Food is one
of life's greatest joys so naturally, one of the greatest joys of traveling is getting
to try out local dishes while indulging in another culture. Some of my
fondest travel memories involve memorable meals I've enjoyed on the road and
the people I shared them with. From the open-air restaurants of the
Caribbean and Central America to the cozy pubs of rural Scotland, here are some
of my most memorable meals from the road.
Somewhere Outside of Las Vegas, Nevada
While in Las Vegas, I rented a car and took a 3-day road trip in the Mojave
Desert and explored some of the more remote regions of Nevada, Arizona and
California. While driving along a country road somewhere in the middle of the
desert, I came across a diner standing alone among some cacti and Joshua
Trees. It looked like something you would see in one of those old western
movies. I went in. I don't even remember what the name of the place
was or what I had to eat, but I remember the atmosphere. I was greeted
with an air of subtle weariness, perhaps because I was an outsider. I
remember the view - vast desert and distant mountain ranges. Although I felt
a little uncomfortable in that remote place, it ranks high on my list of
intriguing places that I've stopped at for a meal in the middle of nowhere.
Les Isles de la Madeleine, Quebec
Like most Canadians, I love a heaping plate of greasy, cheese-and-gravy-soaked
Poutine. What most people don't know is "real" poutine (made
with cheese curds instead of melted mozzarella cheese) is rarely served outside
of French-speaking areas of Canada. That's why I just had to try the dish
while I was in Les Isles de la Madeleine, a group of islands belonging to the
predominately French province of Quebec. I took this trip with my mother
as she always wanted to go there to see the place where her grandmother came
from. We found a nice little place overlooking a beautiful seaside panorama and
enjoyed the best plate of poutine I've ever had. And yes, it was made
with real cheese curds.
Playa Del Carmen, Mexico
In Playa Del Carmen, I stayed at a small boutique-style hotel that offered a buffet at breakfast and
the food was extremely good. The first morning, I wandered down to the
open-air dining area and was amazed at the choices available! The food
was better than I imagined it would be and I soon learned that the Mexican food
I eat in Canada isn't real Mexican food at all. The other amazing thing
about meals at this hotel? The friendly staff interacted with me and even
sat with me at my table. They wanted to know everything about me.
Where was I from? Is there snow there? Do I know so-and-so from
Winnipeg? Even though they could barely speak English, they made an
effort to make me feel welcome and appreciated and I had no problem answering
all of their questions as I had many of my own.
Havana, Cuba
Before I left for Cuba, I was told by others that the food is not very good.
I stayed at an all-inclusive resort and during the first few days, forced my
way through a number of horrible meals (think dry bread, rancid dairy products,
rotten fruit and tasteless other items) before trying a meal at a restaurant
off the resort. I was in Havana with a group of other tourists and we
decided to do lunch at a small restaurant. Now, when people tell me that
the food in Cuba is disgusting, I tell them "no it's not! It's only
disgusting in those cheap all-inclusives" because the meal I had in that
restaurant was excellent in every way possible. Not only was I able to enjoy
a delicious, fresh, homemade meal served by the friendliest staff, but I also got to enjoy it with a fantastic group of people from all over the
world.
Montezuma, Costa Rica
During the first leg of my travels in Costa Rica, I stayed at a lovely yoga
retreat in the little surf town of Montezuma on the Nicoya Peninsula. I
can't pinpoint one particular meal during the whole week that was amazing
because all the meals served were amazing and definitely among the best I've
had in my entire life so far. Fresh, organic produce and eggs taken
directly from a nearby farm were used to prepare the five-course meals
(appetizers, soup, salad, main course and dessert) and a softly-lit dining area
overlooking the Pacific Ocean with a table big enough to seat two dozen people
from all over the world made dining at this place an experience I won't soon
forget.
La
Fortuna, Costa Rica
During the second week of my adventure in Costa Rica, I spent time
exploring the area of La Fortuna which included a day at the luxurious Tabacon Hot Springs Spa. After a relaxing day soaking in the hot springs, I and
the group of travelers I arrived there with were treated to a lovely meal at
the on-site restaurant. A huge buffet was served with an abundance of
fresh, delicious items. I think I heard about a dozen different languages
around the table that night. Sharing a meal with people from so many
different cultures is an opportunity I never turn down. There was storytelling,
email-swapping and language lessons. And the meal? Phenomenal!
Derricks, Barbados
I found an excellent deal on a week-long apartment rental for my trip to
Barbados and the rental came with the option to have meals served three times a
day. Every morning, afternoon and evening, the lady who ran the place
prepared a homemade meal right in front of me. I enjoyed these meals in
the pretty outdoor dining area where I could watch the mischievous little green
monkeys playing in the nearby trees. These meals were all made with the
healthiest and freshest ingredients and were delicious. The best part about the
meals was the fact that I had never heard of the recipes before so I got to try
brand-new-to-me dishes. Eating a meal each day in a home-like environment
made it seem like I was visiting an old friend rather than traveling solo in a
foreign country.
Pearson International Airport, Toronto
I know it seems odd that anyone could have a memorable meal in an airport
let alone one of North America's biggest and busiest. However, amidst the
chaos that is Pearson International, I found a quiet little sandwich bar tucked
away near my gate. I grabbed the one thing that appealed to me in the
display box which was a vegetarian sandwich, and took a seat at the back where
I could watch everything going on outside the little peaceful oasis. That
sandwich was worth every cent of the 8 bucks I paid for it because it was one
of the most delicious veggie sandwiches I ever had. The coffee was good
too and as I sat back, relaxed and prepared to indulge in my hot caffeinated beverage,
a young man with a guitar took a seat just outside the shop and, despite the
noise and chaos around him, he started to play.
Edinburgh,
Scotland
Within hours of arriving in Edinburgh, I had
already hit the streets. I knew I only had three days in the city and
wanted to make the most my time. I was dead tired, jet-lagged and starved
but I walked over twenty kilometres that first day, exploring every nook and
cranny of the downtown area. By evening, I had to find something to eat,
something quick and something nutritious. Just around the corner from my
hotel was a cozy little cafe. I walked in and ordered a veggie
sandwich. The sandwich itself wasn't anything extraordinary, although it
was quite good and definitely filled with veggies. It was the atmosphere
that accompanied my meal. As I sat in a booth by the window that Friday
night, the crowds were preparing for a wild night on the town. I got a
real taste of the excitement that transpires when tens of thousands of locals
and international tourists intermingle for the evening's festivities. As
the streets grew more crowded, a lone bagpiper stopped right in front of the
cafe and began to play. He may have thought he was playing for the
enjoyment of all those people on the street but in my mind, it seemed like that
delightful serenade was made for my ears only.
Broadford, Scotland
They say the best way to get to know a place is to wander around on foot. I guess you can say I got to know Broadford quite well. I arrived at my bed and breakfast in the early evening and the only thing on my mind was food. I neglected to pick something up on the road and since it was getting late, it was difficult to find something to eat. Not having a car available (and not wanting to waste money calling a cab), I started walking. Of course, it being Scotland in September, I ended up wandering around aimlessly in rain, wind and cold. I walked to the bottom of the hill where I had seen a few take-away restaurants. No lights, no cars in the parking lots, no staff around. Closed for the evening. I walked some more. I got hopelessly turned around and ended up going in circles and had no idea where I was or how to get back. Finally, I found a tiny pub. Upon opening the door, I felt like I was walking onto the set of Coronation Street. A cozy atmosphere filled with friendly locals watching sports and gossiping and laughing and carrying on. I was greeted with a hearty welcome from the friendly barmaid who was happy to make a meal for me even though the kitchen had just closed. She must have felt sorry for the soggy, wayward tourist. I took a seat at the bar and was welcomed into the group of patrons who were interested in finding out more about this lone traveler looking for a bite to eat on a stormy night. I enjoyed my meal and a pint and bid them all farewell before trekking back into the cold, wet night.
Fort Augustus, Scotland
While I'm used to traveling alone and therefore eating alone, one of my most memorable meals was the one I enjoyed on my last evening touring the highlands and lowlands of Scotland. I had spent five spectacular days with a dozen incredible people from all over the world. The last night of the tour was spent in a pretty little town not far from the banks of Loch Ness. Upon arrival, we parted ways to check into our accommodations, which were scattered around town, and agreed to meet in an hour by the canal for dinner. A lady from the United States was staying in the same bed and breakfast as me so we walked together. Turns out we both had a really bad sense of direction. We walked and walked and turned around several times when she admitted she had no clue where she was and neither did I. Then the rain and wind came. By the time we found it, we were both soaking wet and hysterical from laughing so hard at our misadventure. Fort Augustus was not particularly bustling on that wet, cold night so by the time we got back into town, our group had dispersed and almost everything was closed. We again found ourselves wandering around in the rain until we found a pizza shop that was still open. That night, as we sat eating pizza by a window overlooking a deserted street in a land foreign to us both, we talked about everything under the sun as if we were old friends who knew one another for years.
