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Promoting compassion and respect for animals
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VegNews (September 2005)
Veg Travel
Profiles of Bicycle Beano, Wanderbird Cruises, and Raw World Costa Rica
by Mat Thomas
Meals On Wheels
Destination Details
Name: Bicycle Beano
Location: Erwood, Builyh Location: Erwood, Builth Wells, Powys, Wales, U.K.
Cost: Varies from roughly $435 to $1,034, depending on length of trip & chosen accommodations. Morning and evening meals are included, but lunch costs extra)
Tel: +44-01-98-25-604-71
Web: http://www.bicycle-beano.co.uk/
American readers might not know that a “beano” (according to the Oxford English Dictionary) is “a merry time or spree” that derives its fanciful name from
an 18th century English workers’ holiday. Yet, many who enjoy traveling by pedal power already know that there may be no better beano than that which you’ll find while seated firmly on the saddle of a well-built bicycle. True to its name, Bicycle Beano specializes in providing thoroughly enjoyable excursions that allow cyclists to explore the idyllic landscape of England and Wales and enjoy delicious home-cooked vegetarian cuisine without missing a stroke.
Bicycle Beano’s fun and friendly guides Jane Barnes and Rob Green ride along on enchanting two-wheeled tours of Snowdonia National Park, the Wye Valley, and the Welsh Borders. Tour group sizes range from 16 to 28 cyclists of all ages, backgrounds and abilities. Barnes and Green live in the area and have been presenting beanos continuously for the past 24 years. They know the best time of day to ride and where to find all the most spectacular views and points of interest. Their specially designed route maps and directions let cyclists take in the breathtaking scenery with a group or solo, and sail along peaceful lanes that meander through green valleys and beside spectacular seascapes. All along the way, the tour makes stops at ancient castles, historic churches, pristine coastal beaches, and picturesque seaside villages.
After a day of riding, cyslists pass the evening relaxing in comfortable accommodations with the other Beano guests. Depending on the tour, nights could be spent in a stately Georgian mansion, a restored Victorian country home, or a renovated watermill with flagstone floors. At some venues, produce from gardens right on the grounds provides fresh organic fare for the mouthwatering meals served mornings and evenings. Dinner might include Greek moussaka, Chinese stir-fry noodles or hazlenut roast with all the trimmings, and vegan meals are available if arranged in advance.
“The meals were well prepared, filling and delicious,” exclaims Beano veteran Sanjay Gupta. That’s good, because you’re sure to build up a healthy appetite pedaling your way through the British countryside.
Pedaling Possibilities:
Bicycle Beano’s tours vary in length from 3 to 7 days and explore the cultural history of England and Wales. Here’s a small sampling of sites you’ll discover on their cycling holidays:
- Welsh Borders: Pass quaint cottages and ivy-covered castles on your way to Romanesque Kilpeck Church and the primeval Forest of Dean.
- Snowdonia: Dip into this famous national park and take an optional side trip to Portmeirion, village where the TV series The Prisoner was filmed.
- Wye Valley: Take a panoramic ride over open moorland and towering limestone crags to lunch at an ancient house in the Black Mountains.
Far from plain sailing
Destination Details
Name: Wanderbird Cruises
Location: Rockport, Maine
Cost: Varies from $400 to $1,500, depending on length of trip and destination
Tel: 866-SEA-BIRD Web: http://www.wanderbirdcruises.com/
Looking for adventure on the high seas? Then get ready to set sail with the crew of the expedition vessel Wanderbird for a memorable journey around the scenic coasts of Maine, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador. Consummate
co-captains Rick and Karen Miles specialize in vegetarian eco-tourism cruises that seamlessly blend a relaxing getaway with interactive education about the intriguing natural history of aquatic life. Meanwhile, their ultra-friendly black labs, Maggie and Pilot, splendidly fulfill their roles as unofficial mascots and morale officers.
This renovated 90-foot Dutch fishing schooner combines modern nautical construction with authentic 19th century styling for a singular seafaring experience. Its classic wood interiors encompass a deckhouse whose windows open onto stretches of ocean, a reading library, a below-deck salon for group activities, and 6 furnished cabins that carry as many as 12 passengers. Each cabin has a private bathroom with hot and cold running water, shower stall, and electric power, offering voyagers the comforts of home while spending three to seven days out at sea.
As eco-tourism professionals, Rick and Karen are dedicated conservationists whose foremost consideration is the welfare of wildlife and the environment. They even donate a portion of the Wanderbird’s proceeds to Maine-based animal shelters and wildlife rehabilitation centers. On-board research instruments allow guests the unique opportunity to participate in informal research projects like conducting wildlife surveys and tracking migratory whales.
While the Wanderbird typically offers an assortment of trips for people with a variety of interests – from fall foliage and lighthouses to folk music and nature photography – the highlight of their annual schedule is the one-of-a-kind vegetarian specialty cruise. This combine gourmet veg food with activities like bird and whale watching. Cruisers can even listen to and record whale songs using hydrophones, instruments placed on the sea floor that continuously record sound for up to one year. Resident chef Karen, a vegetarian for two decades, delights in providing nutritious and mouthwatering meals to please every palette. She also happily accommodates vegans on any regularly scheduled cruise.
Food For Thought:
When you weigh anchor with the Wanderbird, you’ll dine on vegan culinary creations equal to anything on land. Here’s a taste of what to expect:
- Breakfast: buckwheat waffles with berries and syrup, homemade "Sorta Sausage," fresh fruit juice, and soymilk.
- Lunch: sweet potato fries and lentil walnut burgers on 5-grain rolls dressed with soy cheese and veggies.
- Dinner: roasted red pepper-walnut paté with grilled French bread and veggies, rosemary focaccia, handmade ravioli stuffed with maple-roasted squash in pesto, and balsamic marinated tomato salad with romaine lettuce.
- Dessert: hand-cranked fruit sorbet, Total Chocolate Eclipse cake, and oatmeal-raisin cookies.
Raw-inspiring
Destination Details
Name: Raw World
Location: Montezuma, Costa Rica
When: February 8-19th, 2006
Cost: Varies from $995 to $4,290, depending on length of trip and chosen accommodations. Breakfast & dinner are included.
Tel: 800-816-2319 or 707-964-2420
Web: http://www.rawworld.org/
The tropical paradise of Montezuma on Costa Rica’s remote Nicoya Peninsula is the awe-inspiring setting for the Raw World International Festival. This annual celebration brings together raw food enthusiasts from around the globe each
February for 12 days of healthy, educational and fun activities centered on gourmet vegan living cuisine. Hosted by the Northern California-based Living Light Culinary Arts Institute (LLCAI – see sidebar for details), Raw World offers participants a wealth of opportunities for creative expression, spiritual rejuvenation, and profound relaxation.
Participants can choose from several vacation packages to suit their needs. Those who sign up for the extraordinary four-day pre-festival Adventure Tour begin their holiday by taking in Costa Rica’s most extraordinary attractions. Knowledgeable guides lead visitors on a series of incredible day trips to lush jungles, verdant rain forests, majestic waterfalls, an enchanting hummingbird garden, the world’s largest butterfly observatory, a natural hot springs water park, and a river heated to 103° Fahrenheit by a live volcano: perfect for a soothing dip. At the end of each day, visitors retire to deluxe hotel accommodations nearby.
The festival is held on a pristine beach and features dozens of informative workshops presented by top health, wellness, and nutrition experts. There are raw cooking demonstrations and classes, yoga and meditation, improvisational music, dance, and art instruction, nature walks along the beach, and of course, unparalleled raw feasts prepared by LLCAI’s master chefs. Guests can also choose to simply bask in the sunshine or appreciate the local wildlife, which includes howler monkeys, iguanas, tropical birds, red-tailed squirrels, and vibrantly colored frogs. Massage, bodywork sessions, natural beauty treatments, ocean kayaking and snorkeling excursions are also available at reasonable rates. Nighttime festivities include lively bonfire beach parties with first-class entertainment provided by international musicians, fire dancers, acrobats, and storytellers. Afterwards, guests retire to one of two hotels or a beachfront campground situated in a coconut grove within walking distance of the festival site. With so much to offer, Raw World promises the adventurous traveler an exceptionally “rawsome” time.
Raw Facts
All food served at the Raw World International Festival is expertly prepared by the master chefs of Living Light Culinary Arts Institute (LLCAI). This top gourmet raw chef certification school has graduated over 800 chefs and instructors in eight years. LLCAI’s chefs specialize in nutritionally sound, five-star vegan living-food dishes made with fresh, organic fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds.
Veg Travel
Profiles of Bicycle Beano, Wanderbird Cruises, and Raw World Costa Rica
by Mat Thomas
Meals On Wheels
Destination Details
Name: Bicycle Beano
Location: Erwood, Builyh Location: Erwood, Builth Wells, Powys, Wales, U.K.
Cost: Varies from roughly $435 to $1,034, depending on length of trip & chosen accommodations. Morning and evening meals are included, but lunch costs extra)
Tel: +44-01-98-25-604-71
Web: http://www.bicycle-beano.co.uk/
American readers might not know that a “beano” (according to the Oxford English Dictionary) is “a merry time or spree” that derives its fanciful name from
an 18th century English workers’ holiday. Yet, many who enjoy traveling by pedal power already know that there may be no better beano than that which you’ll find while seated firmly on the saddle of a well-built bicycle. True to its name, Bicycle Beano specializes in providing thoroughly enjoyable excursions that allow cyclists to explore the idyllic landscape of England and Wales and enjoy delicious home-cooked vegetarian cuisine without missing a stroke. Bicycle Beano’s fun and friendly guides Jane Barnes and Rob Green ride along on enchanting two-wheeled tours of Snowdonia National Park, the Wye Valley, and the Welsh Borders. Tour group sizes range from 16 to 28 cyclists of all ages, backgrounds and abilities. Barnes and Green live in the area and have been presenting beanos continuously for the past 24 years. They know the best time of day to ride and where to find all the most spectacular views and points of interest. Their specially designed route maps and directions let cyclists take in the breathtaking scenery with a group or solo, and sail along peaceful lanes that meander through green valleys and beside spectacular seascapes. All along the way, the tour makes stops at ancient castles, historic churches, pristine coastal beaches, and picturesque seaside villages.
After a day of riding, cyslists pass the evening relaxing in comfortable accommodations with the other Beano guests. Depending on the tour, nights could be spent in a stately Georgian mansion, a restored Victorian country home, or a renovated watermill with flagstone floors. At some venues, produce from gardens right on the grounds provides fresh organic fare for the mouthwatering meals served mornings and evenings. Dinner might include Greek moussaka, Chinese stir-fry noodles or hazlenut roast with all the trimmings, and vegan meals are available if arranged in advance.
“The meals were well prepared, filling and delicious,” exclaims Beano veteran Sanjay Gupta. That’s good, because you’re sure to build up a healthy appetite pedaling your way through the British countryside.
Pedaling Possibilities:
Bicycle Beano’s tours vary in length from 3 to 7 days and explore the cultural history of England and Wales. Here’s a small sampling of sites you’ll discover on their cycling holidays:
- Welsh Borders: Pass quaint cottages and ivy-covered castles on your way to Romanesque Kilpeck Church and the primeval Forest of Dean.
- Snowdonia: Dip into this famous national park and take an optional side trip to Portmeirion, village where the TV series The Prisoner was filmed.
- Wye Valley: Take a panoramic ride over open moorland and towering limestone crags to lunch at an ancient house in the Black Mountains.
Far from plain sailing
Destination Details
Name: Wanderbird Cruises
Location: Rockport, Maine
Cost: Varies from $400 to $1,500, depending on length of trip and destination
Tel: 866-SEA-BIRD Web: http://www.wanderbirdcruises.com/
Looking for adventure on the high seas? Then get ready to set sail with the crew of the expedition vessel Wanderbird for a memorable journey around the scenic coasts of Maine, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador. Consummate
co-captains Rick and Karen Miles specialize in vegetarian eco-tourism cruises that seamlessly blend a relaxing getaway with interactive education about the intriguing natural history of aquatic life. Meanwhile, their ultra-friendly black labs, Maggie and Pilot, splendidly fulfill their roles as unofficial mascots and morale officers. This renovated 90-foot Dutch fishing schooner combines modern nautical construction with authentic 19th century styling for a singular seafaring experience. Its classic wood interiors encompass a deckhouse whose windows open onto stretches of ocean, a reading library, a below-deck salon for group activities, and 6 furnished cabins that carry as many as 12 passengers. Each cabin has a private bathroom with hot and cold running water, shower stall, and electric power, offering voyagers the comforts of home while spending three to seven days out at sea.
As eco-tourism professionals, Rick and Karen are dedicated conservationists whose foremost consideration is the welfare of wildlife and the environment. They even donate a portion of the Wanderbird’s proceeds to Maine-based animal shelters and wildlife rehabilitation centers. On-board research instruments allow guests the unique opportunity to participate in informal research projects like conducting wildlife surveys and tracking migratory whales.
While the Wanderbird typically offers an assortment of trips for people with a variety of interests – from fall foliage and lighthouses to folk music and nature photography – the highlight of their annual schedule is the one-of-a-kind vegetarian specialty cruise. This combine gourmet veg food with activities like bird and whale watching. Cruisers can even listen to and record whale songs using hydrophones, instruments placed on the sea floor that continuously record sound for up to one year. Resident chef Karen, a vegetarian for two decades, delights in providing nutritious and mouthwatering meals to please every palette. She also happily accommodates vegans on any regularly scheduled cruise.
Food For Thought:
When you weigh anchor with the Wanderbird, you’ll dine on vegan culinary creations equal to anything on land. Here’s a taste of what to expect:
- Breakfast: buckwheat waffles with berries and syrup, homemade "Sorta Sausage," fresh fruit juice, and soymilk.
- Lunch: sweet potato fries and lentil walnut burgers on 5-grain rolls dressed with soy cheese and veggies.
- Dinner: roasted red pepper-walnut paté with grilled French bread and veggies, rosemary focaccia, handmade ravioli stuffed with maple-roasted squash in pesto, and balsamic marinated tomato salad with romaine lettuce.
- Dessert: hand-cranked fruit sorbet, Total Chocolate Eclipse cake, and oatmeal-raisin cookies.
Raw-inspiring
Destination Details
Name: Raw World
Location: Montezuma, Costa Rica
When: February 8-19th, 2006
Cost: Varies from $995 to $4,290, depending on length of trip and chosen accommodations. Breakfast & dinner are included.
Tel: 800-816-2319 or 707-964-2420
Web: http://www.rawworld.org/
The tropical paradise of Montezuma on Costa Rica’s remote Nicoya Peninsula is the awe-inspiring setting for the Raw World International Festival. This annual celebration brings together raw food enthusiasts from around the globe each
February for 12 days of healthy, educational and fun activities centered on gourmet vegan living cuisine. Hosted by the Northern California-based Living Light Culinary Arts Institute (LLCAI – see sidebar for details), Raw World offers participants a wealth of opportunities for creative expression, spiritual rejuvenation, and profound relaxation. Participants can choose from several vacation packages to suit their needs. Those who sign up for the extraordinary four-day pre-festival Adventure Tour begin their holiday by taking in Costa Rica’s most extraordinary attractions. Knowledgeable guides lead visitors on a series of incredible day trips to lush jungles, verdant rain forests, majestic waterfalls, an enchanting hummingbird garden, the world’s largest butterfly observatory, a natural hot springs water park, and a river heated to 103° Fahrenheit by a live volcano: perfect for a soothing dip. At the end of each day, visitors retire to deluxe hotel accommodations nearby.
The festival is held on a pristine beach and features dozens of informative workshops presented by top health, wellness, and nutrition experts. There are raw cooking demonstrations and classes, yoga and meditation, improvisational music, dance, and art instruction, nature walks along the beach, and of course, unparalleled raw feasts prepared by LLCAI’s master chefs. Guests can also choose to simply bask in the sunshine or appreciate the local wildlife, which includes howler monkeys, iguanas, tropical birds, red-tailed squirrels, and vibrantly colored frogs. Massage, bodywork sessions, natural beauty treatments, ocean kayaking and snorkeling excursions are also available at reasonable rates. Nighttime festivities include lively bonfire beach parties with first-class entertainment provided by international musicians, fire dancers, acrobats, and storytellers. Afterwards, guests retire to one of two hotels or a beachfront campground situated in a coconut grove within walking distance of the festival site. With so much to offer, Raw World promises the adventurous traveler an exceptionally “rawsome” time.
Raw Facts
All food served at the Raw World International Festival is expertly prepared by the master chefs of Living Light Culinary Arts Institute (LLCAI). This top gourmet raw chef certification school has graduated over 800 chefs and instructors in eight years. LLCAI’s chefs specialize in nutritionally sound, five-star vegan living-food dishes made with fresh, organic fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds.
