Vegetarianism

The first thing I get asked when someone finds out that I'm vegan (or more accurately "mostly vegan") is "Why? ".

And my standard answer is:
There were multiple influences in a short period of time. I read Gandhi's autobiography where he lived by the premise that you could live off fruit, veg and nuts and be healthy.

Then there were a few doccies I watched that 'exposed' the slaughterhouses for the way they treated and slaughtered their animals. In the book of Genesis, even though we are given permission to eat animals, we are more importantly commissioned to be accountable and look after all other beings.

These and other smaller experiences made me question my eating habits.  Do I want to be a part of an industry that I know is so immoral?  If others were to take a similar stance, the demand for meat would decline. So the obvious question,  what will that achieve? Tangibly, nothing good yet. But it does kick off the shift in mind set we so desperately need.

Once I set out to give up meat for the ethical reasons of animal treatment, as time went on I found myself paying closer attention to other things I eat as well.  After being vegetarian for about 2 months I then set out to become vegan. The obvious next step in realising that these same animals that are being mistreated for meat would most likely be mistreated in milk, cheese, egg etc production as well.

Continuing on the road to self awareness of what I am putting into my body and the broader impact it is having, I then came across raw foodism. The basic concept that cooking food results in key nutrients and minerals being lost.

This has been the most insightful journey in learning about healthy alternatives to all the seemingly key foods I used to take in.

9 months after first giving up meat and things are going really well. I would consider myself 100% vegetarian,  70% vegan and 20% raw foodist. In the current environment I live in I think I'll never really get to 100% vegan. My aim is to maintain 50% raw foodism. 

My attitude towards the whole transition has always been pretty relaxed. I want to make the transition as interesting and enjoyable as possible. So I dont beat myself up if I drink some milk here or cook some food there. As long as I approach the transition in the same spirit that I kicked it off, with self awareness of the broader impact at heart, I reckon all is good.

My next aim is to pay more attention where the food I currently eat actually comes from. Supporting local markets and growers is the ultimate aim.

I think I might even go back to eating meat one day. As long as I know that the animals are well looked after. But for the foreseeable future I'm happy and content in my current diet.

#Coffeemob township tour

I went with friends to Khayelitsha for coffee via train. The idea, organised by metrorail and cape town tourism was for promoting township tours. It was tourism with a difference. The township tours I've previously seen are a great eye opener not only for tourists, but also for many locals, of the way of life in some of our townships. This initiative is also a great way promote our local businesses and developing pride in our own work and not just that of foreign business.

Bookings were made via quicket.co.za and we were instructed to meet at Cape Town Train Station at 8:30am. The train was a business class train so very comfortable and clean inside. The 30 minute express ride, skipped all stops and headed straight for Khayelitsha station.

Once there we walked through the local markets to get the the "Department of Coffee", our main destination.

We then ordered our hot drinks, coffee or a variant of it for most, and hot chocolate for me, accompanied with a muffin, which was included in our ticket purchase.

There was local musicians, rappers and dancers doing there thing close by so while we waited for the rest of the township tour we enjoyed their performances. As the rugby was (Bokke vs All blacks) on we found that there was nearby pub which we rushed to. Sharing a quart of Black Label in true township style amongst 4 guys, we watched South Africa lose to New Zealand. The atmosphere in the pub was awesome and I was really surprised to see the rugby 'gees' going on.

We then filed into a taxi and went out to lookout hill, he supposed highest point on the Cape Flats. There after we went for a drive through Khayelitsha, the driver pointing out all the famous spots.

On return to the Department of Coffee we then went to the nearby markets in search of some food. The markets were rife with meat being openly displayed, including pigs head, intestines etc. The uncleanliness of the meat was what saddened me most. This could not be a conducive environment for meat storage and surely this would lead to many sicknesses for them. Having found a fruit and veg stall, that's where I bought my food where most others indulged in boerewors rolls and chips.

The time was then 2pm and time to get back onto the train which would take us back to Cape Town Station. 

A good experience, nothing life changing but these types of experiences are essential so that we can get out of our little shell that we call life. It helps empathising with the less fortunate and breaking down those boundaries that are still very prevalent in our communities.