Pancake day... aka... Shrove Tuesday

So today was Pancake day, so I asked Liesl to come with me to The Great Spitalfields Pancake Race. Easier said than done...first we found out at about 11:30 that the trains to Shoreditch only run untill 10:30 and only again at 15:30. So we got off at Whitechapel and asked for directions....still got horribly lost...found a bus stop...with a map and found the street where it is supposed to be...a dodgy side street...so we walked past it a few times before we found it. So what is pancake day?

According to the BBC: Shrove Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday (the first day of lent). It is a day to clean the soul and a day of celebration as the last chance to feast before lent begins. Lent is a time of giving things up, so Shrove Tuesday is the last time ro indulge yourself, and use up the foods that aren't allowed in Lent. Pancakes became associated with Shrove Tuesday as it was a dish that could use up all the eggs, fats and milk that would spoil during lent with only the addition of some flour.

So why pancake races? The races are thought to have begun in 1445. A woman was busy cooking pancakes on Shrove Tuesday and lost track of time. Sudenly she heard the church bell ringing to call the faithfull to church for confession. The woman raced out of her house and ran all the way to church; still holding her frying pan and wearing her apron.

So what did we find...people running and falling while flipping pancakes...clowns...tunes...and families












After the races being cold and hugry we walked into a cofee shop close by...I have no idea what the name is but from outside it looks like a normal coffee shop...but after we got some coffee we went upstairs to the extra seating area...and found...our local OBS cafe ... couches, pillows and people smoking the herb in the corner ... had a blast catching up and having lots of coffee.

We timed it perfectly...just caught the first train leaving Shoreditch.

L8r
Panthera

Local is lekker

The nice thing about London is that with the transport you can catch up with some old friends and I mean friends that you havent seen in close to 5 years in some cases.

One of those people I've caught up with is Liesl, we had a couple of drinks at the bridge pub at London bridge station on the 3rd of Feb. Then took a nice walk to Tower Bridge...also known as London bridge.

























On Friday we met up with some friends of Zodan at our local tube station Canary Wharf...where we were planning on having Nando's in the mall just inside the station...but Murphy's law the people were waiting in lines in front of the place so we went just accross the road to some arb little place that serves Indian food.

I decided to play it safe and ordered barbeque prawns...looked like the safest thing not to get burned...the waiter got it wrong...I ended up with Prawn masala...which is prawns swimming in a bowl of curry..../I have a flashback to SAMS and Tazz's b-day....anyhoo I digress. The evening was a lot of fun and we don't look too uncomfortable - from left to right is Gerhard, Fanus, me and Hendrik.

Saturday someone else phoned who I hadn't seen in ages...close to three years actually. Sarah (Adam's sister) phoned and said she had two tickets for me and Hendrik to go see Deep Sea in 3D with them at the IMAX...as if I would say no...yeah right...it was soooooooo cool...if you ever get the chance to go you should it's the closest thing to diving some people will ever get. I'm planning to go see Sharks 3D...hehehe ...as soon as I can.

We were a bit early for the show so we went for some supper at a very nice little shop called Pierino Pasta Pizza...really good food. From left to right is me, Sarah and Maya (Sarah's friend she's Polish).



After the show it was freezing cold..with most of us looking like old ladies trying to keep warm we discovered a pub on the way to the tube station. So I had my first half pint of Guiness...as Sarah says training for St. Patricks day...oh boy...but it was good fun.











Well that is enough for now.

L8r
Panthera

Interesting positions

Well I really don't have much to say...and the looking for work thing I think Zodan has really explained quite well. I have had some requests from friends and family....far far away at home for pictures of what it looks like here so here goes.

Well they certainly don't believe in doing things small here, so you often see people taking pictures on their knees or bending themselves double or into very interesting positions while trying to fit some other person in the picture with places like Big Ben. While other people usually not wanting to spoil this bent oven persons picture walk hunched over to stay out of the picture....

We are no exeption....
So on our second day in London the first having been spent unpacking and sleeping off the jetlag. We took a train to Westminster and went to go see Big Ben....











...Westminster Abby...

















...the London eye.....








and just for good measure...Nelson's column in Trafalgar square....








Yes I was very cold but the jacket and scarf helped....thanks mammy....Wel that is enough tourist stuff for now...will publish more at a later date.

see ya
Panthera

Ice, wind and airport days

Well it has definately been one of those airport days...you know those days where you are in a foreign country and all you want to do is go home...

As the picture that was taken only a few minutes shows it has been cloudy and rainy the whole day. It's so cold that every time it rains it turns to white poudery stuff....it's that cold.

I think what is making me more home sick is the wind...it's howling round corners and making the windows rattle...reminds me of the southeaster in Cape Town. The whole weekend has been rainy...real stay in bed and read weather....I need a good book...any recommendations?

I must say one thing I miss here is my pets... the picture is of my puppy... Barbera-Ann. Apparently she has lost all her manner's since I left... as my sister says "she's become a real demon :) but then she looks at you whith this little face and you'll forgive her anything". Isn't she just the cutest?

Anyway enough of that. The rest of the house mates are due to come home soon then all hell will break loose and I need to prepare myself mentally for that assault on my senses :)

see ya
Panthera

What to say, what to say....

So I've finally been convinced to have my own blog...yes the world has gone insane :) So now I find myself with all this space and nothing to say.

So I decided to upload some of my underwater photographs that I took with my new digital camera. The cute guy is my boyfriend and partner in crime