Sweet summer

Daryl and I are finally together and by ourselves in London.
The weather has been fantastic. We spend our days 'working'. Daryl's got the use of an office at Imperial College in Kensington and he's thrilled to have time to do research. I've been immersing myself in books and doing some writing in between reading all those blogs raving about revealing all in the latest and last Harry Potter book. Jesus, what an appalling death count! And this is supposed to be a children's book?

The long days allow for evening walks and picnic dinners at the nearby parks. We walked out to Primrose Hill a couple days ago. Two famous pubs - The Pembroke and the Queens, at either end of the very lively High Street, were packed, with people spilling out onto the pavements. Between the pubs are an assortment of fine restaurants, also quite crowded and atmospheric. A number of famous people live in this area (eg Gwyneth Paltrow). We walked into the park - a large green expanse - and found a spot at the top of a slope to sit and take in the amazing views of the London Skyline. This park is probably the best place for city views and judging by the vast numbers of picnickers this is definitely not a secret. With a clear sky and sultry temperatures it was quite delightful to just lie down and absorb the atmosphere.

Last night we had dinner with Jay, Angie, and a family friend, Dharam, at an Indian restaurant near Wembley. The restaurant, Papaya, served many unusual dishes, specializing in South Indian and Sri Lankan cuisine. Daryl and I had Avial - vegetables in a curry sauce made with coconut milk, tamarind, and various spices - and a kokkatum (?)- don't ask - something exotic, spicy, and very tasty!!!
Jay and Angie are great company, never at a loss for conversation. Dharam, a quiet, slender South African, has been in London for 6 years now. We aren't sure if he is related to us or not. Our grandfather and his grandfather came on the same boat from India and described themselves as brothers. He is the nephew of Uncle Bob and Sashma.

We talked about the old days and our families, the place of Indians in South Africa, and then got into a debate about Mahatma Gandhi and his role in South African politics.
I enjoyed getting to know Jayshree better.