Where Was I...

...Ah, yes. Mexico vs vegan.

Back in February, the stars aligned and on request by an old friend, I was flown to Mexico to act in a short film.  No, it wasn't porn, and no, I wasn't actually running drug money.  It just so happens that when they need an actor fluent in English, the local pool is pretty shallow.

I left full of energy and excitement, but after three connecting flights and the transition from -30 degree weather to +40, I arrived at the Monterrey Airport with the most vicious head cold ever experienced by man.  I saw the fear in my friend's eyes but convinced him I would not be out of commission for filming.  They brought me Gravol, orange juice, soda, Neo-Citran, and some blue pills they claimed were "just like Cold-FX".  I put it all together in a blender and got 5 hours of sleep before my first 13 hour day of filming.

Day One - I think I might actually be dying.  I've taken too much medicine! I'm either going to faint or throw up or my heart is going to explode.  They bring me breakfast tacos.  Apparently 4 per person is a normal occurrence.  I can't even look at the food.  I am also told that it is hard to find vegetarian dishes, but if you can, it's usually topped with "tres quesos", which is Spanish for "however much cheese is required to coat everything else in the dish".

NORMALLY, I wouldn't be so dismayed by this news.  But I was only 8 or 9 days into Vegan February and proud of my commitment thus far.  But I'll tell you something: when the only thing you can keep down while working all day is a baked potato covered in cheese sauce, I'm gonna eat the baked potato covered in cheese sauce.  The crew was already working hard to keep me from going comatose, I wasn't about to pull the dietary diva routine.

As my life often goes, I was feeling better by my last day in Mexico.  I went to their Starbucks for breakfast.  It was a fantasy-land compared to Starbucks here.  Pretty little cakes, a plethora of sandwiches and snacks...amazing.  I ordered a vegetarian breakfast sandwich which listed 2 kinds of cheese on it.  What the hell, when in Rome. I mention to my friend that the large, square, egg white patty tasted strange.  He confirmed it was not egg, but yet another kind of cheese.

Ohhh Tres Quesos. Dios mio.

I have not been back to vegan since.  To be honest with you, I've been eating meat frequently since April too.  But, this is why I'm back to the blog.  Time to regroup. Set target and go.