Sat 29th Nov.

It’s a fairly early start as Paul has to get back for a hockey match, but at least we had a burglar alarm free night.

I have to say Brussels has been great where finding vegetarian food is concerned, and not as difficult as I was expecting on the vegan front either. There are more vegetarian eateries than you might think and you can find veggie food in some mainstream restaurants, sandwich shops and delicatessens much more easily than in any of the places I’ve been to in France or Spain. I suppose that’s because it’s a large cosmopolitan city. Anyway, it works for me! I do feel a bit deprived though, not being able to have waffles, pancakes and hot chocolate, those quintessential Belgian staples.

The journey back is fine, though by Northern France the cold clear weather has turned to miserable grey drizzle, which continues across the channel and greets us in England too.

Back home all is well. The kids and grandparents seem to have enjoyed each other’s company, and they’ve eaten well. We distribute presents, Paul goes to hockey, Sally goes to help with play auditions, I unpack, and Nick tries to persuade me to let his friends sleep over.

I have a light lunch of Bean Feast pate on toast as I’m going out later for a meal with a gang of school mums. We’re booked in at the Shangri la, an excellent Thai restaurant in Whitstable. It was I who chose it, as they do a choice of vegan-friendly dishes. Of course it was arranged before I knew I’d be going to Brussels and eating Thai, Chinese and rice most days. Oh well, I’ll cope.
At the Shangri la I am stunned by the revelation that they’ve run out of tofu! So I select Red Vegetable Curry instead of my usual tofu, cashew nuts and vegetables, with tempura vegetables as a starter. The starter is delicious, and so is the main course. A bit hotter (spice wise) than I really like, but the coconut milk sauce makes it all worthwhile.

We all walk back to our respective homes and I fall asleep with the thought, “Only one more day of being vegan.” running through my head.