David's Diary: Tuesday, February 18, 2003

The Delights of London

Hyde Park

It is bitterly cold in London. After almost two years on the Mediterranean my body has adjusted to warmer temperatures and I find it hard to stay warm enough. In the faded winter light London looks beautiful. I spend a little bit of time walking in Hyde Park, but I soon find it too cold to stay outside.

Real Coffee

The Central Tube line is not operating, so I ride a two-decker red London bus to Oxford Street. I stop at Starbucks and have a decaffeinated coffee. It is surprising the small things that you miss when you travel. In Tunisia the coffee is terrible and along the Mediterranean you never find brewed coffee. To just wander the London streets with a freshly brewed cup of coffee is a treat that I appreciate having not had it for almost two years.

Another surprise has been the fact that everyone speaks English. I can stop someone to ask for directions and not only do they understand what I am asking, I can understand their answer. From bus drivers to shop attendents I find that I am soon taking it for granted that I can communicate with everyone. Except for our week in Malta last fall, this is the only time in nineteen months that I've been in an English-speaking country.

Fruit and Vegetables

In Tunisia, the selection of fresh vegetables and fruit is limited to what can be grown locally. In winter this means there are few fruits and vegetables to choose from. It seems like the whole month of February the only fruit we have seen is oranges. I can't remember the last time that I had a sweet pepper. I see a street market in London and I just stand and stare at the fabulous selection of fruits and vegetables. I even buy a sweet red pepper and enjoy eating it raw.

For lunch, I stop at a pub and have roast pork and a pint of English bitter. Neither treat are available in Tunisia. As a Muslim country there is no pork and the only beer is a locally brewed lager. It is surprising how fast I get used to everything again. Between meetings and visits to Internet Cafes with fast connections, I visit many of London's shops and stock up on things we've missed in Tunisia.