Two years ago, I had planned to embark on a six-week Eurotrip, visiting Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, UK, and then finally ending the trip with the Vancouver Marathon. Then the pandemic stopped the world, as countries closed their borders in an effort to contain the virus. The travel bans happened two days before I was supposed to depart.

Most of our lives were in limbo the last two years. I wasn’t sure if I would ever be able to make the trip up. Sometimes good things come to those who wait.

It helped to wait an extra month after my work contract ended, too. In the past month, more COVID-19 travel restrictions have lifted for most of the countries I’m visiting. As of today, negative Covid tests for vaccinated travelers are no longer needed for Canada, UK, Italy, France, and Spain. I will need to have a negative test for Portugal, and another for coming back to the U.S. Travelers still need to bring proof of vaccination, too.

As always, I prefer to pack on the lighter side. The less things I take with me, the easier it is to travel. All I need are:

• Several tops and bottoms, plus a dress, to mix and match stylish goth outfits
• My computer and charging cables
• Vegan travel-sized toiletries
• Four pairs of shoes: walking shoes, flats, running shoes, and flip flops.
• A fast-drying microfiber towel
• Journal and art supplies
• A stuffed animal that’s a replica of my BFF Brad’s cat, Bug. He’s my travel buddy.
• Running tops and bottoms
• A swimsuit
• An electrical outlet adapter
• Vegan toiletries
• Passport and wallet
• A Covid-19 test for coming back to the United States
• KN-95 masks

My clothes, shoes, toiletries, and pandemic supplies can fit into my 50-liter purple Osprey backpack. All electronics, essential documents, and art supplies go into my smaller bag.

In my previous visits, I would whirl through the city like a spinning top. This time, I took my time and meandered through the Vancouver—it’s best to save energy for the marathon. There’s no need to cram everything in, especially when the city is close enough to Seattle. I can come back any time.

Vancouver is so great. It’s like Seattle’s Canadian cousin, offering ample places to run, cat cafes, and even more vegan options!

Vancouver Marathon

I kicked off this solo adventure with my 12th marathon in Vancouver. Two years ago, I was registered to run the Vancouver Marathon at the end of the Eurotrip. Then it turned virtual, in an effort to keep everyone safe. This time, I moved the race to the beginning of the trip. It’s so much better to get it out of the way, rather than training for it in Europe.

The Vancouver Marathon is one of the prettiest courses I’ve ever run. Of course, chances are that anywhere you run in the Pacific Northwest, it will be beautiful. This marathon was under verdant, flowering tree canopies, and along the harbor and beaches. It went around Stanley Park before finishing among the shiny glass buildings in downtown Vancouver.

Vegan food in Vancouver

As a marathon runner, I’m always on the hunt for vegan food. Thankfully, getting enough calories while maintaining a cruelty-free diet is easy to do in Vancouver.

Here are a few of my favorite places.

The Kind Cafe & Eatery

The Kind Cafe is a hip vegan eatery with a great name: you can live kindly by choosing a vegan lifestyle where no animals are harmed. One that’s best for the environment and your health. That’s what being vegan is about: living and eating your values while making a world a better place.

This place emanates life with ample natural light, many plants, and loft seating.

I had the energizing tempeh taco bowl. This protein-packed power bowl had black beans, seasoned tempeh, pickled red onions, shredded purple cabbage, julienned cucumbers, and cauliflower—plus it was drizzled with a special sauce. The tangy pickled veggies perfectly complimented the full-bodied dressing. The cabbage and cauliflower delivered a nice crunch in every bite. This is exactly what I needed.

MeeT at Gastown

If you’re worried about missing all of your favorite food by going vegan, MeeT has you covered. This trendy spot has veganized all of your favorite dishes, ranging from burgers to Canada’s national dish, poutine.

I visited MeeT for dinner after the marathon. After every marathon, you should always treat yourself, whether you did well or so-so. Their menu has an entire poutine section, so I tried the vegan Korean-style poutine: French fries smothered with savory veggie gravy and melty cheese, plus topped with kimchi, nori strips, and sliced green onions. It had the perfect salt, fat, carb, and protein ratio that sated my tired body.

Bonus Bakery

Bonus Bakery is a modern, snug bakery that serves soft gourmet vegan cookies and pastries. The white, silver, and yellow interior—with their yellow star logo—was quite charming, as were their array of delectable vegan baked goods.

It’s best to go to Bonus right as they open. They seem to sell out fast, and for good reason. I got birthday cake and cinnamon roll cookies, plus a croissant that was still warm.

Catfé

Catfé is an adorable cat cafe that I’ll always stop by whenever there’s a chance. This cafe features about 10 sweet adoptable cats, an adorable gift shop, a mini cat art gallery, and a cafe offering coffee drinks and snacks.

I made friends with this black kitty. She was my favorite! Black cats are so underrated. Did you know that they are the least adopted? Maybe it’s because people are superstitious and think that black cats bring bad luck. Maybe people just don’t like the color black. Black cats are just as worthy of love as the others. This little one loved playing with the feather wand.

Of course, the other cats were friendly, too. I also have a soft spot in my heart for tabbies, as seen above.

I highly recommend making a reservation well in advance before visiting, since there’s a good chance the capacity for visitors will be full. As of today, it costs $18 CAD for an hour visit. The drinks and snacks are a little extra.

I enjoyed my time in Vancouver, and couldn’t think of a better way to kick off this Eurotrip with another marathon! I’m currently en route to Rome via a 22-hour layover in London. There will be more art, cats, vegan food, and more. I’m so excited to report my findings soon!