Heal and Balance in Liverpool

As I require a special diet of vegan and gluten, sugar, yeast and onion free food, I occasionally have to make exceptions. Especially when travelling and I can't cook for myself. I am aware of this and, therefore, whenever I can I bring my own food, snack and essential herbs to help me digest what ever it is that I don’t normally eat. In the UK, gluten is hard to avoid even though nowadays many cafés have the option of gluten free bread. However, the main issues with bread are the yeast and the refined flour- gluten free or not. And they like their sandwiches, the Brits! Besides gluten and yeast, sugar and onions are vicious and difficult to avoid. We even found sugar in the oatmeal! So, during the week most of my exceptions concerned onions, sugar and yeast. My body required me to do a nice purge when I got back home!

In regards of non-animal food tho, most restaurants and cafés have at least one option of vegetarian food and my general experience is that most of these dishes are possible to make vegan or at least lactose free. Still, sometimes it’s nice to be prepared and know where to be able to eat FROM the menu! Check out my healthy travel tips for Liverpool below.

Look up vegan and vegetarian restaurants and eateries on Scouseveg There are several options around Liverpool center that are vegan friendly. For instance, we tried the vegan menu at Lunya, a Spanish tapas restaurant, and were very pleased! There is also a vegan café on Bold Street - a genuine and cozy bohemian feeling street which we found when walking from the Cathedral and down towards the dock. This street is where you’ll find alternative bookstores, independent businesses, world food stores, fair trade, organic and the like. Needless to say, I enjoyed the visit!

Always carry snacks such as unsalted nuts, seeds and fruit in your daypack in case of sudden hunger and absence of healing nutrition. Bring a thermos of hot water! Refill whenever possible. For instance, ask in cafes or at 7/11, I’ve always gotten positive outcomes! Why do you want a thermos you wonder? 1- to stay warm throughout the day if weather is rough 2- to aid the digestive fire (especially if you’re making food exceptions).

Put your hiking boots on! I love to walk around bigger cities because it offers a genuine way to get to know the city, its neighbourhoods and people. Liverpool is a good-sized city to walk around for the weekend tourist. A huge plus are the signs all over town, encouraging visitors to walk between attractions. Dancing is of course also a terrific way of moving your body and get the prana flowing! As we were alone in The Cavern, in The Beatles Museum, I saw my chance to move the booty and twisted around the dance floor in front of the stage for a good two rounds of the famous Twist and Shout!

The Beatles played remarkably 292 concerts in The Cavern before the place closed down 1973. The museum does a great job in reenacting the settings and atmosphere and when I closed my eyes to let my body move to the dancing rhythms, I traveled back to a time when The Beatles were rocking the stages.

Not only is dancing and walking around museums great for the physical body but also for the overall wellbeing, such as the mental, emotional, and spiritual health. More and more research on Health and Art & Cultural activities show that the two areas are much related. For instance, music and dance have long had social and ritual functions in traditions all over the globe and research has shown that these therapies have positive affects on the mood. In addition, there is science describing how cultural activities can increase the quality of life! My health routines include absorbing art, history, architecture, music, and nature to mention a few. Thus, I make sure to involve my routines wherever I am in the world! In Liverpool, we started our trip with a visit to the world’s largest Anglican Cathedral and ended it with a long stay in The Beatles Story- both deeply spiritual and healing experiences.

The Beatles Story was an emotional roller coaster but we came out with the message of healing the world and bring world peace, so that we can all live together as ONE. 

 

Ps. Before New Years 2014, you can lend your voice to the largest sing-a-long ever! Read more and listen to John Lennon's Imagine here

Nicaragua

I arrived with a tiny propeller plane in San Jose yesterday, after having spent some two weeks in Nicaragua. Already after 24 hours here, more has happened than during my whole time in the neighbouring country.

After a somewhat confusing and messy border crossing, me, Mariella and Sarah got to San Juan del sur. This is said to be a laid-back surfer town, i.e. the place to be for a nice groove, good swell and relaxing atmosphere. Honestly, yet a surfer town wasn’t what I was up for but if there is surf, there is yoga. However, this touristy little town didn’t impress much. The hostel was invaded by Swedes (besides that the town was more or less empty) and the surf was only on the nearby beaches, a shuttle ride away. The yoga and shala were beautiful though. Days past by and we didn’t achieve much: yoga, gym, two different beaches and food. Yes, this is a touristy place, but after adding the tax (which is obligatory but still not included in the price) nothing seemed as cheap as word on the street tells you.

San Juan del Sur

surfers

surfing arvo

We happened to find two Norwegians (or they found us, that argument can go on for ever) who spiced up the entertainment of our stay. We kept them and spent the following days in Granada together.

What first strikes you when entering Granada is the beauty of all its colonial buildings. In addition, the city has a fair amount of fancy cafés and restaurants, enough to keep you busy (eating) for a week. Taking a closer look, however, the city and its atmosphere are hard to grasp. Various tours are offered without any greater enthusiasm nor actual containment, spas are in every corner and the mandatory souvenirs can be purchased every here and there. Despite this, Granada is a complete ghost town: there is hardly anyone out and I never understood why. Maybe because of that weird feeling that kept crawling up my spine but was never really determined. Walking around alone was sketchy even at daytime. A man grabbed my hair one day, another whispered puta when I walked by and yet another followed my sister so that she had to go straight back to the hostel instead of buying food. We weren’t supposed to be there. Tourists are supposed to be hiding in the spas that are set up for them. There they can feed the dictatorship with their money and use blinders to ignore the kids working on the streets.

photo credit: Magie

empty streets

Maybe I don’t know enough or understand the city’s and country’s history, but to me Granada put up an effortless show for the tourists. It’s a charade going on and they are sick of it. Needless to say, we spent too many days hanging around doing nothing. Finally, Monday morning, I got a cab to the airport, jumped on the tiny airplane and almost cried of relief when I sat my feet on Costa Rican land. Sarah had left for León and Mariella and the Norwegians went to climb a volcano while I was looking forward to meet up with my friends.

On my way to the hostel I started talking with the driver, who apparently has two sons living in Sweden. One of them is here now and I’m going to meet him later today. I met Cydney in San Pedro where we met up with Alan who took us drinking at a bar with beer on tap. I had a shower without getting sandy after. I wore jeans. I had good beer and I was at a bar where no one tried to hit on me. It was good. I felt normal. Today, I’ve been offered a job in a rum commercial and had drinks with a former wall streeter. As I said, crazy things happen in Costa Rica. Tomorrow I’ll leave for Puerto Viejo.

Pura Vida