Bonjour Paris!

Coincidentally I found this fun video of Paris today on Eco Salon.


Paris is lovely! We have a view of the Eiffel tower from our centrally located (& compact) hotel room. We opted for a five day metro pass so we can traverse the city with ease. We picked up sim cards for our iPhone and iPad, which will help in planning and navigating. (iPhone GPS is awesome when traveling). Today we happened upon a massive outdoor antique market and spent time browsing the stalls. Stunning items! We also visited a fun bicycle shop, where J picked up some new Levi's 511 commuter jeans, built for cycling! It's terrific to see cycling so integrated into Paris; bike lanes, multiple bicycle shops, bike share program etc. We also came across an electric vehicle charging station. (Hoping for more charging stations in Canada).






We also lucked out with finding great vegan food. We had a great lunch of vegan pho and kabobs at Loving Hut. We also had vegan cupcakes later from Vegan Folie's. The "John Lemmon" cupcake; lemon and ginger, was my favorite.










I've been reviewing all the outstanding museums and I think we will be in for a jam packed two weeks in Paris! Check out My Flickr stream for more photos of Paris.


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The Isle of Capri

We survived driving through Italy in our Fiat 590, which we nicknamed Tony. The car was great to drive, the roads and speeds were another story! The Italians sure love their traffic circles. At one point there was a giant, double traffic circle, in the shape of a figure 8. Who does that!? We almost exited out an entrance from it. The only other near miss was the red light we blew through on a rural road. We were on the road in the first place as I navigated us off the wrong exit from the highway and it takes a while to find your way back. (Many highways are toll roads so you can't just get back on them until you get to a toll entrance). As we blew through the light, to the surprise of the poor folks on the other side of the bridge (of course on one of those bridges where traffic can only cross one way at a time), I remarked that it was a red light. J said "I am aware!" In all fairness my noticing the red light as we are going through it, is more stating the obvious than it is any kind of helpful observation. The other issues with driving are the difficultly finding parking, parking fees, rental cost, tolls, gas prices, etc. Over all I prefer the train! We dropped off Tony and took the train from Lucca to Naples. Then we took a taxi to the dock, then a ferry to the the town of Capri on the Isle of Capri, then the Funicular (a cable train) up the hill and then a few blocks walk to arrive in our lovely hotel; La Tosca.

The Isle of Capri has been very relaxing. A highlight for me has been seeing and hearing my name everywhere. Ever since I was a little kid I wanted random items with my name on it, and I would search all over looking for a pen or something with Capri on it. Here it's everywhere! I picked up a necklace, back pack patch, shirt and of course some shirts for J.




We've spent hours wandering the narrow streets taking in the sights. We also did a lovely hilly hike to the Arco Naturale. "This bold Arch is what remains of a large grotto that once penetrated the cliffs. The waves of the sea extended its aperture and washed away its debris. After the uplifting of the island during the paleolithic era, the grotto was freed from the erosive action of the waves and the wind and the rain trasformed its surface. On returning from the Natural Arch, a flight of steps descending to the valley below leads to the Matermania Grotto, an impressive natural cavern trasformed during Roman times into a luxurious Nymphaeum. To-day few remains of the wall, which were originally lined with mosaic "tesserae" made of glass paste and decorated with multi-coloured plaster, shells and marine valves, have survived." source: http://www.capri.net/en/s/arco-naturale-and-pizzolungo




We visited the other island town; Anacapri and watched the sunset. We also took a boat trip around the entire island which gave us a great view of the amazing geological formations. We stopped off at the La Grotta Azzurra (blue grotto). Once you arrive there you transfer onto a row boat and are rowed through the the tiny grotto opening. You have to lay flat so you don't smash your face when the waves toss the boat up and down! Check out a video:



Two more nights on the Isle of Capri and then off to Paris!

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Vegan Fest!

We had a lovely stay in Bologna after driving the crazy highways from Venice. We stayed 5 nights in Bologna as our hotel and the city were so nice. Near Bologna, we went to the Lamborghini museum and factory, Ferrari museum and Ducati museum and factory.




We also went to a music museum, medieval museum and the Mambo; modern art museum of Bologna! Great things to see! At the local grocery store we also discovered vegan chocolate hazelnut spread and vegan frozen ice cream cones from the yummy Valsoia company. We made great vegan sandwhiches with ingredients from the healh food chain Natura Si.

Then we headed off to Forte Dei Marmi, a lovely seaside town filled with bicyclists and vacationers. The scenery of sea and low rolling mountains is quite lovely. Plus we are just 8 kms away from the Vegan Fest. We have attended daily! It is full of workshops (in Italian), booths of people selling vegan products, vegan food, animal welfare organizations, movies, art shows etc. I saw a poster of a man holding up his dog and I was using my phone to translate the text. An older lady came up to me and tried to explain the poster. She said the man is a porno actor. I was sure I heard wrong and asked again. She spoke to the other lady in Italian and offered back to me "you know Hot movies." Of course it made the slogan much funnier; "I have seduced and abandoned, but never my pets" or something to that effect if my translate app is correct.

The vegan food is a yummy highlight! So far we have sampled; gelato, crepes, chocolate dipped frozen fruit bars, spring rolls, salads rolls, a noodle dish, a tofu and veggie casserole, and hot dogs.




We also had a fine dining 4 course meal at the temporary restaurant. And my favorite; Vegusto No Moo vegan cheese. It is awesome! We made sandwiches with it and had cheese and crackers.




As well we were able to watch a free viewing of the movie Vegucated. Lucky for us it was in English. Vegucated is a feature-length documentary that follows three meat- and cheese-loving New Yorkers who agree to adopt a vegan diet for six weeks.
It is a good introduction to veganism. Check out the trailer here:




VEGUCATED trailer from Marisa Miller Wolfson on Vimeo.
We also randomly met up with the lovely vegan blogger Kristen and her friend Chris. They were both terrific and we had a nice chat. She runs the awesome blog Will Travel for Vegan Food. She even posted a photo of us on her blog http://wtfveganfood.com/veganfest-seravezza-italy-day-2/

We are soon off to go back to Vegan Fest to try out the pizza. Our next destination in a few days is the Isle of Capri!

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Adventures in eating

We arrived in Bologna today via our Fiat 500 car rental. We ate at a vegetarian restaurant for a late lunch. Unfortunately it was not very good. It was a salad made out of a thistle like weed. It actually scratched my throat! I felt like a cat with a hair ball. Two paws down!

Although we generally do ok with finding vegan food in Italy, there are things to watch out for. Did you know black pasta is generally colored with squid ink? We also found pork fat in bread sticks and anchovies in tomato sauce. The other difficulty is many that grocery stores are closed Sundays and close by 8:30 in the evening. I am grateful for the international Happy Cow Vegetarian Directory which list vegetarian and veg friendly restaurants and stores. The iPhone app version of the website; Veg Out, is terrific with gps location of veg restaurants and stores right from your phone.

I am really looking forward to Vegan Fest starting on April 27, 2012 for week. It will be nice to have a large selection of vegan food and products altogether in one place!


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Location:Adventures in eating

All we have is this moment...

"A grandfather is someone with silver in his hair and gold in his heart. ~Author Unknown"

J's grandpa passed away on April 17, 2012, leaving behind his wife of 66 years. We are both heart broken by the loss of this wonderful man. Since I started dating J nearly 20 years ago, I have felt completely a part of his family. His grandfather was simply wonderful, caring, and welcoming. He is dearly missed.

Being away from home at times like this is very difficult. We have been reminiscing about J's grandpa over the last few days, cherishing his memory. He and grandma enjoyed a trip to Venice years ago. As we wander the streets and float down the canals, we wonder if we have glanced upon the same buildings.

"The history of our grandparents is remembered not with rose petals but in the laughter and tears of their children and their children's children. It is into us that the lives of grandparents have gone. It is in us that their history becomes a future." ~Charles and Ann Morse




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I ❤ Italy

We landed in Milano, Italy on April 13, 2012. What a culture shock, coming from Nepal! It's mind blowing that extreme poverty and lack of resources can exist in one area of the world while another enjoys abundance.

We stayed 3 nights in Milano. We wandered around, including getting lost for hours looking for an art show in Piazza San Marco. We found the Piazza but apparently it was in the wrong city! We enjoyed vegan meals and even stocked up at a health food store to make our own sandwiches. We visited the impressive Duomo cathedral as well. Then we had to move on due to the annual furniture expo. Talking to a local woman it is apparently bigger than fashion week and is full of amazing design events and parties. Unfortunately hotels were all booked or super expensive, but we did get to move onto lovely Venice!


We arrived in Venice on April 16, 2012 and will be staying five nights. The city is amazing with winding, narrow streets, lined with breath taking historic buildings. We have a room with a kitchenette in a charming B&B. This means I can whip up money saving, home made vegan delights! It's been nice to cook! I also picked up a terrific black poncho and a capelete; a girl cannot have too many cape-like coats, especially in Europe!






We are excited to check out a Venice exhibition of 100 of Salvador Dali's artworks. The exhibition is called Dali Universe. Other plans include a gondola ride, more museums, more street wandering and eating yummy vegan Italian food. Don't even get me started on the mouth watering array of olive oils!

On April 21, 2012 we will depart Venice in our Fiat 500 rental car. We are heading towards Florence, stopping at the Lamborghini Museum and perhaps the Ferrari Museum as well. J loves cars. The most exciting news, at least for me, is that we will end up in Forte dei Marmi on April 26, 2012, to attend the nearby, week long, Vegan Fest! The festival is free and expects 30,000 attendees! It is full of workshops, concerts, events, vegan products and stores and of course amazing vegan food. I AM SO EXCITED!!! J gets two car museums and I get to be a networking vegan nerd for a week. I don't think I'll even sleep.


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Awakening the soft spot

It is a daily struggle to decide whether to give to beggars. Knowing that there is a lack of a well developed safety net we sometimes give money to disabled adults. Around Nepal there are signs asking people to not give money to children begging in the streets as it encourages them to keep doing it and harms them in the long run. However it is heart breaking to look into the eyes of a six year old child asking for money while you enjoy your leisurely breakfast. I imagine many of the children are begging as their family or caregiver requires it. A young boy about seven and girl about six approached us today. I know providing them money can be damaging but I could not turn away with out buying them some breakfast. I recently read in the local paper about a mother killing herself and her two children as she could not afford about $3.00 Canadian in school fees. On the trek we saw a child happily dragging around his one wheeled bicycle.(Had there been a bike repair shop in the vicinity I can tell you J would have fixed it on the spot). And another child playing volley ball with a wadded up plastic bag over a piece of twine.

Everyday there is something that makes you smile and something that breaks your heart. I guess the secret is to not become immune to either. And to do what we can to make this world a kinder and more equitable place. I am so grateful, and protective of, our Canadian safety nets, such as universal health care. There is always room for improvement but we must be vigilant in protecting it. I know compared to majority of the world I am extremely fortunate. If you have not already seen it, take a moment to watch the following video, A Miniature Earth;



There are some charities operating here including the terrific SOS Children's Village; a wonderland faith neutral child sponsorship program. (We have sponsored a girl in China for a few years via this program.) Some other great charities include: Kiva which provides micro loans to assist people in developing their own businesses and providing a path out of poverty, Smile Train; which repairs cleft palettes, UNICEF and Red Cross - disaster relief.

Watching the following video and reading the accompanying book; The Life You Can Save a few years ago changed my approach to charitable giving.



We think that by protecting ourselves from suffering we are being kind to ourselves. The truth is, we only become more fearful, more hardened, and more alienated. We experience ourselves as being separate from the whole. This separateness becomes like a prison for us, a prison that restricts us to our personal hopes and fears and to caring only for the people nearest to us. Curiously enough, if we primarily try to shield ourselves from discomfort, we suffer. Yet when we don’t close off and we let our hearts break, we discover our kinship with all beings. His Holiness the Dalai Lama describes two kinds of selfish people: the unwise and the wise. Unwise selfish people think only of themselves, and the result is confusion and pain. Wise people know that the best thing they can do for themselves is to be there for others. As a result, they experience joy.

When we see a woman and her child begging on the street, when we see a man mercilessly beating his terrified dog, when we see a teenager who has been badly beaten or see fear in the eyes of a child, do we turn away because we can’t bear it? Most of us probably do. Someone needs to encourage us not to brush aside what we feel, not to be ashamed of the love and grief it arouses in us, not to be afraid of the pain. Someone needs to encourage us that this soft spot in us could be awakened and that to do this would change our lives. [Pema Chodron, When Things Fall Apart, p. 87-88]



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