Love in the Age of World Domination

The Ultimate Girls Trip

The day Mom left, Sam arrived in Washington. We spent a couple of days in DC before leaving for our trip to South Florida.  I have to say - this little vacation and everything we did - was Sam's initiative, because lets face it , if it were left to me I would find a hammock on a beach (with a power outlet for the laptop) and that would be the end of it. But thanks to my little Swiss friend..

We flew into Miami and spent the first night in downtown Miami. We were both totally.. underwhelmed. Yeah there are a bunch of palm trees and some fancy hotels (and a few crazy cab drivers) but really. So the next day we rented a car and drove all the way down the Florida Keys - Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, and finally Key West - the southernmost point, which is only 90 miles from Cuba.

Now Key West is more like it - totally storybook - pretty houses with green lawns and white picket fences. The type of place I can totally see my parents retiring. We had a yummy lobster dinner at the Marina and stayed the night at the most charming little inn run by a retired gay couple - Paul and Les - who made us many a cups of tea.

On our way back we parked the car, changed into our swimsuits, and dipped into the blue waters at Bahia Honda. Sam did an awesome job driving 250 miles on US Route 1, and we arrived safely back in Miami just in time to hit Sky Bar. A swanky outdoor lounge with white sofas around a candle lit pool area - imagine a cross between Miami Vice and Sex &the City. Interesting.. though personally for me a bar's a bar - and this could have been anywhere exotic, like Sri Lanka, or London on a warm summer day.

The next day we took the tri-rail up to Palm Beach where Sam attended the wedding festivities of an old school friend, while I chilled out at our hotel, by the pool, on the beach,  on the deck and anywhere else I could find.  And by 'chilled out' I mean I ate, napped, read, and blogged... and did it all over again. Sam would stop by in different gorgeous outfits on her way to the wedding events and I would take pictures.

The final two days were spent in South Beach - walking up and down the famed Ocean Drive, shopping, and taking in the sun and sand (and a few million false pairs) on the illustrious beach strip that was the model fashion shoot capital back in the 1990s. The best part about SoBe, however, is the Art Deco buildings - I just love the retro look and the pastel shades - its loud but it totally grows on you!    

Overall? I thought Miami was a little bling bling for my taste. Palm Beach was much more my scene. - Sri Lanka weather, European lifestyle, US infrastructure. But the best part of the trip, hands down, was being with Sam and our looooooooong discussions on everything under the sun.. we could have been holidaying in the Bronx, and I would have enjoyed it.

And that is ultimately what defines 'the ultimate girls trip' - its not where you are but who you are with. And as every girl knows its not about the sight seeing, its about the hours spent talking about.. boys.

Palm Beach Paradise

I am writing this post live from a private beach.. the waves are breaking literally 3 feet from where I am lying on my towel. There is hardly a soul around. Next to me is a book I am half reading and a virgin Pina Colada.  On my lap is my - yes you guessed - laptop. . Could this situation be any more awesome?? I mean seriously. It is the combination of total lazy relaxation in a peaceful setting but with broadband wireless internet – which means RSS feeds, blogging, Skype, webcam, and IM – all the things that I love.

Is funny - for most people being on holiday means to switch off from email, blogs, and other communications. For me, the very heart of my holiday means doing precisely those things but from the relaxed ambiance of the poolside. Where I can be connected to - not cut off from - the world but at my own leisure, at my own stride, and in my own time.

I am traveling with my friend Sam from Switzerland, and so far we have been to Miami, South Beach, the Florida Keys,  Key West, Palm Beach... and we may even go on a day cruise to the Bahamas. More on that later.

Pillgwenlly must be Welsh for

in the bloody middle of nowhere. Because thats where I am. Pillgwenlly - somewhere in Wales.  Stranded, in a snowstorm.

An hour ago I was on a bus from London to Cardiff, fast sleep of course, only to wake up to a complete blanket of white, and going nowhere fast. Its not a massive snowstorm by East-coast US standards but clearly 'debilitating' because we were moving about 500 meters in 2 hours. Finally, I got off the bus..  and found myself in some quaint little Welsh town, in the middle of a Charles Dickens story.

I wondered around a bit dragging my bag in the snow, it was still coming down pretty hard, I couldn't see more than a few feet in front of me. But surely there's got to be a Starbucks around here. I passed a cosy looking Pub called Tŷ’r Cerbydwyrwyryryrwr (these dudes are really into their Rs and Ws but clearly don't like vowels) but decided against it and kept looking for some kind of cafe. Then this guy whizzed past with a takeout coffee cup that looked like.. it was from a chain coffeehouse. So I ran after him, slipping and sliding on the ice, shouting, "Young man! Young man! Yooohoooo". Finally he turned around.

Me: Hi. Where did you get this coffee?
Him: cerddi am 'r chornela a 'na 'ch
Me; You the, who the, what???

He pointed up the hill and what looked like a turn to the right.  I followed the directions and came to...  Marks and Spencers! It had a cafe. I had hot scones and marmalade. Then I did a spot of shopping. M&S Lingerie??!! Are you kidding me??! I have made special trips all the way to the UK just to buy M&S underwear and their super-supportive -while-being-pretty-underwired bras (yeah, the ol mount kilimanjaros need something serious as you know). But coming upon it just like that? Nothing short of finding a big fat duvet to crawl into could have made me happier right then. Now some (ie. anyone under 50yrs) may claim that M&S is for grandmas, but I prefer them any day to the totally impractical pieces of string and bling Victoria's Secret crap that passes for lingerie these days. So ghetto! In any event I shall have you know that M&S does 5 pack low-rise thongs now.

After my little shopping expedition, I went back to the Cerbydwrdwrr whatever pub, and there was a machine where you can put in coins and get on the iinterrrrrnnneetttttttttttttttt (yeah!)... which is where I am right now, waiting for M to come pick me up.

Questions for Europe

Dear Europe,

Every time I visit you, I come away with all these nagging questions. It could be because I have become dangerously stupid after living close to the idiotic American masses. But help me out here:

1) You are so worried about the environment and global warming, and the Americans stomping around misusing their power, but aren’t you at all worried about the lack of babies around you? The only populations that are growing are the Muslim ones... in 10 years Europe will be like Sharia with Swedish taxes. Personally I'd be a bit concerned.

2) Now the US govn may have no small share of globally certifiable morons. But at least those dudes change around. Is there anyone alive in France today who knows of any other political elite than Chirac or the late Mitterand?

3) Why is it that when I say I am from Switzerland, you stare at me and inevitably follow up with "but what is your ethnicity? Is it not possible that a brown person can be from a European country? It wouldn't even occur to an American to ask such a question. Switzerland, Sri-Lanka, its all the same. They either don’t know the difference or don’t care about it. It’s all ROW (rest of the world) to them.

4) You are obsessed with the US, but its funny how you totally disregard China and India. What, you didn’t know? The poor people you once majestically ruled over have overtaken you in just 50 short years. Fast forward 2020: all those 80s movies with Americans vs Russians will be recast with Jackie Chan versus Shahrukh Khan. And Pierre or Klaus won’t even be playing the token gay sidekick.

5) Side note to the British: why do you want to be part of “old Europe” when they call you les roastbeef and make fun of your teeth? Forget them, they are mean. While you sit on your rainy little island sipping tea, think about it : you have so much more in common with your brethren across the Atlantic, who love you and Tony very much.

6) OK we all get it- Disney World and Big Macs are evil. But do you have any other interesting political ideas at all? Or are things so bad that anti-Americanism is the only card you have to play?

7) Also I have to ask: what's with the obsession with Robbie Williams and David Hasselhoff? Especially the Germans. You'd think he helped end the cold war or something. Oh wait- apparently he did.

8) Finally, you have such beautiful churches, how come they are always empty? If you don't actually ever go to church, why have them everywhere? Let's make room for a Wal-mart, shall we? :)

Grecian Adventures

Athens was much nicer than I expected. It was not too hot, crowded, or polluted, as usually claimed. All it took was a day to see the Acropolis, the Pathenon, the Ancient Agora, and a bunch of other similar  looking ancient ruins. Throw in an evening in Psiri, the young and vibrant bar/restaurant area, where we had souvlaki and mousaka, and got hit on by a waiter named Nikos to round out our Athenian experience, and we were done.

On to Corfu - part of the Ionian Islands. Kassiopi is a tiny peaceful village that dates back to Roman times. Its relatively uncommercialised, is next to a small fishing harbor, and has got that Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants sort of Greek charm. .

    

Gutenmorgen von Köln!

Well hello from the heart of the Rhineland (Germany).

This is a totally charming little city (alot like old town Geneva) - very quaint, sunny terraces, chic in an old-money-Euro-trash sort of way. There is a breathtaking famous cathedral in the town square, 5 feet from my hotel. The first thing I did when I got here was to go in and light some candles etc.. Then I had a latte at Starbucks, pondered on how lucky am I to have this experience, and went to sleep for 4 hours.

I am here on work, for Carbon Expo, the industry event held in Cologne each year. I am supposed to cover a bunch of press events and write things up.  BUT.. that is before....

Mr. and Mrs we-are-so-unemployed (on their way to Amsterdam from Geneva) just wroooooomed up in the batmobile.  BTW did I mention that M is no longer allowed to drive in France because he almost got thrown in jail for driving at approx. 200 kmph.

M&S got a room in the same hotel, which is beyond cool. We are going to take showers now and go eat Sauerkraut and sausages by the Rhine.

Young and Restless (and Lucky)

Lots of late 20-somethings dream about quitting their high-flying jobs, their hectic lives in cities like New York and London and going off travelling, living on a beach, or exploring a developing country. The bezillion articles in the press on the Gen X/Y mid-life crises at 25 or 30 bare witness to the trend. 

But how many people do you know in real life that actually do it? Especially if they are married with a couple of mortgages and have started thinking about kids. Well now I can claim to know two such people. Mali and Sumi both quit their jobs last week and are shortly leaving London and moving to Sri Lanka for a year. Neither of them know what they plan to do there. In their first week of unemployment they are here in DC with me, and over a lazy lunch at busboys&poets we brainstormed some ideas from a cornerstore/teashop (for Sumi) to a Hooters franchise (for Mali). 

Anyway, so from here they are off to Geneva and Amsterdam, and then back to London to pack and say a final goodbye to friends.

You can follow M&S's adventures here - that is if "SJF" continues to blog beyond the first 10 days.

Life may not be the party they hope for in SL but while they're there they will definitely dance.

Variety vs Same

The holiday was good - but its even better to be home. I think its middle-age. One wants one's things: my big bouncy bed, my bathroom, sinking my feet into the warm fur of the bath mat as I step out of the shower, picking up the 'ol tall-skim-no-foam-latte from Starbucks and half drinking it half spilling it on the 20 minute walk into work, while I listen to Hank Williams Jr. (who else:) on my ipod and turn into the crispy cold but sunny weather. Scorpio my Nigerian cab driver shouts a hello from across the street, and I plan that I will have a cream cheese and salmon bagel for lunch and sushi for dinner.   

Its the choice, the variety, the freedom, but most of all the comfort of known things, trusted entities, no surprises.

The Natives are Restless

The latest Odel (department store) slogan says "Sri Lanka - No Place Like it". The thing is there are lots of places like it. Pretty much any middle income developing country with a per capita income of $500 pa. The social structure, moral values, and family traditions of SL today are not unlike those of Europe in the mid 20^th century. Closeted, class conscious, tribal. But now add rapidly developing and confused. Rice & curry or McDonalds? Arranged marriage or civilised dating? Designer sarees or designer jeans?

I sense a war that wasn't there before. No not that one. A war of cultures, of right and wrong. As change occurs rapidly, and with economic prosperity comes social change, all that is abhored as "western" and "corrupt" is openingly happening here too, and within "good respectable families" no less: divorce, affairs, single parent homes, casual relationships, sex, drugs, its all here. And the Lankans seem to be comfortable saying "life happens to us too".

The Good Life Starts Here

Just landed in Sri Lanka after an atrocious two day trip that included a 12-hr layover in London. But every cloud has a silver lining. I got to have breakfast, lunch, and dinner with one of my closest friends from LSE days, and even enjoyed a surprise cup of coffee with another mutual friend of ours who just at that moment happened to be transitting though Heathrow on her way to the US.

Its Christmas eve in SL - so just time for a shower and then off to my aunt X's for the traditional Christmas eve dinner and marathon family gift exchange session. This will be followed by a mosquito-bitten hot and humid midnight mass where my uncle Y will insist on sitting in the front pew and snoring right through the whole mass. Then a spot of sleep, followed by a gluttonous food-coma inducing Christmas lunch at my other aunt Z's. Then its off to a string of parties, weddings, and 1950s-style “dinner dances” that will culminate with the big new years eve bash.

This set up has not changed in the last 20 odd years. Just like the bad traffic and the salacious gossip of the chattering classes. But as Mali says, in Colombo, it doesn't matter if its peace or war, tsunami or drought, marriage or funeral, “the show must go on”.

Its good to be here.

50 Greatest Food Moments

Beef fillet in duck fat, sea urchin sushi, lobster and raspberries with cream.. interesting, but a tad too rich for me. Food these days seems all about the name, the label. The chi chi restaurant, the foo foo chef, the well heeled dinner guests. Elaborate dishes, oscentatious sauces, too much alcohol, and too little of anything real.

Sometimes the most memorable food experiences are not about the food, but the place. And sometimes its not even that. Its simply who you are with.

My top 5:

1) When I was nine, living in Sri Lanka, and ate pizza for the first time at an American home of one of my dad's friends

2) After climbing Adam's Peak in SL during the dead middle of the night, and watching the sunrise, on our way down, we were met by friends carrying a breakfast of traditional sri lankan "appa" and hot tea - nothing could have been more welcome at the time.

3) In China in 2004, in some backwaters alleyway cafe eating rice noodles and some "thing" which i believe was chicken or duck but very different to the sanitised version in the main street restarants.

4) Iceland: puffin. It was NOT tasty, but the idea, and the other stuff on the menu- picked ram's testicles,shark meat, sheep intestines - were just too funny to pass up.

5) My Aunt's 25th Dec christmas lunch: it happens every year and its the ultimate gluttonous food-coma inducing decadence.