| Sunday, August 26, 2007 |
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We were the most popular people on Boston's public transport yesterday. Loads of people smiled at us, asked us where we were going, wished us luck and even helped us up and down.
If you'd like such great treatment, do try moving two large suitcases and assorted smaller bags using public transport on the hottest day in more than a week. If you manage not to squash someone or be self-squashed by the load, it makes for a very good conversation starter. It is also a useful test of gallantry, which was won by the commuter rail conductor. Best smile would go to the couple on the T, and the "No help at all" prize to the three men who ambled in front of us, smoking while we were downwind.
We did manage to get into Hemlock in our respective pieces - except that my key happens to open our neighbours' door instead of ours. Utterly bizarre, that. On a side note, I did not realise that Hemlock is the name of a poisonous plant until I told Sam about it (at least I think it was him that pointed it out). And it was confirmed when Monica recalled it was the poison that killed Socrates. Happily, I found two references for Hemlock when I looked for it - so at least in Boston, I'm not living in poisonous plant (with neurotoxins) land.
- Conium, or more specifically, Conium maculatum, a common European herb that was probably the state poison of Ancient Greece. This is the more commonly understood meaning in European and most historical contexts.
- Tsuga, a genus of coniferous trees native to North America and East Asia. This is the more commonly understood meaning in the United States and Canada.
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posted by wenster @ 1:56 PM  |
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| Thursday, August 09, 2007 |
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It seems that when time is running out, there is just so much more to do, see and experience. Its my last full week in London, and I'm discovering that there is so much more that I want to do.
I want to eat at Sarastro, a superbly decorated place that Wenqi showed me while we walked past. It has opera boxes, knicknacks and olden day gizmos galore, so that you can feast with your eyes as well as in the usual manner. Then there are the many little restaurants along Westbourne Road that auntie Jenny showed me today. Not to mention the places that I read about in reviews, and figure that I can't' really afford but still want to see what the hype is all about.
I want to walk around London, discover the small streets and alleyways with their quaint pubs and bizarre names. And the stories that lie behind them. And I want to watch the people as they do what they do... walk through the parks and memorise all the paths and where my favourite flowers are. Plough through the bits and pieces in Portobello Market and all the other markets in the area.
Sigh. But all I have is this one weekend. |
| posted by wenster @ 9:11 PM |
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