VEGETARIANS

Non-Vegetarian	Vegetarian
	Wieske Frederique Fabian + 3 Shannon Ian Ainara Lore

All vegetarians. I looked up the dinner board and all I could see was names written down on the vegetarian column. Usually we have all meat eaters and 1 or 2 vegetarians but today no.

A lot more people are taking the vegetarian route. I wonder why?

Yesterday, as there were 6 vegetarians and we only had 5 plates, we had to cook pasta with tomato sauce. The girl licked the plate clean, so I can only assume it was good.

During my long stint in the UK, I counted with a Lancashire dude as my friend. He couldn’t grasp the whole concept of vegetarians. His infamous words were:

“Who are you trying to fool? God wants us to eat meat. If God wanted us to be all vegetarians, He would make beef flavoured carrots or turkey flavoured celery. But He didn’t, or did he? Who are you trying to fool?” – He’d continue his rant verbatim – “I just don’t understand what the point of being a vegetarian is. Makes no sense to me. I love meat. I’d love to go to a restaurant and order a cow. I’d say: Bring me a cow, wipe his arse and chuck in on a platter on my table.”

Ironically, after a few years, due to health issues, he turned vegetarian. Whatever happened? Did he have enough meat on his plate?

Tonight, amongst the vegetarian guests are two Basque girls, Ainara and Lorea. They’re friends of the owner, Carlos. The girls have been working in Guatemala for a while now and they love being here.

Earlier on, I hung out with them down the pier doing silly water stunts.

I decided to pull a stunt on the rope, where I swing and holding it tightly, I simulate walking on the water. Ainara took a photo snap, looked at it and laughing so much said “Paulo, you look like Jesus Christ Superstar!”

I keep meeting more and more non-meat eaters that have immigrated to Guate and still love it. Chris, my German co-worker, a strict vegetarian, has been here for over 4 years. How many others?

What attracts people to this country? And  most importantly, is it possible to be a vegetarian in Guatemala?

What about me? Being one of the cool kids, I’m a vegetarian myself too. Yeah! Hmmm. Err… Maybe only sometimes. Definitely not when there’s BBQ on the menu. Or when there’s beef stew being served. Or maybe when I can smell a lamb curry beckoning me. Or when… who am I trying to fool?

Ciao 4 now

~ Paulo ~