VIGNETTES OF VEGAN VACATIONS

           The Advantages of being a Vegan just keep getting better! Case in point: 3 true-life vignettes from my own life:

          VIGNETTE #1- 2001 (before 9/11): I was traveling by plane across the country, and specified a vegan meal, not expecting more than some insipid fare that at least would be tolerable. Wrong! It turned out to be a delicate yet hearty entrée of tofu-stuffed whole-grain pasta shells with garlic/pesto sauce and a GREEN (not iceberg) side salad. The others seated in my row were visibly jealous, comparing my lunch to their own uninspired-looking plates of food. Conversations ensued, and led to discussions on the advantages of a vegan diet (beyond the obvious current contrast in our lunches!).

          VIGNETTE #2- 2004, Orlando, Florida: I was on a mini-vacation with my son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter. We had a really fun day at a theme park and the next morning set out to attend an impressive brunch as a treat from my son and his wife, LeShea, who had investigated ahead of time and discovered (no surprise there) that the only vegan food on the buffet was fruit salad. BUT, not wanting to lose four customers, they promised her that I would be given a special meal prepared by a vegan-friendly chef.

          After everybody else went through the line, Tomas, a young chef on their staff from the Islands, came out and introduced himself. Tomas asked me a few questions, such as “Do you like Tofu? How about Mushrooms? What about fresh Spinach?” (“Yes, Yes & Yes!”). He smiled and said “No worries, ma’am”, as he disappeared into the kitchen. He returned about 15 minutes later with a tray overflowing with the most luscious breakfast fare a traveling vegan might yearn for: fresh papaya with lime wedges, a Tofu/Veggie Scramble, served with vegan Home fries, fried brown rice, and vegan blueberry pancakes with fresh blueberries on the side. Not only did it easily fill my tummy, but there was plenty left over for my family as well, as they happily dug into their “second breakfast”. I was so impressed that I asked if we could take a picture of the chef and me together. I still have that photo of his beaming face standing next to me with my own grateful smile at such delicious food made especially for me!

VIGNETTE #3- 2010, Queen Mary2 British Ocean liner: I had been invited on a cruise to accompany an elderly friend. Her daughter specified to the kitchen staff that I was a vegan, and once again, the friendly staff were only too glad to accommodate my “special needs”. Every meal I was served started many conversations, as “traditional” eaters, used to their meat-and-potatoes-heavy food, looked longingly at my plate, overflowing with beautifully-prepared and nutritious foods. They were always curious: “How can they make sausage without meat?” “What is in that luscious-looking burger?” The side dishes and salads seemed to be fresher than the regular menu items, perhaps because they were made up especially for me just before each meal. Every night for dessert I enjoyed 3 generous scoops of sorbet in exotic flavors such as mango, coconut and lime. On the final evening, chocolate-dipped crystallized ginger was also served (one of my favorites). 

          The bottom line is that the world is becoming friendlier toward vegans these days, as eating a plant-based diet is actually coming into vogue! Those days of having to lug our own vegan food with us when we travel are now thankfully coming to an end. People are now discovering the JOYS of going vegan! There are many other reasons to go vegan as well, and I will be blogging about them in the future.