[Jessikah]

Hi all

I am from Australia, and sometime next year my partner and I are planning to travel to South America for for half a year (will spend some time in Nth America too...). Now I know Nth America is veg friendly, but how veg friendly is South America? Will I encounter lots of exotic animal dishes or do they love their beans and lentils?

I'm pretty excited, my first trip over seas

Any suggestions? Places to see? Places to avoid?

-Jess

 

[nigel]

The entire continent hates vegetarians.

Seriously though - I've found the cities and especially the tourist havens (archaeological sites, nature preserve type places) to be very accommodating.

Where do you want to go? What kind of stuff do you wamt to see?

 

[Jessikah]

Well, wer're back-packing so we want to experience it from a locals perspective. No nice hotels or resorts.

I know my BF wants to visit some place where the Indians drink cactus (forget the word...). We want to do lots of traditional stuff, not big on the 'tourist' stuff. People have suggested the Inca trail. Things like this...

We're planning to do the whole of Sth America.

In the states, just the tourist stuff. Want to see NY, Vegas, like if people came from the USA they'd probably see Uluru and the Harbour Bridge

 

[madder]

The Inca Trail is pretty big 'tourist stuff'

I spent a month in Peru, and found it quite easy to eat vegetarian. Especially in the larger towns, there are a lot of restaurants, and quite a few chinese restaurants too (chifas), you should be fine.

Have a great time!

 

[IamJen]

Hm. They drink cactus juice/alcohol all over, as far north as Mexico (and probably beyond). My sister just got back from an extended stay in Bolivia, where she had a good time, but the highlight of her journey was Peru, where she did some hiking/mountain climbing kind of stuff.

I don't think you'll have any problem finding food. Pick up a couple of key phrases in Spanish, and you'll be good to go.

In North America, I'd definitely recommend some time in Arizona/New Mexico, especially at the Grand Canyon. It's really the most amazing thing I've seen in real life.

Other faves: touristy stuff in DC and Boston, Yellowstone Park out west, the coastline of Maine, and of course...Chicago. (which, imho, is a way cooler place than NY or especially Vegas)

 

[nigel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by madder

The Inca Trail is pretty big 'tourist stuff'

It's become pretty filthy, garbagy. If you're going to that area, I'd recommend going to Cuzco (pretty touristy, but a great launching point with a couple of vegan restaurants), then take the train to Machu Picchu, stopping in Ollantaytambo for a few days on the way. It's a colonial style town within an Inca ruin. There's a mostly vegetarian restaurant near the main part of the site, and the proprietress will make you anything you want, and enjoy the challenge. I enjoy the town more than Machu Picchu. So do many other people I know.

Here it is on GoogleEarth:

Ollantaytambo.zip 0.7275390625k . file