After a turbulent and emotional couple of years on a few different levels I am happy to report that we are finally getting the chance to return to our second home in Portugal. No, we have not become European property barons and neither are we abandoning our beloved Cornwall either. Our second home is indeed Miles Davis the camper van (he's Kind of Blue) and we park him wherever the sun triggered herbs of Portugal smell the best. That normally involves a bump down a muddy track somewhere into the wilds where encounters with belligerent wild boars whilst cleaning your teeth under the dazzling stars is not unknown (that is quite another story). It is hard to express how much we love and find solace in those days when we might not see another human being but are surrounded by the quiet sounds of nature. We love Portugal.
We've never found it hard being vegan in Portugal. You only need to put in the search words 'Portugal' or 'Eurasia' in the 'search this blog' over there on the right to read all about the wonders we have found, cooked, and experienced in this welcoming and beautiful country to know that. We have even been learning the language (estamos até aprendendo a falar português).
Since our last visit we have even more reason to love the Portuguese as last year the Portuguese parliament passed a law that made offering a vegan option mandatory in all public canteens. This includes schools, universities, prisons, hospitals and all public buildings. Credit should go to the Portugal Vegetarian Society (Associacao Vegetariana Portuguesa) for leading the charge back in 2016 with a petition that led to the debate and making of the law.
No other country, to our knowledge, is yet to follow this fine example. A similar petition in the UK, which we are ashamed to say we had no knowledge of, failed to reach the required numbers to be debated in parliament. It can't be too long before another attempt could be made at this and achieved surely?
Regardless and in the meantime, we fully intend to immerse ourselves into the wonders of natural and vegan Portugal over the coming weeks. Normal service will resume once we return, if we can drag ourselves away that is.
