Sunday, December 16, 2012

Jumping the Boarder - Peru to Chile

I crossed the boarder twice between Chile and Peru. Its very easy, just remember no fruit.

The first time I crossed was soon after my near death experience with Salmonella. I took a couple days off resting and recuperating in Lima, Peru. I jumped on an overnight bus to Tacna, Peru, the southern most city, and a hub for boarder crossing. On my way there I met this nice older woman who was also planning to cross the boarder to Chile to visit her daughter. We became good friends and talked the whole time. 



The boarder crossing from Peru to Chile is very simple, there are no double decker buses that take you directly from one country to the other. You must take one bus to Tacna, Peru and another from Tacna to Arica, Chile and yet another from Arica to your destination.

When you are dropped of in Tacna, just head to the international bus terminal. If you have enough people you can hire a international taxi across, but they are much more expensive. If you are solo like me its much cheaper to take a bus across.

Remember to get into the gates at the bus terminal you must buy a special entrance ticket at a small kiosk. Its just a small piece of paper that you hand to the ticket takers when you enter the are where the buses are. It should cost around 15 soles ($6).

Its very simple to cross, fist you check out of Peru through Peruvian customs, they just write in your passport when you left. Then you check in at Chilean customs and get a stamp.

They scan your bags to make sure you are not bringing in any illegal items, this includes fruit.

Bus terminal in Tacna Peru

I decided to help my amazing friend who I met on the bus cross the boarder. She had three huge suitcase filled with what she claimed were toys for her daughters kids.

Well at the boarder the security dogs kept coming over to the suitcases and sniffing around and barking. Fantastic, were these toys she was smuggling across the boarder not really toys? She told the security guards that it must be the tea that she was transporting that were setting the dogs off. Poor dogs were dragged away from her suitcase.

We placed all the bags on the scanner, turns out she had two lemons at the bottom of one of her bags. Poor dogs were reprimanded for being right. She dug through her bags to remove the two lemons that she had forgot she had and handed them over to security. At least I was not helping a drug dealer carry bags across the boarder.

Other than that the boarder crossing was very easy. You get back on the same bus, that was also searched and driven through the Chilean desert, which looks the same. Once in Arica, Chile you can either stay the night or hop on another bus to your final Chilean destination.

This experience is another reason you want to travel light. I had to pick up and carry my bag many times through customs, lifting it onto buses and dragging it around from bus station to bus station. I hope you enjoyed reading, check out my new mix below:


Sunday, December 9, 2012

East Bay Veggie Delight

San Fransisco is one of the most vegetarian friendly cities I know. With vegetarian options in all restaurants that I have visited and many pure vegetarian and even vegan eateries its vegetarian heaven. With options for all economic levels, even broke college students can enjoy a great vegetarian meal.

I have compiled a list of my favorite vegetarian joints.

Saturn Cafe - Berkeley, CA and Santa Cruz, CA

saturncafe.com

This is my favorite hands down. It started off just in SC. Anytime I would go down to visit friends I would make it a point to stop at Saturn Cafe. When they opened a second establishment in Berkeley I was ecstatic. This vegetarian diner is futuristic space meets 50's diner. The menu includes Space Cowboy Burger, a veggie burger topped with fakin' bacon, cheese, onion ring and BBQ sauce, and Nacho Fries, thin cut fries topped with black beans, vegan cheese, jalapenos, guac, and vegan sour cream...my mouth is watering now. With vegan milk shakes, best homemade desserts, and a entree priced around $10, its a hit for any occasion, just remember to invite me.

The Space Cowboy

Souley Vegan - Oakland, CA

souleyvegan.com

Do you like Soul food? I sure do. If you want some home-cooked soul food that is completely vegan you have to try Souley Vegan. With the common dishes such as fried okra and black eyed peas and the more unique vegan mac and cheese and BBQ tofu burger is bound to make your taste buds happy. With the everything plate you can taste a little of everything without breaking the bank, and its great to share. With entrees ranging from ($6-10/ person) its a great option for those who are trying to save buck or two.

Cheese Board Collective-Berkeley, CA

cheeseboardcollective.coop

This cooking cooperative only serves one type of pizza a day, you can find the today's pizza on their website, but I have never been disappointed. A whole pizza is only $20 and can be split among 3 people, they even throw in a couple extra pieces on top. Their toppings are always interesting, potato, pine nuts, lemon zest, roasted brussel sprouts, and curry boccolini. Their is sparse seating, but everyone hangs out in the grass on the median of the road. 

Cha-Ya

This pure vegetarian Japanese restaurant offers a variety of dishes that will not have you asking "You sure its vegetarian?" Curry Udon soup full of cute shaped vegetables, tofu and plenty of noodles and all vegetarian sushi stuffed with cucumber, avocado, tofu, and asparagus, are just a few of their offerings. Be ready to spend $15-20/ person.

Udupi Palace - Berkeley, CA

udupipalaceca.com

Even if you have never been to India you can get a little taste of South Indian cuisine at vegetarian Udupi Palace. Try a masala dosa, pancake like bread stuffed with spiced potatoes, served with chutney dipping sauce and make sure to try the batura bread, the pillow shaped bread with curry can't be missed. Its menu has dishes from all over India but they specialize in South Indian cuisine.  Prices are reasonable with $10 per entree. 

Herbavore - Berkeley and SF, CA

herbivorerestaurant.com

This is a more upscale diner. It offers a wide range of options to be explored. Everything from Indian to Mexican and Thai to good old American food can be tried here. This is a great place to take the family if they are a little "all-vegetarian" skeptical. My parents loved it, if I had not told them its all vegetarian, they would have never guessed. Faux meat includes from tempeh to seitan, beef strips, and chicken chunks. If you don't read the sign you might really think you are eating chicken. This restaurant is a bit pricier, expect $20 a person.

Life-Long Veggie House - Berkeley, CA

This small restaurant could be missed if your just cruising around near UC Berkeley campus. Its typical Chinese restaurant sign does not stick out among the many other Chinese restaurants on University Ave, but its bargain is well know to Berkeley vegetarians. With lunch specials for only $5, inducing entree, rice, soup and a spring roll, you cant go wrong. Try the Mongolian beef or the sweet and sour pork, don't worry its all vegetarian. It can be a hit or a miss, but those two are hands down my favorite, and if you are a college student on a budget, they wont break the bank or the student loan. 

Flacos- Berkeley, CA

flacos.com

Did someone say tamales? Yes this place has all your Mexican favorites all vegan and delicious. Don't lets its small menu detour you from this amazing place. With all entrees under $9, you are bound to get a great deal.


Cafe Gratitude  - Locations in Berkeley, Venice Beach, LA and Santa Cruz, CA

cafegratitude.com

This more natural hippie vegan establishment is popular among the yuppies. Its all 100% organic raw food menu boasts many food options not heated over 46C (115F). Wow that's the temperature it was in Dehli, India when I was visiting I could have done some cooking. With warm rice bowls, my favorite being the seaweed one, sun burgers and cold coconut soup it can take a little getting use to but is a great way to try something new. With food options with names like I Am Pure and I Am Fulfilled, it will get you thinking about what you are grateful for, definitely all the vegetarian options in the East Bay. Prices are a little steep for college students but for a special occasion its a great way to spend that extra loan money. $20-25/ person.