london shouting

London! It's so green! So clean! So COLD! People are so tall! And everything is so very, very, very expensive. Between the prices, the weather, and the assault on the senses that is the sheer diversity of people in this city (although 90% of them do seem to have just stepped out of an Urban Outfitters catalogue) I'm in pretty extreme stages of culture shock. While, at the same time, enjoying the familiarity of a place I called home for a year.

Odd.

Mostly, I'm enjoying seeing all my old haunts. Stopped by Kings College (renovated in places, but maintaining its labyrinthian underground passages) and Southwark, now extraordinarily gentrified. The Bourough market is selling raddicio.

Other highlights have included the last day of the Notting Hill Carnival--a truly surreal way to spend my first afternoon--the Tate Modern, concessions tickets to the latest Tom Stoppard show, and my requisite trips to the British Museum and Pret A Manger for a "mature cheddar" sandwich.

In short, I'm having a great, if somewhat culturally stunned time. Although I am missing the Arabic. And I hope Chicago is a bit warmer. I'll find out tomorrow (insh'allah)!