Yesterday I spent the day working in a cafe near the house and didn’t stray far, getting increasingly worried about finishing (I didn’t manage to finish). Then off to the airport, where I couldn’t work on the plane either as the seats were far too cramped for a laptop. We arrived in the UK at […]
Long walk into town
This morning we repeated the walk, except underground and on the subway, emerging in the pleasant neighbourhood of Roncesvalle where we ensconced ourselves in a cafe with outstanding frittata and worked for a bit. My work has definitely fallen behind and I am worried that I will not be able to complete it before our […]
Back to the big city
We took the train to Toronto, and then a cab to the place we are staying. It’s strange to be back in the big city, and this really does feel like a proper big city, like London or something and more even than San Francisco or Melbourne (possibly a matter of perception I grant). We […]
Cold, wet
I stayed in to work as I was running rather behind and the Gentleman Friend went off for what seems to have been a very muddy stroll as it was cold, grey, raining, miserable. In the evening we went out for dinner to a mediocre pizza, sitting at the bar where American football was playing. […]
The far side
In the morning we had a quick brunch and then caught a bus to Lemoine point. To get there we had to walk through a couple of kilometres of suburban streets, rather miserable, with the odd McMansion, complete with weird nubs and lawyer foyers, etc. Most of the houses were also decorated for Halloween, all […]
The old capital
Kingston is, apparently, the old capital, and we found some rather unsuccessful efforts at nationalist mythmaking as we walked along the north bank of the St Lawrence river, just where it opens out to (or from) Lake Ontario. It’s hard being a less excitable and important country than your neighbour, just ask Pakistan. We took […]
Prancing on a cloud
In the night I woke, or sort of woke, and thought, fuzzily, that the thing to do would be to imagine myself doing something I never would do. I imagined myself prancing, half dancer, half gymnast, on a roiling cloud, similar to one of the desserts we had at El Cellar de Can Roca some […]
Working weekend
Finally got a bit of momentum going after a week where I found it quite hard to just get down to work, so spent most of the two days at my computer. It is somewhat frustrating work, as it’s been lingering for six months now and is really quite tricky work, but there it is, […]
Desperately sad
I am feeling really cast down about Brexit, really genuinely sad. Not that I have much affection for the country, but the dream of integration, open borders, cooperation, is one that I can care for. The other country which I care far more for, Pakistan, stabs me in the heart so often that I can […]
Working days
Yesterday morning we went straight to what turned out to be the best meal of its type that i’ve had in months. It was a small plates places, which I suppose I must forgive (I dislike them as I find it impossible not cater to my companions’ preferences instead of my own), and everything was […]