This page is for you to review your holidays, whether good or bad, we'd like to know what it was like from a veggie perspective.
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Destinations Reviewed:
Provence
Faroe Islands
Umbria
India
Prague
Zakynthos
Camping in Provence by Michiko Fujii
Arriving in Nîmes in the South East of France, we discovered how easy it was to hop on a ‘Corail’ train and travel directly to Marseille in just over an hour. Being greeted by the heat as we stepped out of Marseille’s Gare Saint Charles, we decided to take a shuttle bus (‘navette’) outside the station to the charming town of Aix-en-Provence, which is just under 45 minutes away. To complete our journey we then hopped on the local number 3 bus, along the Boulevard de la République in Aix town centre and found a campsite near the bus terminus. ‘Camping Chantecler’ is set on a sloping hill in the midst of pine trees. If you’re lucky, your pitch may even provide a glimpse of Paul Cezanne’s favourite and well-painted mountain ‘Mont Sainte Victoire’ through the fragrant pine trees.
Past experiences living in France taught me that it’s not so easy to be vegetarian, particularly when eating out. However, this time round I was rather pleasantly surprised and managed to find some tasty veggie options. In fact, if you know where to look, you can find some great vegetarian food which isn’t even aimed at veggie consumers (vegetarianism is generally an alien concept in France). Sure enough, we soon began to re-discover the joys of picnicking in the park and having late night campsite feasts!
Founded in 123 BC, Aix is a Roman spa town and was originally called Aquae Sextiae, named after the Roman consul Sextius Calvinus. Natural thermal springs attracted the Romans who were fond of building large bath houses. You’ll find a legacy of such water features, as there’s a fountain in every square and on many a street. So much so, it gets quite confusing! Aix is also a colourful, cultural town, full of boutiques, bars, bistros and bakeries (boulangeries and patisseries), markets and all sorts of people bustling through its narrow streets. Walking along the main boulevards and tree-lined avenues, such as the renowned Cours Mirabeau, you’ll find a pronounced café culture as chairs on café terrasses are deliberately turned forward to face the street, in order to watch the world go by. In this part of the world, people-watching is a national sport and you really need to make the most of it! What better way to do so than to find yourself a nice restaurant terrasse and eat outdoors, en plein air? It’s easy to see where the Impressionist painters sourced their inspiration.
Feeling too lazy to prepare our own campsite food on the first night, we settled for a small pizza restaurant (‘Le Cactus’) near the impressive fountain de la rotonde. We were also well-positioned to watch the town carousel, which was a hit with younger children. As a typical veggie option we shared two no-fuss pizzas (there were two or three veggie pizzas on the menu) and had no problems: ‘La Dolce Vita’ was a simple but tasty pizza with fresh mozzarella, local basil and olives; ‘La Maraîchere’ was a little more colourful, topped with aubergine, peppers, tomato, olives and a half-cooked egg cracked in the middle. For those who don’t like the sound of this, it’d probably be quite easy to ask for ‘La Maraîchere sans œuf’ (without egg).
Shopping for our campsite food, we were lured in by a colourful greengrocer’s display where we found a dazzling array of fresh regional fruit, veg and other produce. We settled for some ripe, juicy white nectarines, pears and beef tomatoes. We also bought some rosemary-infused goats cheese (or chèvre), a sun-dried tomato paste and fresh spinach leaves. Fougasse, a plaited bread stuffed with cheese or olives was also another delight we discovered along the way. Not to mention the different packs of grated carrot, celery rémoulade, cooked veggie cous-cous and organic smoked tofu and lentils (which were surprisingly tasty) in the chiller cabinet of Monoprix, a supermarket that could rival M&S any day. Oh, and we bought enough dark chocolate to accompany all of our café stops and managed to bring some back to chomp at home!
So, there you have it! I’m not promising a miraculous change in attitudes towards vegetarianism in France and veggies will probably still find it tough eating out in a lot of traditional restaurants (vegans may find it virtually impossible). However, what is evident is that the French have similar consumer trends and you will find organic, free-range eggs available to buy (look out for the ‘Agriculture Biologique’ range or AB symbol). You’ll also find an organic ‘Bio’ range, which serves up tasty ready-made products as well as ingredients. This is not to be confused with vegetarianism and you won’t find any ‘V’ symbols anywhere (so pack a French dictionary and check the ingredients!) For those who are more fluent in French and are interested to find out more about vegetarianism in France, why not check the French ‘Association Végétarienne’s’ site, or click here for their list of veggie restaurants.
Review of the Faroe Islands - by Steve Hutton
The Faroe Islands lie roughly half way between the Shetland Islands and Iceland - so not the warmest nor sunniest place to visit! The economy is based on farming (and eating) sheep, catching fish and, when they’re unlucky enough to be passing, pilot whales are driven ashore and hacked to pieces on the beaches.
All in all, not an easy place to be veggie, even harder for a vegan like myself! And considering the islands epic reputation for foul weather, camping was never going to be the easiest of options. Welcome to the world of “extreme-endurance-holidays!”
Despite these obvious drawbacks the Faroes do have a few things in their favour; rugged and beautiful scenery and more seabirds than people.
The first thing you have to do as a vegan camper is work out the Danish words for things like meat / whey / milk / eggs etc so you’ve got a fighting chance of getting suitable foods in the supermarket. Thankfully, arriving on a ferry from Scotland means you can take along a few ‘safe’ foods - rice, veggie stock powder plus dried soya mince are good staples. Don’t even think of walking into a restaurant or fast food outlet and finding something vegan although you might just get something veggie.
Once you’ve got your basketful of goods get ready to pay double the UK rates for groceries, but its a holiday, so why not! Then heave your 20kg ruc-sac down to the ferry terminal to catch a bus (but spend £1 on a timetable first!) An hour long ride will cost you about £9 one way and if you’re lucky you might get to see some of the fabulous scenery, that’s if its not raining or you’re travelling through a 3 mile long road tunnel.
Once you get off the bus your holiday really begins. You’re hopefully looking forwards to climbing a particular mountain or visiting some spectacular bird cliffs by the sea. You’ll first need to find a scrap of flat land to pitch your tent on - but all the flat land is given over to sheep farming and is privately owned, so its time to start knocking on doors and in your very fractured Faroese ask a local if you can sleep in his soggy field for a night or two. Thankfully the Faroese are for the most part very accommodating - so long as you don’t mention the traditional whale-hunt!
Once the tent is up make your way to the highest mountain peak to be stunned by the incredible view from the summit. There aren’t any footpaths or way markers as we know them in the UK so just do your best. A couple of hundred metres from the summit you hit a bank of mist. Considering that steep, knife-edge ridges are the norm in the Faroes you really don’t want to walk a ledge that’s as precarious as a tightrope in the dark with a half mile drop on one side. So you wait for the mist to clear. You sit and eat your nuts and chocolate and admire what little view you do have. The mist refuses to budge so you head back to the tent getting soaked on the way and then lie there for a few hours reading a damp paperback, all the while telling yourself you’re having fun because this is a holiday.
You wait three days for the weather to improve so that you can negotiate the dangerous mountain headland and get to ‘Enniberg’, which at 750m+ are Europe’s highest sea cliffs. The mist doesn’t clear, the rain never stops, you’re running low on rice, fuel, dry books to read and sanity. The local shop is tiny and sells leg of lamb, bread that’s looks as though its made from bricks and, for some reason, bow-ties!
In the end your patience is rewarded and the weather breaks. You make a sprint up the mountain confident that Enniberg is now within your grasp! Just then a friendly but insecure sheep dog takes a liking to you. You throw a stick to buy yourself sometime to do a runner and lose him but he just brings it back with a look of longing in his eyes and then begins to follow you up the mountain. You try to ignore him but he’s hot on your heels, then you consider how perilous the headland is and what would happen to the poor dog if the mist rolls back down and he gets separated from you! Will he find his own way back or end up as snack food for the gulls when he tumbles 700m down a cliff? You sit down and weigh up the options - this would be so much easier if you didn’t give a damn about animals!
In the end after much lip-chewing and head scratching you do what’s best for the dog and retreat from the mountain, taking him back to the village, hoping from there that he’ll make his own way home. Then, like an unfaithful partner the little Judas does a runner and sucks up to a new batch of holiday makers that were foolhardy enough to come to the Faores, leaving you all alone! You look back up the mountain and the mist has returned. Then you go back to your tent and get an early night because tomorrow you have to pack up a wet tent before a six mile road walk to the next village which is the only place you can catch a bus from on a Sunday. The bus is due at 9AM so you work out the start time!
Repeat this process for about a fortnight and you have the prefect vegan camper ’s holiday.
When you get back to Torshavn, the capital, you tour the streets before boarding your ferry home and by chance spot a scrap of graffiti in local dialect. The word ‘vegan’ is sprayed onto a wall in the centre of town. Your heart is lifted - you’re not alone on these islands! Then you make your way to the ferry where you’ll share a four berth bunk with three smelly strangers and live off peanuts and crisps for the next 48 hours - god bless duty free beer!
A Vegetarian in Umbria by Michiko Fujii
As part of a working holiday, I stayed with an artist and her family in the small hilltop town of Trevi in Umbria. Although none of the people I stayed with were vegetarian, they were at least slightly accommodating to my ‘strange’ ways. While Italians are known to be passionate for their Parma ham, rather than their Parma Violets, there were at least enough vegetable dishes in Italy to keep this veggie happy.
Umbria is Italy’s only landlocked region and is often referred to as Italy’s ‘green heart’. You’ll find lakes, forests and rolling hills which rise into the Apennines to the East. During the summer months, Umbria is also a cultural hub with a high-profile art festival in Spoleto and the renowned Perugia Jazz festival which, this year, featured the likes of R.E.M. and the Editors (although I’m not sure how that ties into jazz!) Visitors to Umbria should also stop to see the beautiful but touristy hilltop town of Assisi. The main focal point of Assisi is the Basilica of San Francesco d’Assisi, which is one of Italy’s most important Renaissance churches. Inside the lower church, frescoes by a number of Umbrian and Tuscan artists such as Giotto and Simone Martini portray the life of San Francesco (St. Francis in English). In the crypt lie the decomposed remains of his body, allegedly hidden there by his brother Elia to prevent thieves from stealing relics. The Basilica was built as a shrine to St. Francis and his war against poverty in the 13th Century. Interestingly, St. Francis is also the patron saint of animals, birds and the environment due to his humility towards nature and animals.
What’s quite impressive about the Umbrian landscape is how well-cultivated it is, considering the scorching summer climate. Rather than endless fields of cows, sheep and grass, you’ll find steep, sloping hills covered in age-old Olive trees and other delights, such as wheat and grapes for fine wine. In the house where I stayed, there were at least fifty olive trees growing in the back garden. In fact, I walked up to what I thought was a water tank in the kitchen to discover that they had extra virgin olive oil on tap! When I started to look closer, I also discovered that the strong, earthy-tasting lettuce I had eaten in the previous evening’s salad had come from the back garden, as had the onions and the huge beef tomatoes. I later found peaches and figs growing at the back of the garden. Free, fresh fruit and vegetables on your doorstep…. fantastic!
I was also introduced to the home-cooked delights of Parmigiana di Melanzane, a vegetable dish of deep-fried, battered melanzane (aubergine) layered with a special tomato sauce and cheese, which is then baked in the oven. Although, typically Italians like to use Parmigiano (Parmesan) cheese, which contains animal rennet, the cheese can be substituted with vegetarian cheeses, such as mozzarella or removed completely. You can also add other vegetables such as zucchini (courgettes) or peppers to the mix!
Eating out was an experience, in Trevi we went to the outdoor Pizzeria ‘La Casareccia Di Angeloni Fabrizio’ in the Piazza Communale. There was a huge range of pizzas with many different vegetable ingredients to choose from. I had a lot of fun trying to work out each pizza topping which was naturally written in Italian and the pizza did not disappoint. In fact it was probably one of the best pizzas I’ve ever eaten!
I don’t think I’ll have enough room to list all the food I ate in Umbria and you’ll probably be drooling by the time you’ve finished reading this, so I won’t go on. However, if you do go to this part of Italy, be sure to bring back some local extra virgin olive oil, spelt, porcini mushrooms and truffle sauce, which are all local specialities (and are more expensive over here). Oh, and I’m sure that you won’t need any encouragement, but you simply must try the ice cream!
Like most Latin countries, in Italy you won’t find a menu that doesn’t have an abundance of meat or fish. However, if you’re lucky, you may find a decent selection of fresh vegetable dishes and salads which you can combine to create your own deluxe veggie buffet!
Useful Italian phrase -
I’m vegetarian - Sono vegetariano / a
For the past two years my family has visited India in central Asia. It is such a culturally diverse country, its population consisting of hindus, buddhists, muslims, christians, sikhs, atheists, and other religions. Its landscape is also particularly varied; from the sprawling plains and hills on the Himalayas in the North, to the desserts of Rajastan and the beautiful palm beaches and tropical rainforests of the south.
Whether you enjoy beach holidays, getting particularly active (skiing, kayaking, walking and climbing), or culture, exploring temples in ancient cities and meeting new people, India has it all. And as well as offering so much in terms of beauty, leisure, nature and architecture, India is a refreshingly accommodating option for vegetarians.
During my travels across India, I have for the first time in my life felt able to order everything on a menu in the pure vegetarian restaurants, or at least half of the menu in Veggie and Non Veggie restaurants. Vegetarianism isn't considered abnormal or uncommon. Due to the religious and moral beliefs that many Indians share, vegetarianism has become a part of every day life in India, and those who don't eat meat or eggs are given an approving nod.
It was amazing to not have to worry about going out to eat and having so much varied and delicious choice. Even McDonalds had more vegetarian food on its menu than meat, and workers wore red or green, depending on whether they cooked meat or veg.
A particularly common alternative to meat was paneer, a cubed and nutritious cottage cheese. I had paneer many times cooked in curry-like spicey gravies or dry dishes, alongside vegetables like the flavoursome okra, cauliflower, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and peas.
In the North dishes comprised mainly of paneer of vegetable kofta balls. These types of meals are cooked in ghee (clarified butter) alongside basmati rice prepared by steaming, or frying to produce a puloa or biryani, often accompanied by a type of unleavened bread such as naan, chapatti or roti. The southern cuisine was lighter, and the basis for most dishes was lentils and rice, though these were often cooked in such a way that you couldn't tell what they were, and the oil used was predominantly coconut oil.
The best food I ate in India?... Now that's very difficult! Having a sweet tooth, I must say I loved saffron, cardamom and pistachio flavoured creamy 'kulfi' ice-cream, the indulgent and satisfying carrot pudding infused with spices 'gajar ka halwa', and the Southern delight that is Kheer, a cold rice or vermicelli pudding made with milk, cashews, raisins, sultanas and spices.
Savoury wise, after the long train ride from Mumbai to Goa I appreciated the 'dahi vadas', lentil and rice based savoury donuts, soaked in a mixture of yogurt, tamarind chutney, and spices such as coriander, ginger, cinnamon and pepper. In the south I also loved the incredibly long 'masala dosas', crisp, crepe like creations stuffed with spiced potatoes or paneer, and served with coconut chutney and spicy sambar (lentil stew).
I never passed up a delicious sweet or mango lassie either! These were yogurt, smoothie like drinks that were very refreshing in India's warm climate, and oftened flavoured with spices and rose syrup and sprinkled with pistachios.
India truly is a culinary discovery for vegetarians and meat eaters alike. Whilst my dad and I relished in being offered so much choice as vegetarians, my mum picked the vegetarian choice over the meat in most cases as it was always the most tempting and delicious!
Review of Prague by Graham Drummond
Considered by many to be one of the most beautiful destinations in Europe, the capital city of the Czech Republic boasts great sights and an interesting history. Invaded by Hitler’s armed forces Prague was also bombed during World War II by the U.S. Air Force, who managed to get it confused with their real target – the German city of Dresden! Nowadays tourists flock from all over the world to see the stunning architecture, the Charles Bridge and the famous Astronomical Clock.
My trip there with three other friends coincided perfectly with the start of the Euro 2008 tournament, so as soon as the plane had touched down we found a local pub to cheer on the Czech Republic in their first match. If you like pretzels you’re in luck! A lot of pubs, restaurants and cafes place a rack of large pretzels on each table to tempt the visitor into a snack. Best of all, you get charged per pretzel rather than having to pay for all of them, which is ideal if you don’t want to be stuffed.
After watching the Czechs storm to victory we headed off in search of food. None of my friends are vegetarian, but all of them understand that I am and were more than happy to find somewhere that suited all of us. We found a very untraditional restaurant called Buffalo Bills, located just off the main tourist location of Wenceslas Square. Serving Tex-Mex food, there were many vegetarian options to choose from. In the end I went for a spinach and mushroom quesadilla with rice and Mexican beans, which turned out to be very fresh and tasty.
Although the first night of food proved a success, those searching for a veggie paradise will not find it in Prague. While there is usually a separate heading for vegetarian options on most menus, the food itself tends to be slightly bland and often unimaginative. Our second night in the city saw us visiting a much more traditional Czech restaurant. From the vegetarian section, I went with a four cheese tortellini. While not being the most creative veggie cuisine, it was definitely competent food that any vegetarian would be happy, though not thrilled, to eat.
Looking for something genuinely authentic to eat in Prague (i.e. not Italian or Mexican cuisine), our search lead us to a brightly-lit fast food stand in the hustle and bustle of Wenceslas Square late one night. I wanted to try something that Czechoslovakians or Prague residents would themselves eat, and was presented the answer in the form of ‘Menu 2’ on the stand – Fried Cheese! Almost definitely equating to -9 of your recommended 5-a-day, Prague’s speciality is mild cheese which is fried and covered in breadcrumbs, usually presented in a burger bun with ketchup or mayonnaise. Stodgy, fattening and probably life-threatening if consumed daily, fried cheese is actually a fairly enjoyable fast food snack provided you only eat it every once in a while.
Having tried the local dish, it was back to a restaurant across the road from our hotel on the third and final night. Serving mainly hand-made pizzas, it was confirmation that Prague steals a wealth of culinary traditions from its European counterparts. But with fresh dough, loads of vegetarian toppings and a cold Czech beer, this veggie was not complaining at all.
You may not be bowled over by mouth-watering food or spoilt for choice in Prague, but it is an easy place to enjoy decent vegetarian food if you know where to go. With a whole host of historical attractions, a lively nightlife and the average price of a meal coming in at around £4 per person; it’s certainly a fun, attractive and cost-effective place to visit.
Review of Zakynthos by Alex Mills
Zakynthos (Zante) is a Greek island, close to Kefalonia, in the Ionian Sea. This summer, I stayed there in Kalamaki, a highly popular family resort on the South coast. It was my second visit there, the first being two years previously, almost to the day.
The holiday season in Zakynthos is from 1st May ‘til 31st October and English is spoken throughout the main tourist resorts, the term ‘vegetarian’ being widely understood. Even in more remote areas, you should be able to make yourself clear by saying ‘no meat’.
Vegetarianism is not half as common in Greece as in the UK but the Greeks care about their food, which is always fresh and high-quality, and veggies can eat well here. Greek salads are widely thought to be among the best in the world and there’s fresh fruit in abundance as well as gorgeous bread, pasta and vegetable dishes, houmous/hummus and other dips, jacket potatoes and pizza. I particularly enjoyed potato skins with cheese, in which nothing but the skin of the peeled potatoes (much more nutritious) is eaten, covered in cheese and the vegetarian ‘Dish of the Day’ offered by one very meaty restaurant- fried potatoes, aubergines and courgettes in tomato sauce.
The Greeks seem to love yoghurt and honey, which form the basis of many of their desserts but vegans shouldn’t struggle too much here- most of the veggie dishes offered are adaptable for vegans and most restaurants will be happy to change them, especially if they think they might otherwise lose your business. Just be aware that the term ‘vegan’ might not be understood and you may find yourself better off if you say you’re allergic to eggs and dairy products- you don’t have to tell the truth. Also, pack some long-life non-dairy milk as it’s very hard to come by.
Whatever you eat, it’s important to drink lots in a hot country like Greece but almost all the drinks here (excluding many alcoholic ones) are veggie. I especially recommend the Greek version of Fanta which is so different to and so much nicer than our own version and would only suggest completely avoiding the tap water. It is safe to drink but the mineral content is different to our water, which may upset your stomach. For this reason, I’d also recommend you don’t take ice cubes in your drinks.
Any other warnings? Well, vegans should be aware that Greek salad always contains feta cheese and once it’s been added it’s impossible to remove completely, the Greeks are also less concerned about rennet, gelatine and the risk of cross-contamination between veggie and non-veggie meals- they may be cooked on the same grill or handled with the same utensils. The Greeks also use olive oil, one of their traditional products, in almost everything and if you’re not used to eating oily food this may make you feel ill so use oil sparingly.
I’ve grown to love Zakynthos after only two visits and I’m sure anyone who visits will do the same. It’s my favourite place in the world and I think any veggie or vegan can be very happy here.