Comments on: A Desperate Vegetarian Goes to Peru http://www.bootsnall.com/articles/09-09/a-desperate-vegetarian-goes-to-peru.html Tue, 31 May 2011 13:10:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2 By: Wicaco http://www.bootsnall.com/articles/09-09/a-desperate-vegetarian-goes-to-peru.html/comment-page-1#comment-4292 Wicaco Sun, 23 Jan 2011 03:59:44 +0000 http://www.bootsnall.com/articles/?p=23621#comment-4292 Actually, it's not difficult at all to survive as a vegetarian in Peru. You just suffered from the same problem my vegetarian companions suffered when I went to South America: an unwillingness to adapt to the local food. You keep talking about eating Western staples, like pizza and salad, but what about humitas and ocopa? Even if you miss Western tastes, there's plenty of vegetarian restaurants in the larger cities catering to Western visitors and expats. Actually, it’s not difficult at all to survive as a vegetarian in Peru. You just suffered from the same problem my vegetarian companions suffered when I went to South America: an unwillingness to adapt to the local food. You keep talking about eating Western staples, like pizza and salad, but what about humitas and ocopa? Even if you miss Western tastes, there’s plenty of vegetarian restaurants in the larger cities catering to Western visitors and expats.

]]> By: GitanaGirasol http://www.bootsnall.com/articles/09-09/a-desperate-vegetarian-goes-to-peru.html/comment-page-1#comment-3153 GitanaGirasol Tue, 18 May 2010 14:59:09 +0000 http://www.bootsnall.com/articles/?p=23621#comment-3153 Sad. Sad that that was your experience, that you didn't seek out alternatives, that you insinuate about eating kittens because cuy is eaten here, and shame on the editors for letting this article in. There are scores of vegetarian restaurants in Lima, and there are a few in each of the bigger cities. Heck, even Tarapoto has at least one, near the market. I'm vegan and live in Lima; going out to eat as a vegan is a challenge ( I still do it, I just have to be insistent and ask a lot of questions), but as a vegetarian in Peru you can have an amazing experience. The vegetables here taste better than anywhere I've lived (US, France, Jordan) and a lot of omni restaurants will offer PLENTY of veg options: "ensalada cocida" - literally cooked salad with fresh steamed veggies and vinaigrette, if you're worried about the ick factor of raw veg, tacu tacu, causa, papa rellena... The veg restaurants I've been to don't blow my mind, but they do decent meals, and ALWAYS have a "menu" for 5-6 soles, just like in an omni restaurant; "Chicken" cordon bleu was on the menu at the veg restaurant around the corner from my office last week. Soy meat, tofu, and TVP are available. Bircher-Benner in Miraflores, off of Parque Kennedy, is featured in most guidebooks, so I'm going to go ahead and say ignorance is no excuse. Eds: if you want a more factual, accurate article on veganism/vegetarianism in Peru, I would be happy to provide one. Sad. Sad that that was your experience, that you didn’t seek out alternatives, that you insinuate about eating kittens because cuy is eaten here, and shame on the editors for letting this article in.

There are scores of vegetarian restaurants in Lima, and there are a few in each of the bigger cities. Heck, even Tarapoto has at least one, near the market.

I’m vegan and live in Lima; going out to eat as a vegan is a challenge ( I still do it, I just have to be insistent and ask a lot of questions), but as a vegetarian in Peru you can have an amazing experience. The vegetables here taste better than anywhere I’ve lived (US, France, Jordan) and a lot of omni restaurants will offer PLENTY of veg options: “ensalada cocida” – literally cooked salad with fresh steamed veggies and vinaigrette, if you’re worried about the ick factor of raw veg, tacu tacu, causa, papa rellena…

The veg restaurants I’ve been to don’t blow my mind, but they do decent meals, and ALWAYS have a “menu” for 5-6 soles, just like in an omni restaurant; “Chicken” cordon bleu was on the menu at the veg restaurant around the corner from my office last week. Soy meat, tofu, and TVP are available. Bircher-Benner in Miraflores, off of Parque Kennedy, is featured in most guidebooks, so I’m going to go ahead and say ignorance is no excuse.

Eds: if you want a more factual, accurate article on veganism/vegetarianism in Peru, I would be happy to provide one.

]]> By: barbara.ia http://www.bootsnall.com/articles/09-09/a-desperate-vegetarian-goes-to-peru.html/comment-page-1#comment-2262 barbara.ia Mon, 30 Nov 2009 03:01:52 +0000 http://www.bootsnall.com/articles/?p=23621#comment-2262 You must have pretty vivid imagination! I've lived in Peru for years, I'm a vegan myself and have never had ANY trouble eating healthy vegetarian choices...Pizza with cuy or Alpaca? And then I suppose you fell off you bed right? Your story is plain ridiculous. You must have pretty vivid imagination! I’ve lived in Peru for years, I’m a vegan myself and have never had ANY trouble eating healthy vegetarian choices…Pizza with cuy or Alpaca? And then I suppose you fell off you bed right? Your story is plain ridiculous.

]]> By: dwilliams80 http://www.bootsnall.com/articles/09-09/a-desperate-vegetarian-goes-to-peru.html/comment-page-1#comment-2245 dwilliams80 Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:13:21 +0000 http://www.bootsnall.com/articles/?p=23621#comment-2245 After reading this I'm so glad I'm not a vegetarian. I'm an animal lover too, particularly BBQ'd ones. Animals eat other animals too so shouldn't they be seen as being evil by humorless lefties (that's redundant). Why aren't liberals upset about eating vegetables too? They were alive at one point, & did nothing to deserve being eaten. Shouldn't there be infinitely liberal, holier than thou starvetarians too? We are all animals, get used to it. That doesn't mean it's ok to mistreat animals, but you need to relax. It's this kind of intolerance that makes for crappy travelers. After reading this I’m so glad I’m not a vegetarian. I’m an animal lover too, particularly BBQ’d ones. Animals eat other animals too so shouldn’t they be seen as being evil by humorless lefties (that’s redundant). Why aren’t liberals upset about eating vegetables too? They were alive at one point, & did nothing to deserve being eaten. Shouldn’t there be infinitely liberal, holier than thou starvetarians too? We are all animals, get used to it. That doesn’t mean it’s ok to mistreat animals, but you need to relax. It’s this kind of intolerance that makes for crappy travelers.

]]> By: Claudius http://www.bootsnall.com/articles/09-09/a-desperate-vegetarian-goes-to-peru.html/comment-page-1#comment-1945 Claudius Mon, 07 Sep 2009 17:35:02 +0000 http://www.bootsnall.com/articles/?p=23621#comment-1945 You are not alone. I spent 30 years as a vegan. Four years ago I came to Africa and managed to continue my vegan diet, half starved all the time. Three and a half years ago ended up in the hospital for 10 days with dehydration, food poisening and pneumonia, all related to lack of food causing severe lack of immunities in my body. I am still in Africa, I now eat meat, but as rarely as possible, and feel guilty every time I do, trying not to gag at the same time. One day I hope to return to a civilised environment that doesn't think of an animal only as a meal, and something far more beautiful. You are not alone. I spent 30 years as a vegan. Four years ago I came to Africa and managed to continue my vegan diet, half starved all the time. Three and a half years ago ended up in the hospital for 10 days with dehydration, food poisening and pneumonia, all related to lack of food causing severe lack of immunities in my body. I am still in Africa, I now eat meat, but as rarely as possible, and feel guilty every time I do, trying not to gag at the same time. One day I hope to return to a civilised environment that doesn’t think of an animal only as a meal, and something far more beautiful.

]]> By: Marco Casalino http://www.bootsnall.com/articles/09-09/a-desperate-vegetarian-goes-to-peru.html/comment-page-1#comment-1928 Marco Casalino Thu, 03 Sep 2009 04:06:04 +0000 http://www.bootsnall.com/articles/?p=23621#comment-1928 Sorry, you must be one of a kind vegetarian, and your guide must have come from the same planet. Peruvian food is good and diverse, and when going to medium class restaurants you have good salads. Pizza + cuy ??? not funny, never seen it. Sorry, you must be one of a kind vegetarian, and your guide must have come from the same planet. Peruvian food is good and diverse, and when going to medium class restaurants you have good salads.
Pizza + cuy ??? not funny, never seen it.

]]> By: Cristina Dima-772 http://www.bootsnall.com/articles/09-09/a-desperate-vegetarian-goes-to-peru.html/comment-page-1#comment-1915 Cristina Dima-772 Tue, 01 Sep 2009 10:15:19 +0000 http://www.bootsnall.com/articles/?p=23621#comment-1915 I've been a semi-vegetarian for 3 yrs already and often times it's challenging to by-pass red meat b/c there are no other options. Thankfully, my blood work is great so my doctor only nags me abt not eating red meat. I’ve been a semi-vegetarian for 3 yrs already and often times it’s challenging to by-pass red meat b/c there are no other options. Thankfully, my blood work is great so my doctor only nags me abt not eating red meat.

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