Random Things Happen Here - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Ok, today is an assortment of musings I'm having. An inner dialogue with myself if you will. Lucky you that you get to be let in on such rare intel. 
First off, there are a series of things that I've begun noticing that I think it's really important to share with the Americans back home. These sometimes influence daily life (like #2) and sometimes notsomuch (like #4). But I still think sharing is relevant.

1. They switched the direction of my tube stops escalators one day and never switched back. Seriously for 3 months the right-hand side is up, and the left is down. One day it's like they decided to play a Chinese fire drill without warning!? 
2. They don't have dryers in their homes. Their washers are small, and in the kitchen. This kills me. If you haven't gathered yet, I hate crusty towels. So frequently I have to make trips to the 123 Cleaners down the road to dry my wet towels, which I transport in a backpack. And what's even better is that sometimes the mean man at the dry cleaner tells me that he will be using ALL of the dryers for the remainder of the day to do god-knows-what with them. These are the days when I want the convenience of America. Some days though - when the dryers are open and it dries everything in less than 12 minutes - it's sort of fun to experience living in another city and bringing a book with you to the laundromat and just relaxing while your clothes dry....
3. The mustard is weird. Super hot. Very concentrated. Beware.
4. They seem to use marmalade. Though I'm not sure what for... But it's in the condiments rack in most restaurants. And in one of my roommates cupboards...
5. Filtered coffee doesn't exist except at Starbucks. And even there it's bad. They are all into this coffee craze here, but I don't always want a cappuccino dang-it! So honestly, I have to say I've gotten pretty dang good at making my OWN drip coffee at home! 

   

   This contraption - while simple - is actually amazing. And yes, that IS a Switzerland mug from Starbucks. I started collecting different city/state mugs when I traveled in the US, and decided to continue it here.

6. You serve yourself at most/a lot of bars. Food and drink. Counter service is typical but inconsistent which makes things rather confusing sometimes.
7. You always have to ask for the bill. They won't just bring it to you. Sometimes very thoughtful. Sometimes rather annoying when you want to leave and can't find the waitress.
8. They don't have regular hairspray. Only aerosol! So annoying!! 
9. Friend Dates. People connect up with random friend's friends all the time. I've gone alone to meet new people more here than I have in my entire life combined. And then I try to merge the new friends that I've met on different friend dates. It's exhausting! 

   

   This is a prime example: my friend Dave on the left, Natalia (from school) and her husband Chris, a random Spaniard, my roommate Paul, and Rachel!

10. This sign. It's funny. Even if you're a 30 year old lady, it's funny man!
    

Ok, moving on from the randomness... next I thought I'd share with you a few of the favorites I've come to really appreciate in my past 3+ months. 

• There's always live music. Everywhere. Any kind. Sunday night. Monday night. 
• The markets are incredible - and endless. For example, I know I've been to Borough Market before, but every time I go there, I'm reminded of what's so amazing about it. (Usually it has something to do with cheese! :)
  
  
  

  

  This cheese place admittedly isn't IN Borough Market, but it's literally right next door. 

•  Day drinking is way classier here. There's no hip hop music blaring loudly at a bar that smells of aniseptic to clean up from last night's nastiness. It's all class. (At least that's the front they put on for us!) Families. Kids. Dogs. Roasts. We sat along the Canal for hours yesterday just chatting, drinking Guinness (I've been told Guinneii is the word for multiple Guinnesses). When it's sunny out, everyone's happy and outside!

  

  I've learned to like Guinness on a Sunday. That's Deepti making the picture prettier in the background.

• They put mayo on everything. And I'm okay with that. (especially on my chips!)

  

  I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm regularly allowing myself to have "chips" with mayo on them. I know it's horrible...but it's just so good!

Ok, lastly, here are a few of the things I'm still working on learning..... (or have recently learned likely thanks to some debacle).

• Google maps is not always right. I know. Take a minute for that to sink in. It's true though. And sometimes that little dot hops around just enough to throw you off and send you in the wrong direction. For a mile. Towards Kings Cross instead of Angel. Not that I'd know.....In all honesty, I spend far too much time looking at my iPhone map unfortunately. i wish the streets were designed in some manner that enabled me to find my way around more easily. Unfortunately, they just aren't and as a result I frequently get...delayed. :)
• Just because it's not from Forever 21, doesn't mean it's not crap quality. I bought a pair of skinny jeans here from Mango. A store that's seemingly better than Forever 21, but I think it's just a front. I say this because yesterday as I was walking up the bus stairs to the top of the double-decker bus, it was brought to my attention that my new jeans had ripped down the but and my underwear were hanging out. Nice. That may be a rip that resulted from the amounts of mayo and chips I've been eating, haha..but either way, I can add that to the list of embarrassing things that I've experienced. 
• Socialized healthcare actually sucks! I know. Politically charged statement there. I'm just saying, when I got to the doctor and she clearly gives me an answer that varies based on whether I have private healthcare or NHS (National healthcare), all of which result in an answer "the only option is to take this medicine"... one realizes that our healthcare options are far better in the States.