Dreams of cheese
Posted by Anya in Uncategorized on August 14, 2008
I spent an astonishing amount of time during the trip fantasising about food. The most frequently occurring food-based daydream was about Welsh Rarebit. I mean bread that isn’t sweet, toasted and slathered with melting strong cheddar, with just a hint of Worcestershire Sauce. Mmmmmmmmmmmm
It isn’t that you can’t get cheese over here – in fact everything seems to come with cheese (even steak – yuk) but it is always looks and tastes like the plastic processed orange stuff you get in squares or plasticine with holes (AKA Swiss Cheese here). I think it might actually be against the consitution to have a sandwich without “Swiss” cheese.
Sod house on the Prairie
Posted by Anya in Activities, Stuff that's different and weird on August 14, 2008
While travelling across America one of the things that struck me most was quite how big this place is. Yes I know that shouldn’t really be a surprise but in between the towns there’s a lot of nothing. Really a lot. I mean hundreds of miles of prairies where there is no mobile phone coverage, no internet access and no decent coffee (Not even Starbucks).
It is a strange feling because in the UK or even most of Western Europe it is almost impossible to drive more than 40 miles or so without hitting a town. Here you can drive for a day and barely see signs of civilisation.
I didn’t care much formuch of the Minnesota I saw (one you’ve seen one flat, grassy landscape then you’ve pretty much covered them all). There was the Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic HIghway we followed for aaaages. There’s just nothing there. I recall in my dim and distant memories of watching Little house on the Prairie” on TV absolutely nothing ever happened. I don’t think much has changed today. After a many hours of this tedious terrain I saw a sign that said “Sod House on the Prarie”. I couldn’t have agreed more *
*although subsequently this turned out to be a house made using an ancient sod based building technique.
What I’m missing
Posted by Anya in Stuff that's different and weird, Two nations divided by a common language on August 13, 2008
Wow it has been a while since I’ve posted (thanks to some of you for the reminder). As you may know I’ve been away – a quick trip to London, then some time in Chicago then an absolutely awesome 3300mile roadtrip across some of America. (more about that later).
Being in London made me realise what I miss more than anything else:
– friends and family
– decent food (It isn’t that you can’t eat well here , just it is more likely that the food will be sugar and lard ridden or just plain disgusting)
– irony
– national newspapers (all the dailies but the WSJ have a bit of the “Lost Cat Found” about their local stories.
– food (I’ve taken to fantisizing about food the whole time).
Quacks with humour
Posted by Anya in Two nations divided by a common language on August 1, 2008
Does anyone else think it is hilarious that the name for the British plastic surgery body is BAAPS? (British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons).
Talking to foreigners
Posted by Anya in Stuff that's different and weird, Two nations divided by a common language on July 17, 2008
You know how many people approach talking to foreigners – any language difficulties can be overcome by speaking louder and slower. I am surprised at how many people here adopt that approach with me.
The most recent was yesterday – I went into an AutoTag office (I needed some sort of sticker that goes on my car number plate). Anyway, I queued for 10 mins behind a Korean family who spoke limited English. The lady behind the desk adopted the above communication strategy. When it was my turn, she did the same. I didn’t think much of it initially (actually I thought she was a bit stupid or deaf – bless) until an American chap came in and she spoke to him completely normally.
At that point I couldn’t help wondering what it was that made her think I would benefit from the foreigner treatment. Particularly when in actual fact I think my English was rather better than hers….grrrrrr
Scorchio
Posted by Anya in Stuff that's different and weird on July 16, 2008
I did something today that I’ve never done before. I was out running an errand at lunchtime with the roof off. When I got back in the car – I closed the roof and put the aircon on. That never happens unless it is actually raining. I was wondering what was wrong with me (apart from a boiled bottom and scorched thighs from the leather seats) until I looked at the temperature. Ok car temperature guages are always a litte off – but given that it read 103 degrees I think we can safely say that it was scorchio.
Actually it has been great to have a summer for a change. Yes it does get muggy and there’s the odd monsoon but on the whole it has been warm/ hot and sunny fairly reliably. So much so I bought a BBQ this weekend. Before you ask – not one of the gas powered* oh the horror* monstrosities that basically are your kitchen hob only outdoors. I bought another one of those pleasingly plump Webers. Now if I could only find some halloumi in this cheese deprived country I coul dmake my favourite kebabs.
But I don’t want a lie down….
Posted by Anya in Stuff that's different and weird on July 15, 2008
Something that irritates me on a daily basis is the loos here. Firstly, the fact that they are known as restrooms is plain ridiculous (the LAST thing you’re going to want to do in there is hang around or rest).
The other thing that I dislike intensly about pulic toilets is the big gaps around the doors. Firsly the cubicles themselves are at least a foot off the ground. Then you have approximately a 1cm gap all the way around the doors. So you are sat there and you can see people walking past. Not good. I understand that in railway stations, bars and clubs etc you are going to want to discourage drug taking and other dodginess, but what’s the excuse at the office?
To make matters worse, despite the lack of privacy – the normally very prudish Yanks have no problems with holding telephone conversations whilst sat in their non-private traps. They talk through the flush and everything! Just. so. Wrong.
You know when you are back in the US when…
Posted by Anya in Stuff that's different and weird, Two nations divided by a common language on July 10, 2008
… the first thing you see at the airport (OK after the welcome messages from Mr Nutter the mayor) is this:
Torna a Surriento*
Posted by Anya in Uncategorized on July 10, 2008
After a long absence I returned to visit the Amalfi Coast. I’ve been there countless times and it still blew me away – the breathtaking rugged coastline, the intense flavours of the food, the sheer craziness of the drivers.
Highlights for me were beasting around the coast on a scooter (when in Rome and all that), visiting old friends at the fabulous Palazzo Belmonte (a brief visit turned into a wonderful 3 hour Italian lunch overlooking the sea) and an amazing cooking course at Mamma Agata’s in Ravello (where participants were fed to within an inch of their lives).
Mamma Agata and her daughter Chiara
* ok so I didn’t go to Sorrento but you know what I mean…
Tiggers like to bounce
Posted by Anya in Uncategorized on July 10, 2008
As you may know – I was recently briefly in the UK. I took my sister neice and mother to Legoland one day. I think we all had fun but the best bit for me was the giant baby bouncers. Essentially you are strapped to a harness on bungy ropes over a trampoline so you can bounce and do somersaults to your heart’s content.
