Went to bed at 9 last night, utterly exhausted. Woke up at 1 AM. End of story — couldn’t get back to sleep.
Read a book about globalization by one of the people I was due to meet with in the morning. Surely that’d put me to sleep? But no, he’s a very good writer.
Played some solitaire, read some more. Decided I might as well start yoga practice once 4 AM rolled around.
When it was finally time to go to my meeting, I took the Tube to Embankment station, near Trafalgar Square. But first, some drama as the station I was starting from had flooding and was out of commission on one side. Oh, no! With my terrible sense of direction, I only know one way to get to the places I want to go. Impromptu redirection is NOT okay. Happily, a transit worker actually helped me — and he was even pleasant about it. This really is a wonderful city. So I got to Embankment station. A bustling place — street vendors, crowds of people.
A colleague and I spent a couple of hours over coffee, chatting with a local professor about current research, conferences, the state of the profession, stuff like that. Here’s what I learned: the Brits are *serious* about the triple bottom line. It’s a concept that, if it even gets mentioned in the US, is usually nothing more than a bunch of lip service in the service of unbridled capitalism, but today I heard earnest concern about social responsibility.
Second meeting was a three hour lunch. The menu in this upscale restaurant included pig belly, which freaked me out, and again the conversation turned to humans doing the right thing, for self and others — and how being socially responsible benefits individuals and organizations alike. I was thrilled. I wonder how this concept’ll fare in the US?
Dinner with Vanessa at a charming restaurant featuring such yumminess as sweet potato falafel. Whee! No pig belly.
It’s such a treat meeting yoga friends around the world. We all know Vanessa’s a teeny, lively, exotic yogini, and we know she’s from Spain. Still, I didn’t put it all together in my head, so was surprised by her beautiful Spanish accent. We had a delightful meal. And I saw her eat chocolate.
Alrighty, I have to go to SLEEP! Wish me luck. Tomorrow, I share the tale of Kevin’s passport and why he can never enter the United States of America.
Surreptitious photo of St Paul’s & other stuff:
I LOVE the Royal Courts of Justice building! Nice one of the bus too.
Glad you are having such positive experiences. I hope you are fast asleep by now!
Oooh did you go to vanilla black? – think I recognise the menu, I love that place!
The pig belly place was St Alban, and the sweet potato falafel was Leon.
Though it was super animal-oriented at St Alban (and the pig belly business horrifies me), I will admit that my meal off their appetizers menu (pumpkin and Parmesan soup, green beans with pistachios and pine nuts) was really quite good.
I am going to have to get a new clean passport!
LOL, the Spanish accent gets everyone that reads me before s/he hears me