I've had some interesting travel experiences because I am vegetarian. I learned about the Buddhist vegetarian culture in both Vietnam and China by specifically seeking out vegetarian restaurants in both countries. In Vietnam, traditional religious Buddhists eat vegan foods full of mock meats two days per month. In China, the monks only eat vegan so most Chinese temples have a vegan restaurant attached around the back. These are just two examples of experience I would never have had as a full omnivore. Sure, it's been more difficult in other countries and I haven't experienced as much of the local cuisine, but that doesn't mean I should never have bothered going.

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