My Nose Won't Stop Running: I'm Sick

For the past week Ashley has been sick with the usual cold symptoms like coughing, sneezing, runny nose, headaches, feeling weak, and having a slight temperature . And since we live together, sharing the same room, the same bed, the same air, it was only a matter of time before I caught the bug. But after five days of feeling fine, I was beginning to think that I was just immune to the sickness. Wrong! Yesterday, my luck finally ran out, and now we're together in bed sneezing, coughing, yada, yada, yada... although he's beginning to feel better. (Yes! Now he can take care of me!)

I'm pretty sure these colds are a result of the recent sudden shift in weather. Over the last week the temperature has dropped significantly. Today the weather forecast reads a high of 65°F and low of 48°F. When I'm walking home from work, around midnight, I put sweat pants on over my leggings, and a scarf, beanie, mittens, and a warm bulky jacket. And it's still only autumn. I'm going to die when winter comes!

Ashley and I have been eating lots of soups and drinking tons of tea. I made a vegan stew from scratch, which surprisingly turned out delicious. And tonight I'll make a noodle soup for us. Since it's England, tea drinking is just second-nature to everyone. At work I literally give out about 30 teas every day. I've been sticking to lemon & ginger, peppermint, and green tea lately since I believe those work best to cure aliments. But I'm going to do a whole blog about British tea sometime, so enough about that.

Stay warm and healthy wherever you are!
♡ - Kristen

CCTV: Big Brother Is Watching You

Lurking on nearly every street corner, in every store, in every bus, is the ever-watchful eye of CCTV, which stands for closed-circuit television a.k.a. security cameras. Although security cameras are prevalent in the States, here in England the use of CCTV is more noticeable to the public.

On my first visit to England, I clearly remember seeing signs for CCTV absolutely everywhere, and this initially freaked me out. Being a big sci-fi geek I was immediately reminded of George Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, in which the public is under the constant surveillance of an omnipresent "Big Brother" by use of telescreens. My American friend, Greg, also immediately noticed the CCTV after just a day of walking around in London (and he is not a sci-fi nerd, mind you).

The term CCTV is not as commonly used in the States as it is in England. In America, I can remember reading signs like "Smile, you're on camera" or no mention of security cameras at all. I think because CCTV is the sole term used here, it gives the impression that all CCTV systems are connected somehow on a larger government-scale perhaps. And maybe it is....

According to several online sources, England is officially the most watched country in the world, monitored by more than 14 million CCTV cameras. And if you live in London, chances are you are caught on CCTV about 300 times a day. Oh brother....






♡ - Kristen

Bournemouth Square & Art Museum

Close to the water's edge in Bournemouth Square is an abundance of carnival rides, coin arcades, cotton candy and doughnut stands, miniature golf holes, rental bikes, a hot air balloon, an artificial wave (as you can tell by the pic) and even a free historical art museum.

Taking advantage of the hot and sunny weather, Ashley and I rode our bikes along the coast into downtown and walked up to the Russel-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum, which overlooks the ocean. Outside of the museum is a small secluded garden while inside, in room after room, are classic original pieces of art, historical furniture, and even Japanese artifacts including full Samurai armor.

Originally, the museum was an addition to the adjacent Royal Bath Hotel. It was built in 1901 for the hotel owner at the time, Merton Russel-Cotes, as a birthday present for his wife Annie. Later, the Russel-Cotes couple donated the museum to Bournemouth, as well as Merton's personal collection of fine art. After their deaths, about 1922, the borough of Bournemouth took over the running of the museum.

Unfortunately pictures were not allowed inside. However, I was able to find some of my favorite pieces online and copied them below.



>>> Metal sculpture of a bikini on the walk up to the museum.




>>> Cockatoos, Toucan, Macaw, and Parrots by Henry Stacy Marks

>>> Venus Verticordia by Dante Gabriel Rosseti

>>> Midsummer by Albert Joseph Moore

♡ - Kristen

BYOB Indian Curry Houses

Bring Your Own Booze (BYOB) is an all too familiar acronym with the great promise of your own inebriation and a relief on a grateful host's wallet. This term has personally always been associated with house parties and I never thought a restaurant would use the phrase as well. But here in England it's quite common for restaurants, Indian curry houses in particular, to allow guest to bring their own booze.

Furthermore, not only do Indian curry houses seem to cater to party peoples' thirsts but they also have open-ended closing times perchance customers want to make a late or very late night of it. Supposedly, an Indian restaurant will stay open and serve alchohol til the wee hours of the morning if needed. Awesome!

Only about three years ago did I have my first try at Indian. With one bite of the bright orange, creamy and sweet, light coconut-flavored vegetable korma, I was hooked. However, on my first outing with a large group of English friends, I chose the korma and I was immediately branded a "rookie". Apparently, the the majority of English people, regardless of ethnicity, are crazy about their curry and only people who don't know curries chooses the korma. Errr, right.

There's even Brick Lane in London, a street bombarded with Indian curry restaurants. (Ashley took me there once and it was amazing!) However, some curry houses of Brick Lane are not BYOB and will not sell alcohol as most are run by Muslims.

>>> Me and Ashley's curry from the other night. On the left: Bhuna curry. Middle: Tikka Dall On the right: Chana Masala

♡ - Kristen

Train to Poole Quay

Living next to a train station has its perks. And it's literally a two minute walk from our front door. Ashley and I visited the borough of Poole today, which was only quick three station stops away from our place.

Poole is a tourist resort, attracting people with its large natural harbor. Poole Quay served as the center of the town's maritime trade throughout history. Much of the architecture, shops, and building retained its old world charm. And the port is still busy with recreational ferries and industrial vessels.

>>> The jolly train stooge checking our tickets.







>>> This church with the awesome blue doors dates back to 1878.

>>> Ferries regularly take tourists to the nearby BrownSea island, which is inhabited by red squirrels.




♡ - Kristen

The Codfather: Fish & Chips

The most famous of all British take-aways is the salty, vinegary deliciousness that of which is fish & chips. The fish, usually cod or haddock, is deep-fried in batter, and the chips are just thickly sliced deep-fried potatoes, so basically fries.

Chip shops, or chippies, are all the same: small, semi-seedy, florescent lit hole in the walls, with minimal seating, and changeable letter menu boards. There's usually a glass covered grill area in the front to view small meat-filled Pukka Pies and round deep-fried fritters. Favorite Pukka Pie flavors include steak & kidney, chicken & mushroom, minced beef & onion. Common fritter fillings are pineapple, cheese, or mushy pea & mint, the most popular being the peas. Eeeew, right?! But English people sure do like their mushy peas, especially my boyfriend and his friends. I tried it and found it disgusting (sorry guys!).

I'm not that much of a fried fish fan so I usually go for a chip butty, which is simply thick salted chips, sprinkled with vinegar, sandwiched in-between soft buttered buns. Yummm. I have tried the fish before and didn't find it any better or more special than fried fish I've tried in the states.

Once you've selected and paid for the food it's wrapped in white paper and then put in a thin white plastic bag. Back in the day, fish & chips were traditionally wrapped in newspaper but the greasy snack was deemed a poor match for the black ink of people's daily gossip so over time the tradition faded.

>>> That's the chip butty I ate yesterday.



>>> Best way to eat chips is from the bag, using a nifty little wooden fork.

>>> This is a typical menu board for a chippie. Notice the item "Faggot" on the menu. A faggot is nothing more than a kind of meatball made of leftover parts of pig. eewww.

♡ - Kristen