Kew

Today I went to Kew Gardens, which was beautiful-- carpets of bluebells and other wildflowers, and trees blossoming for spring in great puffballs of white and pink. If that had been going on in Japan (seasonal flowerings, I mean) the entire population would be out, but it was very quiet except for the birds (and, alas, the frequent planes overhead.) I saw rhododendrons and Queen Anne's Lace, which I have not since I was a child in India-- the climate in hill stations is similar to that in England, so the same plants will grow there. The rhododendrons were carpeted with fallen crimson blossoms beneath the leaves, which I assumed had ffallen naturally unril I saw two squirrels yanking them off a bush, gobbling the bottom part, where I assume the nectar is, then dropping the part with petals and grabbing a new one. Then I picked up a flower on the ground, and saw that there were toothmarks all around the base.

Food report: I had stir-fried ginger pork at a Japanese restaurant last night, where the waitress did not speak much English and was extremely confused when, sicne the tables were full, I asked if it was OK to sit at the sushi bar but eat hot food instead of sushi. I was way too jet-lagged to attempt Japanese, so I just sat there and ordered. (I slept thirteen hours tonight, and only woke up (at past one) because the front desk called tro see if I was ever going to leave so they could make the bed.) Today I figured out what a digestive biscuit is: a very crumbly, very dry thing that looks like thick gingerbread and tastes like a graham cracker. Also, when you order coffee people will ask you if you want an "Americano." This seems to mean "with milk," although I think in Italy that means "black with hot water." Maybe.

At Kew Gardens I had smoken salmon sandwiches (mediocre) and Elderflower soft drink (excellent-- lemony, not carbonated, with a definite flowery taste.) Tonight I will seek out the Indian restaurant I could not find yesterday. Also, I have with me a packet of "Oriental ribs" flavored crisps and another of "prawn cocktail." (The net cafe |I am in now is in the basement of a Burger King. That reminds me of Tokyo, where very disparate businesses often share a single building.)

Book report: Now reading Ursula K. LeGuin's The Left Hand of Darkness. Yes, for the first time; dunno why. It is predictably wonderful, and despite all the gender-bending that's been done since, with one or two minor exceptions it does read at all dated, because it's more about story, atmosphere, and character than about gender-bending. Well, i should say, that's integrated into the whole. Anyway, it's great.

Tomorrow: Madrid! (I am returning to London later in the month.)

Kew

Today I went to Kew Gardens, which was beautiful-- carpets of bluebells and other wildflowers, and trees blossoming for spring in great puffballs of white and pink. If that had been going on in Japan (seasonal flowerings, I mean) the entire population would be out, but it was very quiet except for the birds (and, alas, the frequent planes overhead.) I saw rhododendrons and Queen Anne's Lace, which I have not since I was a child in India-- the climate in hill stations is similar to that in England, so the same plants will grow there. The rhododendrons were carpeted with fallen crimson blossoms beneath the leaves, which I assumed had ffallen naturally unril I saw two squirrels yanking them off a bush, gobbling the bottom part, where I assume the nectar is, then dropping the part with petals and grabbing a new one. Then I picked up a flower on the ground, and saw that there were toothmarks all around the base.

Food report: I had stir-fried ginger pork at a Japanese restaurant last night, where the waitress did not speak much English and was extremely confused when, sicne the tables were full, I asked if it was OK to sit at the sushi bar but eat hot food instead of sushi. I was way too jet-lagged to attempt Japanese, so I just sat there and ordered. (I slept thirteen hours tonight, and only woke up (at past one) because the front desk called tro see if I was ever going to leave so they could make the bed.) Today I figured out what a digestive biscuit is: a very crumbly, very dry thing that looks like thick gingerbread and tastes like a graham cracker. Also, when you order coffee people will ask you if you want an "Americano." This seems to mean "with milk," although I think in Italy that means "black with hot water." Maybe.

At Kew Gardens I had smoken salmon sandwiches (mediocre) and Elderflower soft drink (excellent-- lemony, not carbonated, with a definite flowery taste.) Tonight I will seek out the Indian restaurant I could not find yesterday. Also, I have with me a packet of "Oriental ribs" flavored crisps and another of "prawn cocktail." (The net cafe |I am in now is in the basement of a Burger King. That reminds me of Tokyo, where very disparate businesses often share a single building.)

Book report: Now reading Ursula K. LeGuin's The Left Hand of Darkness. Yes, for the first time; dunno why. It is predictably wonderful, and despite all the gender-bending that's been done since, with one or two minor exceptions it does read at all dated, because it's more about story, atmosphere, and character than about gender-bending. Well, i should say, that's integrated into the whole. Anyway, it's great.

Tomorrow: Madrid! (I am returning to London later in the month.)