united, except for five castles that were still in dispute.

Our next stop was to Loch Ness where one of those castles, in ruins, awaited to tell its story.  Loch Ness is a lake 23 miles long and 800 feet deep.  Legends tell us that a monster named Nessie lives there and people actually have had sightings of this creature.  She did not appear to us this day.

 

 
The castle that sits on the shore overlooking Loch Ness is called Urquhart Castle.  It hails from the twelfth century and was one of the five to be fought over and to change hands many times. Archaeologists have unearthed many artifacts here and have used models to recreate how the castle would have looked. We walked up winding staircases to the bed chambers and into the large kitchens and banquet halls using our imaginations to visualize how it would have been.  Outside the castle, on the grounds, is the Trichochet, an enormous weapon of war used to catapult large stones through the walls.  It was rolled from battle to battle. You would have been able to see this thing coming from miles away so forget the element of surprise!  Our weaponry has come a long way.
A lovely boat ride took us back to meet our group for the long ride to Edinburgh.

Finding something to eat in the Highlands was difficult. We did find some Scotch Broth that was tasty.  It was barley and vegetables in a rich broth served with thick bread. Then we went from 12-8 without finding something plant based. I had brought some nuts which KO snacked on.  Back in Edinburgh we took a long walk and happened upon a place that had wonderful vegan options and ended up being our best meal yet. KO had a creamy dahl over rice with coconut “bacon”, and I had a chickpea and cauliflower dish over mashed sweet potatoes with sauteed broccoli rabe greens.  For dessert we shared a vegan Polenta cake. Everything was so delicious.  We picked up falafel sandwiches for the train ride tomorrow so we will be prepared.

Looking forward to visiting England but feeling melancholy to leave Scotland... We had a wonderful visit here and hope to return one day.