Food. Glorious Food.

Remember when I wrote that I was going to write about Guatemala in the next couple of days?

Yeah, that was cute. Sorry about that. 

Let's move on shall we?

I thought it wouldn't hurt to write a quick summary of my experience being vegan in Guatemala. It'll be my quick review of some of the major food that I had. I'll review by the regions I went to.

Antigua was by far the place with the best food, which might be why I spent the most my time there. The food that was authentic was fantastic; it didn't strive to satisfy any western European tastebud. The ones that did try to please the average tourist were ok. Truthfully I had better. However when you ordered a meal, you generally ordered a real central american native dish. Mostly every day I was completely satisfied with my food.

This was the breakfast I had every day while I was at Antigua. It was a bean and potato meal with a side of fruits and coffee. Even though there were nonvegan options there, it was definitely easy to ask for a vegan meal. I swear to god I was always happy to have this simple meal. 

My favorite meal by far was at this Guatemalan restaurant. They had a vegetarian/ vegan option listed so my shitty Spanish didn't have to struggle trying to explain that I didn't eat meat. The restaurant was nested deep behind a series of Guatemalan women making tortillas. Coming to this restaurant was the ultimate form of blind faith. You come to this questionable open space guarded by Guatemalan ladies making tortillas and you, full of hope, walk down the corridor to this hole in the wall restaurant. However, this blind faith was well rewarded. It's basically anything you would want with Antigua.

This was the only semi western meal I had in Antigua and it was ok. It was a vegan sandwich with roasted vegetables and a side salad. The bread wasn't toasted, and overall I wanted some beans or tacos instead.

I almost made a mistake with this meal. If you get anything that looks like this DO NOT EAT THE RED X THING. That is meat. Everything else was vegan and delicious. Damn, Guatemalans know their guacamole. 

Guatemalans are very famous for their chocolate and their coffee. The major requests from my friends and family were coffee and chocolate. I was luckily able to go to a chocolate museum and make my own chocolate. All vegan of course. Interesting fact: did you know that white chocolate isn't chocolate?

The food at San Marcos was a dull as the area itself. I hated San Marcos so I have nothing good to say. 

This is a vegan meal I had here and it was blah. I mean the vegetable flavor was there but there wasn't much protein so afterwards I gorged myself on chocolate. It was expensive and mediocre. However it is listed as vegan so I can pat myself on the back for that. This was the only stand out meal I had, which isn't saying much. If you're wondering if you should go to San Marcos when you're visiting Lake Atitlan, I say skip it.

The food in Tikal/Flores was really good but truthfully I only had one meal day after day. It was cheap and it was fantastic. When coming to Tikal or Flores, definitely SKIP restaurants and head straight to the street food. 

The street tacos were the best meal I had throughout the whole trip. From what I can remember the meal cost around 15 Guatemalan quetzals which was probably around 2 dollars. This meal was the meal I was after. It was listed as vegetarian but from what I saw it was completely vegan. It was mostly a rice and bean taco with cilantro, salsa, and onions. I loved it! It was flavorful, unique, and rich with everything you would find at a street vendor. There was a reason why I came here so many times because each time I felt a fury of emotions. I didn't need European food, I needed this. This wasn't the fanciest thing, it sat on a styrofoam tray, but it was a perfect way to end the trip.

A Really Late Post

This post is so late it is pathetic. I really have no excuse. I truly think the reason behind it was that I didn't think about writing about my english experience but instead I was fully focused on transitioning into a vloging environment. However, I became a bit self-conscious so I decided not to venture into that world. So in the end, I didn't do anything and my mind wandered off. Only until I saw a badly written yelp review did I realize I didn't do what I should have done. I didn't write about being vegan in another country.

So, like always, I apologize. I should have "been on it" but I failed. So since I want to have something to write about I'll write about the couple of restaurants I ate at when I was surviving in Yorkshire England, and also the worst restaurant I ever went to.

So let's start off with the worst.

Here is my review of the Tribal Cafe in Leeds.

I was extremely excited to go to Global Tribe Cafe. It was the number one place I wanted to go to. I thought that if the trip to England sucked then at least I would have had one thing to use positively in memory.

I was so wrong.

Global Tribe Cafe presents itself as a new age hippy restaurant offering Vegan/Vegetarian options. It has a small shop that sits under it and the overall theme of the store seems like a new age hostel. I was so excited. The food seemed like a mixture of healthy/ homely vegan food and I thought it would be a great place to be "me". My whole day was centered around eating there for lunch. In my mindset, I would go christmas shopping in Leeds and then I would feast right after.

Now, to their defense, what I have been told is that the English are notorious at being TERRIBLE for customer service. However my only argument is that what happened to me seemed to so idiotic and inhumane. But, to be civil, I might have had a cultural mishap. 

When I arrived I was so ecstatic. I ran upstairs and then I was instantly disappointed. It was full and small. My dad was a bit defeatist and decided to leave but I wanted to give this place credit. I mean this was going to be my everything. So I went up to the waiter and asked if there were any seats available; he looked at me with disdain and said "no". 

"No". He just said "no" like I was some sort of inconvenience. Nothing like, "well let's see what we can do", or, "I'm sorry we're full right now but if you wait a couple of minutes we can get you a seat", just "no".

He just said "no".

So I asked how long the wait will be and he replied, "thirty minutes". He never once ask, "shall I get your name down?" or anything like that he just said, "thirty minutes", like 

I just took a shit right in front of him. Like I said before, I became the inconvenience for him. I believe I told him that I would be downstairs and will wait and he said that was ok. I also believe I asked him if I could put my name down and he said they didn't do that. I had never experienced a restaurant that didn't have a waiting list but I thought this is England so I can't judge.

So I decided to wait a couple of minutes downstairs. I knew I could wait a couple more minutes so I thought I would go up in thirty to see if I can get a table. This was going to be good. This was what I was waiting for. 

However as I waited I noticed several people went upstairs and never came down.

They got tables.

I went upstairs and finally got to speak to someone else. She was a lady who kind of realized how upset I was. I asked how the fuck I was going to get a table and she asked me IF I WANTED TO WRITE MY NAME DOWN. Now maybe that guy was having a bad day, but he needed to grow up. He was working for a company and he brought his weird prejudice with him. When I said yes I asked how long it was going to be and she said, "forty-five minutes".

The problem with this restaurant is that they do not want your service. If you come from another country, maybe from another English county, they do not want your kind here. They do not care about service they just care about their own. I never felt so insulted and rejected in my whole life. I am privileged to experience being a white woman but for the first time in my life I felt judged for who I was. If you want to experience vegan cuisine I HIGHLY recommend that you DO NOT COME HERE. 

However I'm not here to bash England. They're not a country of idiots. I actually did eat at some good places. One of the restaurants I did enjoy was Wagamama.

Wagamama is a asian inspired franchise that spans from the UK to the USA. It became my last resort after the fiasco at Global Tribe Cafe. Wagamama is a bench lunch style eatery that offers all diet food. It also is an ASIAN FUSION. I repeat, ASIAN FUSION.

Now I am currently living in Los Angeles. I know a lot of restaurants that have authentic Asian food and a lot of Asian inspired fusion food as well. Now I have to make the statement that Wagamama is an English- Asian fusion restaurant. It is very English, very very English. 

However I have only nice things to say about Wagamama because the one I went to was on the ball with my morals. After the fiasco with Global Tribe Cafe, I found Wagamama on the top of the Leeds mall. Our waiter, I'm sorry but I don't remember what her name was, was the nicest. When I said I was a vegan she quickly got the nutrition menu and found me several meals for me to eat. She even took an initiative to separate my meal from other areas where meat was cut and cooked. 

At Wagamama I had the Yasai Pad Thai without egg. Comparing it to a lot of the thai food I had, (I live above thai town in Los Angeles), I would say this was so-so, however I did go twice and I did enjoy the meal. Needless to say, not all is lost in England.

Closer to home was also the Rob Royd Farm Shop which was very helpful towards my lifestyle. 

From what I've been told Rob Royd is a famous farmhouse that converted itself into a shop/restaurant. Now my family lives near Rob Royd and my Great Aunt Nora LOVES, and I mean LOVES, Rob Royd so we went a couple of times. Every single time I went they made me a meal especially for me and they were always really kind to my great aunt who is 97 years old. I always had a salad, but every single time it was always good.

England had some good and bad moments when it came to vegan food, however if you manage to ask, they are usually knowledgeable to help you out. Being vegan in England is not as impossible as some might think.

The next post I'll write about were goods I prepared for my vegan christmas dinner and foods I manage to buy at the local shops.

New Discoveries about Yorkshire with an Emphasis on Barnsley

Ok let's start off the back with some positives. I have to admit that coming back to Barnsley, or Yorkshire, there has been some considerable changes from the eight years prior. 

I do have to admit that Barnsley, or Yorkshire, still needs to some work to be done, but again, let's think of the positive.

Now that I'm older it is easy to admit that Yorkshire is beautiful. Despite being such a densely packed country there is a lot of foliage. Going up north, you really see the beauty of the land.

One day dad and I went to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park and had a hike around the park. I took a couple of photos to show how pretty the land was.  

the land was owned by the Wentworths

A well on the land

Wait a minute...

This place was a big thing to me and it displayed a unique quality of Yorkshire. Instead of the traditional historical museum, or fun park, the Yorkshire Sculpture Park is an oddly amazing art center centralized in West Bretton in Wakefeild. Well, I don't really know if it is centralized in West Bretton because I don't really understand addresses in England, but it is in West Bretton.

The Yorkshire Sculpture Park is on Bretton Hall. Bretton Hall was an 18th-century estate that later transformed into a college in the mid 20th-century. Established in 1977, the Yorkshire Sculpture Park
became well known for its installations from famous artists like Ai Weiwei, James Turell, Andy Goldsworthy, and Nigel Hall.

My dad had talked on and on about this place for the last couple of years and like any normal child I tuned him out. Only until I hiked its path last month was I able to understand how cool it was. 

The whole area contains a beautiful juxtaposition of nature and art which was occasionally hidden from the naked eye. As you meander through this "other world" you would always turn a corner to see a beautiful statue looking down at you. This park was something unique. Something that should definitely be seen.

I think a lot of the artists were inspired by the concept of the Yorkshire Sculpture Park. The area seems quite in tune with the layout of nature. When you're walking around you never really feel like anything is out of place, instead you feel a sense of calmness and wonder on how such a large amount of land could possibly be a haven for art and artistic interests a like.

I had previously mentioned that there has been some major improvements of Yorkshire and Barnsley and the Yorkshire Sculpture Art Park is a grand example of that. While I had previously seen Yorkshire as an wasteland of what was once profitable in the 1970s, now it seems to be a growing vibrant entity evolving into a area of art and beauty.

Inspired by Scandinavian
nature goddess 

I'll write more soon...

Going to England for Christmas!

Hey everyone!

So around the Christmas time I am going to go to England and see family and friends. I've decided to do vlog videos for the trip. So I think I'll create more of a video presence. 

STAY TUNED!

Going to San Francisco Next Week!

From August 21-31 I will be in San Francisco. I will be mostly working but I'll try to snap some quick pictures, some reviews of some restaurants, and some observations about San Francisco. Stay tuned!

Places I Want to See in the next Two Years

I want to do a list of places I would like to see in the next two years. I don't plan on seeing all of them, but I think it would be good to have a little list to get my hopes up, or even yet, to encourage me to be and look my best for when I go.

  1. Brazil

Brazil is a tropical paradise that has food that I have never seen. I mostly want to come here for two reasons; one is the food, and the other reason are the beaches. I think the people here must be friendly and nice, and overall I think Brazil would be amazing to go to. 

Plus I am aiming to see all of the current seven wonders so I think seeing the Christ is the Redeemer statue is a must. Also, the Amazon Rainforest would be fantastic.

  2. Cuba

If there is a country that I want to see, Cuba would be it. Because I'm American and Cuba is "the sworn enemy" from 1950s, I can't go legally. However I have been hearing rumors on how friends have cheated the system and gotten in. I would be so happy if I can get in. I promise I wouldn't even buy anything. I just want to see it.

  3. Aurora Borealis 

I had only one transcendental experience which was at Macchu Picchu. In one short moment I felt so small yet so important to life, the world, and human existence. I felt so special and that I was in the center of all that is "now". I nearly cried realizing how beautiful the world was and how I was wasting it away. I feel like the Aurora Borealis would give me a chance to have that feeling again. 

Now there are 10 places where I can see it, and generally the borealis comes out around the fall equinox (September 23).

                *. Alaska

                *. Denmark

                *. Scotland

                *. Canada

                *. Greenland

                *. Finland

                *. Iceland

                *. Norway

                *. Russia

                *. Sweden

  4. Statues of Easter Island (Chile)

Who wouldn't want to see mysterious massive statues?

  5. Galapagos Islands (Ecuador)

It would truly be amazing to see some rare animals as well as to see Darwin's inspiration and realization of evolution. It was the start of it all, and it would be wonderful to see that. 

  6. Venice (Italy)

I've been reading that the city is slowing sinking and will be lost forever. I need to see it before that does happen.

   7. Oaxaca (Mexico)

I really would love to see Mexico. From all the rumors I heard, and from my parent's hesitation, I never got a chance to see my next door neighbor. I think I would have to go with someone in order for this to happen but I would love to go and see what Mexico has to offer.

There are also two other countries I would like to see but because of their political issues I don't think I can.

* Egypt

I can't go there right now until their government gets fixed.

*Jordan

I wouldn't go to Petra by myself as a young single female. 

So these are the places. All I have to do is get some money and get crackin'.

My Trip to Massachusetts

The previous week I went to Massachusetts. Yep, I went to Massachusetts. I wanted to what it had to offer, and if I could still be a vegan.

I did, and I could.

This is what happened.

Massachusetts is one of our oldest states. Growing from a land connected strongly with the harbor, Massachusetts seems to be evolving into a state that is a cross hybrid of two extremes. A relatively democratic state it seems to be a clusterfuck of extremely new aged liberal interests mixed in with 'Merica stereotypes.

My first meal was something I made myself however I think it demonstrates how being vegan is quite easy in the bay state. It was a vegan bagel sandwich. With a mixture of hummus, avocado, kale, and tomatoes I managed to enjoy my day with a healthy vegan meal. 

I had previously bought these items at the store quite easily. There wasn't any trouble buying organic, nor were any of the items scarce. What makes the states so unbelievably easy being a vegan is the powerful magnitude of American supermarkets. While you might not be able to get vegan only products (except in this case you can) you are easily able to devise a happy healthy meal. 

Cous cous salad with a side salad

Salad mixture from Whole Foods

Vegan shortbread with organic strawberries

While I did go to two restaurants, I found them both to be quite bland. I went to a thai restaurant in Plimouth and had the standard Pad Thai, and I went to a Indian Restaurant in Cambridge that was, in kinder words, mediocre. Both had labels that promoted their vegan knowledge about their meals, but both were not as good compared to my own cooking.

However traveling as a vegan in Massachusetts would be simple. If buying food at the supermarkets are impossible, going around to different restaurants would be easy. The new age thinking of vegan liberal thought seems to be quite possible here, and to step away from the American stereotype of obesity allows a lot natives to ask for the impossible, making it possible for you. 

While there seems to be a shift towards a more liberal thought, Massachusetts is also contains the stench of conservative 'Mericanism. 

I am proud to be an American. It is where I was born and it is my automated response of what my nationality is. (To those that didn't know, I am American and English. I have dual nationalities.) However my American nature was raised in a freakish environment compared to everyone else. I come from the land of misfits and rejects. My moral compass leans more on the side of liberalism, and overall I cringe seeing conservative aggression. 

Massachusetts, despite being new aged, still contains a strong conservative prejudice. In Massachusetts, people go "huntin'", people project their views on pro life wherever you go, and people saying "that's so gay" and the "N word" seems to be ok to them. 

But this state is friendly. Which is why this becomes a complex series of emotions for me. How do I judge a group of people who at one hand completely disgust me, and on the other, win over my heart? What seems to be the issue for MA is that you have to come here open, and you have to refresh yourself every day. Don't allow yourself to latch on the immoral aggression of the area, it is their thought, not yours. This is also the state that killed a bunch of people who they thought were witches. So it seems quite difficult to assume they are just like you.

Massachusetts is archaic and young. It shows you how this country came to be, but also where it is going. Coming to Massachusetts as a vegan is easy so don't worry. Just sit back and enjoy yourself, and experience the weirdness that is the bay state.  

Going to Massachusetts Tomorrow

So tomorrow I'm going to Massachusetts to see a friend! 


I'll write about what it is to be a traveling vegan in massachusetts!

Yay!

For now, I'm on hiatus

Hello

As much as the title screams horror to you readers it is true; for now, I'm on hiatus. There is no traveling with me because right now I have finished my contract in Korea and returned home. So I will not write stories and observations of the world because right now, I have none. 

However I did create a blog that talks about home.

So for right now I will be focusing on the blog, Living with Woffke, or http://woffkeinla.blogspot.com/. This will incorporate reviews, historical stories, and observations about liking in Los Angeles, but mainly Hollywood.

When I go on a trip, I promise I will come back to this blog.

However check out my other one 

http://woffkeinla.blogspot.com/

Cambodia, especially the Bodhi Tree Meditation Resort

I'm going to have to do this in two parts.

First, I will discuss what happened in Cambodia, and then, I will show it. 

Hopefully my writing would compete with my pictures. This is an expected large post which was why I was hesitant to write anything like this. See this trip predates the actual trip, mostly because
of how easy accessible and workable my retreat was. The retreat was the easiest to work with, so I will begin with that. This post will be mostly about this retreat because this was mainly the reason for the whole trip to Cambodia.

Angkor Bodhi Tree Retreat and Meditation Centre is a newly 

established retreat in the center of Siem Reap. It is in a 

great location, a couple of blocks aways from the tourist 

areas as well as my favorite restaurant, Peace Cafe. 

It is owned by a kindhearted Australian named Bob, and 

properly managed by his daughter Donna. It was,and still is, 

decorated in the most beautiful buddhist style,

but I digress. 

I still need to start the trip off in the beginning. I 
found the name Angkor Bodhi Tree Retreat and Meditation 
Centre on TravelAdvisor.It had amazing reviews, yet not
a lot of blogs had written about it. Being a cautious 
individual, the concept of going to a "third-world" 
country scared me. Mostly because I was afraid of walking 
down the wrong neighborhood, or going to jail, or overall
being taken advantage of. I wanted to go to a place, 
a place to make me feel safe, and Angkor Bodhi Tree 
Retreat and Meditation Centre seemed to be that place.

I initially emailed them and they responded back promptly. 
They answered all my questions like, "how do I get to your 
resort?" or "how much would five days cost?" They were 
friendly and that friendliness made me feel excited for 
the eventual trip. They even helped me out with the most 
stressful question, "will you accommodate for my vegan 
needs?" They would, and they did. With that, my plan was 
in set. For July, I would set my sails and head to Siem 
Reap.

Getting to the country was a bit stressful at best. For me, 
it seemed to have slipped my mind that I needed to get a 
visa,and I completely ran out of time to exchange my money
into Cambodian dollars. So throughout my plane trip I was 
stress eating at the notion that I would be stuck in a 
country without any money or even worse, sent out of a 
country because I didn't have a visa. Luckily for me, 
you only have to pay a extra dollar if you did not 
prepare the visa ahead of time and once arriving, I was 
smart enough to bring my credit card so I managed to 
get some money from the ATM.

Getting through customs was exceptionally easy and when I 
arrived, I experienced the start of the excellent service of 
Angkor Bodhi Tree. Walking out of the arrivals doors, a 
friendly man welcomed me. He is an actual tut tut worker for 
the company, and when he greeted me, he was vibrant, 
energetic, and above all, friendly.

When we arrived at the retreat, we arrived in a secluded 
area nestled in a residential community. Adorned with a 
cosmos of red and holy buddhist material the owner of the 
retreat, Bob, came out of the doors and welcomed me. Bob 
understood that I was tired and nervous, but when I met 
him, I immediately felt instantly comfortable and alert. 
I knew I made the right choice.

The next day followed like this; at 6:00 am we had 
meditation, then we had a couple of minutes to get ready 
for breakfast. When we had breakfast I got to meet Bob's 
lovely daughter Donna who was managing the retreat and 
whatnot. In the retreat, you are guaranteed a breakfast 
and a dinner every day. Knowing I was a vegan, Bob and 
Donna were nice enough to accommodate for my lifestyle. 
For breakfast, I got lovely museli and soy milk accompanied 
by a colorful selection of bananas, dragon fruits, 
and lychees. It was the first time in a long time that I 
felt I was eating healthy. I loved that moment.

Afterwards, we did the stretching session. Bob used to 
managed a gym so he is experienced in stretching. I got 
to stretch in ways that I never knew I could do. My issue 
is that I am extremely flexible, so most times when I 
stretch, I do not feel like I am stretching. However with 
Bob, I felt it. It was quite exhilarating. I managed to 
finally feel a stretch and overall a spark of joy began 
to ignite.

I had so much planned for Cambodia that I was still a bit 
discombobulated on what to do. Bob sat me down and helped me 
construct an itinerary. I had a plan set for the week. 

On monday I did a, what was entitled, a "Mystery Tour". 
Devised by Bob, the "Mystery Tour" was a private tour that 
travels throughout the unknown regions of Cambodia away from 
the tourist encrusted remains of Angkor Wat, and towards
the hills. What I saw where things that I still cannot wrap 
my head around. I have always understood that people live in 
huts however seeing up close was very surreal. However I saw 
beauties that were quite profound. I saw the gorgeous 
construction of farming, and I felt the cool breeze of fresh 
air. It was a strong experience, and overall it was something
that needs to happen. It is always fun to be a tourist, but 
taking moments to see the real country is equally as great.

After that, probably on tuesday, I managed to see a buddhist 
monk chant. Needless to say, I felt my soul drift away from 
my body. I felt the vibration of the Earth and I felt strong,
aware, and powerful. It was gorgeous and amazing. Truly 
something I have never experienced before. Sitting there 
listening to the chant was like slowly transcending your 
body. My nerves were tingling, and I was truly awestruck.

On Wednesday I went to Angkor Wat. Angkor Wat is something 
that many people talk about, so I am not going to continue 
with mindless dribble. What I found to be amazing was the 
size of the area. Angkor Wat is GIGANTIC. It is so big that 
it is nearly impossible to see every temple in a couple of 
days. What I found amazing was the concept of how it was 
created. While the rest of the world was hitting rocks to 
make a fire, the Cambodians were thriving under Angkor Wat. 
It really shows how amazing man is. When we have something 
set in stone, we can accomplish anything.

On Thursday Bob gave me a tour around Cambodia as well. It 
was very similar to the mystery tour. However it was a great
tour because I got to bond with Bob. The retreat owner Bob 
is a beautiful person. He was the most spiritual man I have 
ever met in my life. I would instantly listen to every word 
he said like my life depended on it. When I saw him walking 
around I was extremely happy. His dedication and passion was
contagious. For example, I personally have thought that auras 
and aura readings were ridiculous, however his interest in 
the subject made me download a app based on it. He was one 
of the best things about the trip, and I was lucky to have 
been given the opportunity to meet him.

On Friday I got a buddhist blessing. It was the number one 
thing I wanted, and it was the best way to end the week. On 
Friday, two other guests and I went to the meditation room 
and were greeted by three buddhist monks. Their ages ranged 
from thirty to sixteen and they were all really happy and 
friendly. They opened the room up by introducing who they 
were then proceeded to bless us. They chanted, splashed water 
on us, and gave us bracelets that were designed to be good
luck. As I write this post, I am still wearing this bracelet.
 In the end, I felt grown spiritually.

Angkor Bodhi Tree was one of the best decisions I made this 

year. I originally came to the retreat stressed, tired, 

and scared. When I left the retreat, I felt beautiful and 

happy to be me. It is really hard to see yourself as a great 

and wonderful person, but when you make time to care for 

yourself, you really feel an emotional and physical change. I 

really feel in debt towards Angkor Bodhi Tree Retreat and 

Meditation Centre. They helped me grow.