Today I had such a lovely surprise! After going shopping, I desperately needed to use the “water closet.” I walked into a random store and asked to use the toilet, but I had to buy something first. The shop ended up being a Moroccan cafe. I ordered their Moroccan mint tea, and it was one of the best teas I’ve ever had! It was a sweet, minty tea. The employees there were super friendly. When I had finished, the man working told me that I could rebrew the leaves if I added more hot water. I was telling him how much I liked the tea and he was nice enough to give me another free cup to go and the recipe! It was a mix of loose Chinese green and jasmine teas, fresh mint leaves (squeezed to get the oils out), and sugar. The atmosphere was nice in the cafe, so I decided to sip my tea leisurely and take advantage of their free wifi. One of my goals for this trip was to find some authentic, not too touristy locations where I could really experience the mix of cultures that London had to offer. My conversation with the employee, the ethnic ambience, and the delicious tea helped to fulfill this goal. This trip to the toilet ended up leading me to an unexpected treat.
While here, I am trying to try new and different foods and restaurants that I would not have the opportunity to try in the US. Some of my favorite places to eat so far have been Yo Sushi and Nandos. It was interesting to see the way Yo Sushi was arranged. The call button and water station at each table were better for receiving help when I needed it instead of waiting on the waiter to come back around. Another place I enjoyed was the market we visited on Sunday. The smell of the food along with the noise of the street vendors created a unique experience that was great to be apart of. I loved sampling the organic food from the different vendors and trying food specific to England.
I agree that this trip has taken me out of my comfort zone a bit when it comes to food! I have been able to use this experience as an excuse to try new things and I’ve actually realized I like a lot of things I wouldn’t have expected! Seeing the way Yo Sushi was organized made also me realize that different systems of eating out can actually be much more efficient than the way the majority of the restaurants in America work. I think one major thing that I don’t understand about the way things work here is why they bring the water out to you at eating places in smaller glass jars – even if its tap water!? This forces the waiters to come back to the table more often and also can cause someone at the table to not even get to fill up their cup from the first bottle that is brought out… (Like what happened to you at lunch today)
Tea Time!
I really enjoyed the tea. I was a little apprehensive at first because I am not a big tea drinker. However, after sampling several different types of tea I found some that I like. Also, the hors d’oeuvres that were provided complemented the tea nicely. The scones offered with the tea were different than I expected. They were more along the lines of American biscuits. This tea definitely allowed me to step out of my comfort zone and try things that I normally would not try. Overall, this was a great way to learn more about British culture and traditions.
Ate my first meal with chopsticks today. Have to say it was pretty weird. ( cannot figure out how to upload picture)
Today I had such a lovely surprise! After going shopping, I desperately needed to use the “water closet.” I walked into a random store and asked to use the toilet, but I had to buy something first. The shop ended up being a Moroccan cafe. I ordered their Moroccan mint tea, and it was one of the best teas I’ve ever had! It was a sweet, minty tea. The employees there were super friendly. When I had finished, the man working told me that I could rebrew the leaves if I added more hot water. I was telling him how much I liked the tea and he was nice enough to give me another free cup to go and the recipe! It was a mix of loose Chinese green and jasmine teas, fresh mint leaves (squeezed to get the oils out), and sugar. The atmosphere was nice in the cafe, so I decided to sip my tea leisurely and take advantage of their free wifi. One of my goals for this trip was to find some authentic, not too touristy locations where I could really experience the mix of cultures that London had to offer. My conversation with the employee, the ethnic ambience, and the delicious tea helped to fulfill this goal. This trip to the toilet ended up leading me to an unexpected treat.
While here, I am trying to try new and different foods and restaurants that I would not have the opportunity to try in the US. Some of my favorite places to eat so far have been Yo Sushi and Nandos. It was interesting to see the way Yo Sushi was arranged. The call button and water station at each table were better for receiving help when I needed it instead of waiting on the waiter to come back around. Another place I enjoyed was the market we visited on Sunday. The smell of the food along with the noise of the street vendors created a unique experience that was great to be apart of. I loved sampling the organic food from the different vendors and trying food specific to England.
I agree that this trip has taken me out of my comfort zone a bit when it comes to food! I have been able to use this experience as an excuse to try new things and I’ve actually realized I like a lot of things I wouldn’t have expected! Seeing the way Yo Sushi was organized made also me realize that different systems of eating out can actually be much more efficient than the way the majority of the restaurants in America work. I think one major thing that I don’t understand about the way things work here is why they bring the water out to you at eating places in smaller glass jars – even if its tap water!? This forces the waiters to come back to the table more often and also can cause someone at the table to not even get to fill up their cup from the first bottle that is brought out… (Like what happened to you at lunch today)
Tea Time!
I really enjoyed the tea. I was a little apprehensive at first because I am not a big tea drinker. However, after sampling several different types of tea I found some that I like. Also, the hors d’oeuvres that were provided complemented the tea nicely. The scones offered with the tea were different than I expected. They were more along the lines of American biscuits. This tea definitely allowed me to step out of my comfort zone and try things that I normally would not try. Overall, this was a great way to learn more about British culture and traditions.