Manny does it again

Best pound for pound fighter!!



I am one happy and proud Filipino!!!

.....cont

Friday, April 24: High Street Ken Odeon (movie theatre) automated ticket machines not working

Hand dryers in ladies bathroom at Sainsburys not working

.....cont

Thursday, April 23: On hold with Virgin Atlantic for 10 minutes then call dropped.

ATM at Sainsburys smothered with big Out Of Order sign.

.....cont

Wednesday, April 22: One exit barrier at David Lloyds yellow taped

Though it's a recurring mishap and probably not worth mentioning here as it's not worth mentioning defunct London transport, Internet in my flat dropped for a good 5 minutes - we have O2.

Jeppe told me about the soap dispensers in ALL bathrooms at his uni (London College of Communication) not empty and not working. What's it replaced with? BAR SOAP FOR ALL TO SHARE. One word - EW!

Things That Don't Work

Yesterday Jeppe joked that it would have been a great idea if we started a blog when we first moved here on things that don't work in London. Everyday we would update it with things erratic in the city, whether people, places or things and perhaps, we thought, this would justify all the rantings to date and better explain to people who ask us what we mean when we complain about things not working.

So, I thought, what inspiration to start doing this on my blog adjacent to my other great observations. :)

Wednesday, 15 April: Bus 74 broke down while I was on it. Circle line was down. Most Londoners know that disrupted public transport is daily routine in the city, but still, most logical ways for me to get home were not working. Despite the jet lag, I decided to walk home.

My test result from the doc's office should have been ready by now, as the test was conducted about a month ago. Conclusion? There's a backlog...won't be ready for 4-6 more weeks.

Why are the party foods placed in between ice and frozen desserts at Sainsburys? You'd see the absurdity of this if you saw - food placements don't make sense there. We can never find anything.

Thursday, 16 April: Website and phone number of Acton Angling does not work (we are trying to find a particular carp fishing rod for Jeppe's dad).

Talking Book Store's website, a company based in Putney, is working but the Advanced Search option doesn't. So we can buy a book but we have to search through the numerous pages. Doesn't exactly work for me seeing as I know exactly what I want.

Going to Denmark this weekend, so London gets off for the next few days...

Viva Las Vegas

It's been a long time since I've written on here. I apologise to those of you following my travels and crude observations, especially family and friends in America where international costs and time difference make simple phone calls and texts impractical.

I have no real purpose for this post but to say hi and I'm alive and I'm actually visiting home - Vegas - at the moment.

In respect to the actual purpose of my blog, part of my absence is due to the realisation that the constant disappointment I was experiencing in London and the cathartic splurge on this page was becoming unhealthy and only contributed more to my solemn attitude. Since my last post, many things have changed - I have a more positive outlook with London, or I've tried at the least. February weather the exception.

Now I am home for a visit of 2/3 weeks and can say for the first time that I don't really miss London and the rest of the 'continent', as a Brit once phrased Europe.

It is April. The sun is out. It's convertible/t-shirt weather. People you don't know actually talk to you in a neighborly manner (took me a good few days to get used to again!). People have manners. There's a thing called Customer Service. Everything is cheaper. You get quality and more for your money. I actually leave the gym challenged and recharged. People actually smile and talk at the gym. Food is better. So is TV and the cinema. Speaking of which, movie theatres are maintained. Mass grocery shopping doesn't take a toll on the body. I don't climb 6 flights of stairs to get to my living room. I can ride my bike outside and cross the street without fearing my life. Parking and valet is free. Public restrooms are clean. Wait, most public anything is clean. I don't have to touch a toilet flush. Anywhere. There's selection. Everywhere. Did I mention that people are really friendly? Retail and business employees actually know how to help when you have a question. I got a massage for $40. I also got a massage for $15. It took almost 10 calls to Virgin Atlantic to get my flight changed and find someone who knew what they were doing in the UK company whereas I've made multiple phone inquiries here resulting in complete efficiency and competence. Things work. Starbucks baristas get your order the first time. Target and Walmart, enough said. People are losing their jobs but they smile and say it will get better. Gas went down and Obama is our freakin President.

I return to London in about a week and look forward to the European city hops planned for the coming months. Although I'm experiencing Americana-rama at the moment, I pledge from this point forward to attempt a more virtuous observation of Eurodon upon return and shall reclaim my role as a blogster.

Copenhagen Graffiti

This will only be really understood by my friend Abid who once visited me in Copenhagen and found the city's graffiti as witty as I did. This is in his honor of his recent 'Berlin Graffiti' post as I recalled our days in Copenhagen reading tags such as "187 = Murder" and the like. You may not get the extent of absurdity, but surely you'll see its irony.