1.      Alien’s Day Out
These tales of a hip and savvy herbivore exploring the megacity of Seoul, South Korea, will inspire you to eat better, live better, shop better, and be better. Mipa was born in South Korea but traveled all around the world growing up, so her recipes reflect a truly eclectic palate. Trust us—you will find a recipe to fall in love with here.

2.      One Arab Vegan
The tagline says it all: “health, fitness and hummus”! And we’re down with all of it as long as Nada is cooking. A vegan in Bahrain, Nada gives the DL on how to cook it, find it, buy it, or order it—and she won’t disappoint. Warning: Do not view the photos on an empty stomach!

3.      The Vegan Zombie
Who doesn’t love a man who cooks, right? Especially when that man is talking about the zombie apocalypse and vegan noms. There is no denying it: The Vegan Zombie is hilarious and delicious, and we can’t get enough of him.

4.      Việt Nam Ăn Chay
When you think of Vietnamese food, you think of lemongrass, lime, and soft rice paper, and who could forget pho?! Master the staples of Vietnamese cooking or rare and unique dishes, all with the help of these mouthwatering recipes. Việt Nam Ăn Chay is primarily in Vietnamese, but don’t stress—all the recipes are in English, too!

5.      The Post Punk Kitchen (PPK)
Whether it’s on the streets of Beijing or the coasts of Indonesia, punk is not dead—and it’s alive and kicking in the Post Punk Kitchen. Isa Chandra Moskowitz has been a part of the vegan cooking world for decades—she can cook up some mean tofu balls! PPK will leave you a different person, a better cook, and a little bit punk rock.

Posted by Edwina Baier

Posted by Jason Baker

Taal Volcano and Taal Lake are truly beautiful natural wonders that can be found in the Philippines. Taal Volcano is located in the province of Batangas near the city of Tagaytay, a mere two-hour bus ride from Manila. Once you reach Tagaytay, the views of the island volcano, which is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, are spectacular. Although the volcano may seem daunting, it is currently safe, with its last eruption having occurred in 1977. Just make sure that you check the weather forecast before you embark on your trip!

Three of us hiked up the mountain, and it took us approximately one hour to make it to the top of the crater. Since we made the trip during summer, it was hot and dusty along the trail. However, it was nothing that we or anyone else couldn’t accomplish. We needed neither superhuman strength nor endurance to make it to the top—we simply needed to put one foot in front of the other.

Putting one hoof in front of the other is what hundreds of malnourished and mistreated horses do at the volcano on a daily basis while carrying at least one—but most often two—humans on their backs. They are cruelly forced to climb the mountain, just to make the lives of lazy tourists more comfortable.

We carried our own weight and weren’t wearing a fur coat, yet we sweated and puffed as we climbed the mountain. The horses used at the volcano are the size of ponies and are also severely malnourished and dehydrated. They lack any required hoof care, many have bloated bellies (most likely caused by digestion problems, such as worm infestations), and a lot of the saddles we saw were ill-fitting and consequently would rub painfully on the horses’ backs as they were forced to climb the mountain again and again. Even after a grueling day of carrying people up the mountain, these horses receive no adequate rest or care. We saw numerous horses who were tied up so tightly that they had to hold their heads in the air the whole time, and others were unable to take a single step in any direction. Many were tied up in the searing hot sun. Not one horse we saw had access to water or food.

The horseback ride up the mountain is, unfortunately, a typical part of most tourists’ visits to Taal Volcano. If you intend to visit this natural wonder, we strongly urge you to walk up the mountain yourself. You will not be supporting the abuse of these horses and will be doing something great for your body at the same time! The climb is so much more rewarding when you are the one who has been doing the hard work. You can reward yourself with coconut juice or any of the many other cold drinks available at the top while you peer over the stunning crater lake. Please do not endorse the cruel and inhumane treatment of horses on this mountain. Instead, contribute positively to the tourism industry and your own health. Act ethically, and walk up the mountain on your own two legs. You know you can do it!

Posted by former intern Milena König

1. They can do your taxes. OK, not really—but pigeons can do simple math. They have proved themselves in studies to have similar arithmetic skills to some monkeys. Who needs a calculator when you have pigeons for friends?
2. “Full speed ahead!” Pigeons are fast! They can fly at up to 100 kilometers per hour.
3. According to scientific studies, pigeons exhibit self-recognition. They are one of only a handful of animals on the planet—including humans, dolphins, and chimpanzees—who have the ability to pass the mirror test.
4. They don’t need Google Maps. Pigeons have a unique homing ability and have been documented traveling thousands of kilometers to return home—even over oceans. Sadly, this unique skill is exploited by some people in the pigeon-racing industry. Learn more about the cruelty of pigeon racing here.
5. Pigeon daddies do the feeding. And mommies, too! Both male and female pigeons produce crop milk for baby birds.

Posted by Edwina Baier

Since I was a little girl, I have always loved animals and had a keen interest in animal rights, and I first decided that I wanted to stop eating animals when I was 10 years old. Fast-forward more than a decade, and I found myself arriving at the Manila airport, ready to start my internship at PETA Asia. It was a dream come true! After spending six years studying at university, I was looking for something meaningful to do that was close to my heart, and interning at PETA filled that role perfectly.

Arriving at the PETA office, I was immediately greeted by all the lovely staff and felt instantly welcome and at home. All the staff and the other interns are awesome people, and it is a great feeling finding yourself among a group of people who share your ideals and values. The PETA office is very multicultural, and the staff members are from around the globe. My fellow interns are from England, the Philippines, and Vietnam, and it was inspiring to be able to spend time and share stories with people from different corners of the world.

Life in the office is full on but infinitely rewarding. While at PETA, I worked on several blog posts, with the topics ranging from horse-drawn carriages to delicious vegan recipes to the ties between veganism and yoga—and everything in between. I also compiled lists of celebrities and their contact details, fishing tournaments in Australia, Australian café chains that offer soy milk, senators who are running in the upcoming Filipino elections, and many other research-based projects. Multitasking is key to completing the never-ending amounts of work—no one said fighting for animals’ freedom was going to be easy! In addition to desk-based work, I also took part in many outreach activities, such as leafleting and tabling events, and I even got to dress up as Mali the elephant when we went leafleting! Some of the most heartbreaking work that I did included visiting the Manila Zoo on two occasions to check on the condition of Mali as well as all the other animals who live there. As emotionally difficult as those visits were, they fuelled my desire to see Mali finally free and living a happy life with other elephants in a sanctuary. An important part of daily office life was the scrumptious vegan lunch, which came each day from different cafés around Manila, as well as the yummy vegan treats often brought in by various staff members. Grace, the rescued PETA dog who is definitely the boss in the office, was always keen for you to share your food with her, and who could say no to those beautiful eyes?

Milena and Blaize

An activity that I always eagerly anticipated in was our weekly trip to the bus station and the slum next door to take care of some dogs (and cats) who are dire in need of some love and attention. These visits were beyond fulfilling, and even though some things were tough to see and process, it was always rewarding to see the wagging tail of the dog whose day you had just made that little bit brighter. Forever in my heart will be little Blaize—I hope your life from here on in is tick-free and as happy as can be. This doesn’t mean that I’ve forgotten about the other dogs, Adik, Christmas, Billy Boy, Brownie, Lucky, and Mr. Unfriendly, who all firmly have a place in my heart, too. And I will never forget crazy little Saske, the dog with the biggest personality, endless amounts of energy, and a great love of ankles, who is now living the happiest life after being rescued from the bus station, thanks to the work of PETA staffers.

I feel beyond privileged—I’m the luckiest person in the world to have been given the opportunity to intern at PETA and to have worked on such a multitude of different projects, all for the cause of animal rights. Living in the Philippines for two months has been a dream, with so many beautiful islands to explore, beaches at which to swim, bubble teas to be had, jungles through which to trek, volcanoes to be climbed, postcard-worthy sunsets to be watched, countless street dogs to be fed and cuddled, karaoke bars to be visited, and mouthwatering vegan meals to be eaten, and all this while experiencing the endlessly generous hospitality of the eternally joyful Filipino people. I wish my time at PETA would never end. The eight weeks passed far too quickly. I cannot put into words how grateful I am for this experience, and it is one that will stay with me forever. Salamat!

Posted by former intern Milena König

Cows raised for the dairy industry are confined to tiny and filthy enclosures, pumped full of antibiotics and hormones, suffer from severe mastitis (a painful inflammation of the mammary glands), are branded and dehorned without painkillers, and are eventually sent to slaughter when they are no longer profitable. To an industry built on making money from the exploitation of cows for milk, males serve no purpose. Male calves are sent to slaughter immediately or are sold to the veal industry for another kind of misery.

Naturally, cows live approximately 25 years, but cows used by the dairy industry are killed after only four or five years because they become less profitable. The intense confinement, barbaric treatment, filth, and stress of always being pregnant and giving milk leave their bodies weak. No longer making enough “product,” these mother cows are slaughtered in order to be turned into dog and cat food, soup stock, or other low-grade meats.

Many studies show that people around the world, especially Asians, are lactose intolerant. Some studies show that more than 90 percent of certain ethnic groups in Asia cannot digest milk—and yet milk consumption in Asia is growing. Milk is bad for us and bad for cows. Dairy products have been linked to many diseases and health problems, including cancer, diabetes, and even acne.

For the countless mothers and calves on dairy farms—and for your own health—join Emily and go vegan today!

Posted by Edwina Baier

Moroccan Eggplant and Chickpea Salad
3 Tbsp. sesame seeds
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
2 Tbsp. ground paprika
100 ml olive oil
1 kg eggplant, cut into large chunks
Salt and pepper, to taste
Juice of 2 lemons
800 g chickpeas
200 g cherry tomatoes, halved, or regular tomatoes, cut into smaller pieces
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1 cup parsley leaves
1/2 cup mint leaves
1 clove garlic
100 g plain soy yoghurt (optional)

• Preheat the oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Combine the sesame seeds, cumin, paprika, and 2 tablespoonfuls of the olive oil in a bowl. Coat the eggplant with the seed mixture and season with salt and pepper. Spread on the tray and bake until golden, about 15 minutes.
• Grate some rind off the lemons and juice it. (This will make the dressing taste fresh and zesty.)
• Mix together the lemon juice, lemon rind, chickpeas, tomatoes, basil, parsley, mint, garlic, and the remaining olive oil in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
• Toss the eggplant and chickpea mixture together in a large bowl. Garnish with a dollop of plain soy yoghurt. Voilà!

Makes 8 servings

Posted by former intern Milena Konig

Melani’s weight has dropped to less than 60 kilograms, far below the normal range for healthy tigers, and her condition is believed to be a direct result of gross neglect and inadequate veterinary care—issues all too common at Surabaya Zoo. For five years, her health slowly deteriorated and her weight decreased—eventually leaving her unable to digest food at all—yet no proper action has been taken to help her.

Rozek and Melani are far from the first animals to have suffered at the hands of Surabaya Zoo. In 2012, a giraffe died after ingesting almost 20 kilograms of plastic. PETA has long advocated for the closure of this decrepit facility and the transfer of the animals to more suitable locations. In 2010, after a global outcry regarding the deplorable conditions of the zoo, the government took control of the facility, but little has changed in this time.

Melani and Rozek were both part of a breeding program claiming to help protect these tigers from extinction, but their heartbreaking story is a clear example of how breeding programs fail animals in a big way. Animals in zoos are exploited, abused, traded, and sold—all to make a profit. Warehousing animals in zoos for their entire lives is not the way to save them from extinction. Protecting natural habitats is the only way to help save endangered animals. Pledge to boycott zoos today and help make sure that more animals do not have to suffer.

Please also write to your nearest Indonesian embassy or consulate and ask them to do everything possible to strengthen and create better animal protection laws. A list of embassies and consulates can be found here.

Posted by Edwina Baier

Mali has spent more than 36 years confined by the concrete walls of the Manila Zoo, but as Pam points out in her letter, “Mali still yearns for the life that she was meant to have.” Boon Lott‘s Elephant Sanctuary can offer Mali all the things she has missed for so many years. “We all know that elephants never forget the past, but Mali’s days in the lush Asian jungle, where she was born, must feel like a distant dream.” BLES has those things Mali can barely remember: lakes, rivers, trees, and the soft earth beneath her feet.

Maybe we can’t all have Pam’s looks, but we can have a heart as big as hers. Join Pam in asking President Aquino to give Mali the life that she deserves—the life of an elephant.

Send polite comments to:

His Excellency Benigno Aquino III
President of the Republic of the Philippines
Office of the President
Malacañang Compound
Manila, Philippines
op@president.gov.ph

Posted by Edwina Baier

The restaurant has a great menu—one that’s perfect for vegans and meat-eaters alike. A whole page is devoted to delicious salads, including spicy eggplant salad, okra salad, and a classic avocado salad. It also offers two soups—pumpkin and mixed vegetable—as well as hummus dip with homemade bread. And these are just the starters! The hummus was a particular favorite among our group. It is delicious and flavorful, and we highly recommend it.

The Alternative’s star meal is the famous banana-heart curry. All three of us loved this dish, and we recommended it to anyone who would listen. The braised green papaya simmered in coconut milk, herbs, and green vegetables was also a winner—it’s a delicious vegan option that we ordered frequently. On our first visit to The Alternative, we had no idea what to expect, so we decided to share a portion of the spicy Turkish eggplant dish (after already having had the hummus dip with homemade bread). Quickly realizing that this was a mistake since the meal is so delicious, we promptly ordered a second and polished it off within minutes, too. Other vegan offerings on the menu include spicy okra cooked in homemade tomato sauce; chili and herbs; mixed organic vegetables lightly stir-fried in onion, garlic, and coconut cream; simmered pumpkin wedges; and Buddhist dumplings.

The famous banana-heart curry includes shredded banana-heart blossoms, tomatoes, onions, and bell peppers simmered in spicy coconut cream with curry and is served with steamed rice.

The braised green papaya includes thinly sliced green papaya simmered in coconut milk, herbs, and green vegetables and is served with steamed rice.

The Alternative also offers a wide range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. We highly recommend the delicious fruit shakes! You can also select from a variety of fresh juices, herbal teas, beers, wines, and long drinks. You’ll find a perfect choice for any time of day. If by this stage, you are still not full, there are some delicious desserts waiting for you, such as banana and young coconut flambé with cinnamon or a fresh fruit salad.

If you visit El Nido, The Alternative should be a destination on your list. In addition to all the great food, the “nests” above the ocean are just perfect for relaxing, which is exactly what we did!

The Alternative
Serena Street
Barangay Buena Suerte
El Nido
Palawan
+63 917 595 5952
TheAlternativeInn.com

Posted by intern Milena Konig