The 21 to Tower Bridge: Must stop posting so much on facebook

It kind of ruins the fun when I go to post pictures on here and realize I've already put most of the good stuff on facebook so it's already been seen. But not everyone in the family has facebook (Peter and G&G) so for everyone else you will just have to see some things twice. This one is still my favorite and was taken from the 6th floor terrace in my office building.

Tower Bridge from Mercer

People at work keep asking me what has been the weirdest thing I've come across here so far and what the biggest adjustment has been. So I've decided to come up with a list of things that are interesting and new/things that I've had to learn how to do since I've been here. (Note that a lot of things revolve around the kitchen...maybe I just wasn't very domestic before)

1. Use an electric kettle: this has turned out to be the best and most convenient thing ever. Why did I ever wait for water to boil on the stove? Is this something that everyone already knew and never shared this wonderful secret, or is this a British thing?

2. Reheat everything by stove top or in the oven (no microwave). This doesn't sound too difficult, but you have to get a little creative with things like pasta. Takes a little longer but things actually end up tasting better. We could buy a microwave I guess but it makes me feel kind of earthy or something not to have one. On the same note I learned how to use a gas stove - not strange I know, but new to me.

3. Plan. You can't leave your flat without a plan of when you're planning to come home, how you will get home, how you will get to your destination, how long it will take, and a plan B in case your first choice is a fail (and an umbrella). The tubes typically stop running around 12:30am (midnight-thirty as is said here) so there is no going out late without thinking things through. I still carry a tube map around with me and look at it probably daily. Is anyone ever not a tourist here?

My cute, but not practical, soaking wet toms

4. Restaurant style tortilla chips are very difficult to come by. So even if you manage to find a cheese that will actually melt into a liquidy, delicious dip, you are likely to not have anything to dip into it. Chips (crisps) are flavored by nature and are not made to be dipped. Here is another fun treat I found at the store..

I'm not sold on the delicious part

5. Tennis shoes and backpacks with nice suits. It hasn't gotten any less funny to see the 60ish year old CEO of Mercer UK get in the elevator at 6pm with a suit that probably costs $4000, a school-boy looking backpack and tennis shoes. I'm not judging, I probably walk 2 miles each day in my work clothes and it just can't be done in heels.

I leave you with a few photos from this week and last...just roaming around, taking pictures at random, using my iphone instead of the expensive camera I have that would be much better for this.