Igirisu...

Some thoughts on the UK-
-Diversity: From the moment we stepped off the plane our happy little ears were filled with languages from around the world (Chinese, Malay, Urdu). There were all sorts of people in all sorts of sizes and dress wandering about. Perhaps the lack of diversity in our tiny hamlet emphasized the effect, but I don’t know many parts of Los Angeles that would contain so many types of people all mingling and mixing together. It was great. In addition, every street of restaurants we ventured onto was filled with an assortment of countries’ cuisine (Greece, Spain, Italy, etc.).
-Which brings me to food: I haven’t eaten so well in a long time. Flavors and spices, cheeses and beans, juices and breads. Amazing. I loved how everything I encountered in the UK was clearly labeled vegetarian, vegan, contains dairy….It made it so easy for me to eat. All the restaurant menus were also clearly labeled and each contained at least three veggie options. We feasted on so many delicious things. I would move to London just for the food. (I would need to have a decent job though. Eating out costs about two times what it does in Japan and US)
-Other reasons to move to London: Fiona-chan, the quaintness of the city (buildings were mostly of stone/brick and of shorter stature, five stories max), the transport was easy and quick, walking everywhere is possible and great for your health, there are cafes on every corner, the food!, there is SO much to do (everywhere I looked there were adverts for theatre, music, dance shows), the fog (reminded me of Ventura), there is English print everywhere (it was all I could do to keep my eyes off someone else’s book/newspaper)! I cannot wait to go back…
-What is up with separate water taps (emitting scalding hot and freezing cold water half and half onto your head as you attempt to get clean) though? I was starting to develop a mantra of “Brrr, Burning, Brrr, Burning…” But it makes no sense…We humans have evolved and developed something known as a mixing tap. Why aren’t they put to use? I also missed my electric warming toilet seat.
-I forgot to ride in a Black Taxi! I did ride in a black van that served as a taxi?!
-Milk, milk, milk. I like milk but really do we need to milk-down the coffee and tea so much? Teas and coffees have so much delicious flavor on their own before they are drowned in milk! That much milk makes my belly rumble.
-I loved eating crumpets (English muffins), scones (Southern biscuits), biscuits (cookies), chips (French fries), and crisps (potato chips). It is fun to eat the same foods but call them different names (although the crumpets I ate were SOOO much better than any Thomas’ English muffin I have ever had…so fluffy). I also loved the title 'butty', but due to my eating preferences I couldn’t eat the bacon version. Craig loved his though.
-As for Queen’s English being the only proper way to speak English (and ensuing American English bashing), I heard so many different versions of English in the different regions of the UK I visited that I am not even really sure anymore what this proper 'English' is anymore…Let’s enjoy our differences rather than argue over what is best or ‘correct'.
-I missed mochi but loved the guilty pleasure of a small bag of Doritos!
-Bookshops!