Legend of the Phaal

Columns, Curry, and Battleships

Due to certain circumstances (computer problems at school, busy schedule, celebrations) it has been far too long since my last blog entry.  I plan to make up for it on this one so prepare yourself for a lengthy read. 

First as promised here is a shot from the Imperial War Museum that I went to last week

I guess I can start back in Southall.  We returned to this diverse little city last Friday.  This time all 20 members of our group came along.  I felt like an old pro this time, when we were walking through the temple.  We got a little talk on the origins of Sikhism and its 10 gurus (11 if you count the holy scriptures called Guru Nanek).  After a free meal in the temple's kitchen it was off to the market again.  This time I had my backpack with me so I loaded up on some cheap exotic groceries. I got another hot sauce, some Coke in glass bottles (tastes so much better than the ones in plastic) and a jar of my new favorite condiment Hot Lime Pickle.  It consists of lime rinds pickled in a spicy oil w/ various herbs and spices.  I know how it sounds, but I am just addicted to the stuff.  In addition to all this goodness I picked up a bag of fiery hot peppers.  My teacher had warned me about these peppers.  He was also a fan of the hot stuff but said that these were on a whole different level.  I promptly challenged one of my fellow students to a pepper eating contest, which I won thank you very much!!  I was then offered a pound to eat 2 at the same time and I did.  I think I am just now starting to grow some tastbuds back, but it was worth it.  After the fun in Southall it was off to London's Chinatown.  It is quite small compared to the International district in Seattle, but they have many good Chinese restaurants.  Then a couple friends and I went off to the National Portrait Museum.  It was the only free place we could find open at 7:30 on a Friday.  There were a huge selection of portraits, everything from Tudor Stuart paintings to modern day photographic exhibits.  I think my favorite was the Beatles on the Balcony Exhibit.

On Saturday I had managed to scrounge up a little part time work to make some extra spending money.  I helped out at the Fulbright Study Abroad Exhibition for a few hours in the morning.  It was all put on for British high school students who were interested in studying at U.S. colleges.  Unfortunately the U.W. wasn't represented there.  There were quite a few Ivy league schools though which I thought was a bit odd.  It's not like Harvard is having any trouble getting applicants.  When you turn down %90 of those who apply do you really need to advertise?  After the fair I was pretty beat and so I just went home watched a little tv and then went to bed.

Sunday was my birthday and so I decided to go out and see a few places I had been meaning to see.  My first stop was the HMS Belfast.  This is the last big gun warship from WWII left in Europe and they has turned it into a floating Naval museum.

Inside the ship there were exhibits on the many ways the boat had been used over the years since its "birth" during the second world war.  The Brits actually kept this tub in the fleet until the late 70's.  There were also a few somewhat cheesy mock-ups of what life on board must have been like, complete with rubbery looking mannequins playing cards, cooking, and repairing the ship.  Some parts were under construction and were off limits which was a little disappointing.  Still it was quite cool to stand behing these huge guns especially since most of them were currently pointing directly at ugly office buildings. 

After the Belfast it was off to The Monument.  I know what you're thinking, "Can't he be a little more specific?" No.  I really can't.  That's what it's called, just The Monument.  I suppose I can give you a few more details though.  201 feet tall.  Worlds largest free standing Doric column.  Three hundred and eleven steps.  Here maybe a picture would help.

This bad boy was built to commemerate the Great London Fire of 1666.  The inside of the column consists of a very narrow spiral staircase and the top is a ledge about 2 feet wide enclosed in by metal bars.  I have never been a big fan of heights, but it was only 2 pounds to climb the stairs and I needed the exercise so I thought, why not?  It turned out to be a good, if somewhat nerve wracking experience.  The stairs were so narrow that whenever you met someone coming down you both had to squeeze past each other.  There were plenty of time that I found myself leaning against the railing with this view confronting me.

Now I know this is a pretty bad picture but keep in mind that a) my camera likes to blur every photo I take no matter how still I try to be, and b) my hands were shaking pretty bad from the vertigo inducing view that was confronting me.  I had a moment of realization as I was standing on the tiny ledge with about 20 other tourists.  "This thing was built in 1667-8.  That means it is older than America.  I am 200+ feet in the air, on top of a platform that was built OVER 300 YEARS AGO!!"  Luckily both my knees and the column held up and I made it down in one piece.  At the bottom I received a certificate stating that _ has climbed to the top.  I guess you have to fill in your own name.  How rude!

After that adventure it was off to Brick Lane.  This is also known as curry row.  I was on a mission.  Britain has a love affair with the curry, and I had sworn to find the hottest one in all the land.  I had an inside tip to order a dish called Phaal.  This style of curry is supposedly the hottest available and is usually not on the menu.  It has to ordered specially.  I picked out a good restaurant and went in.  After the pre-requisite hot lime pickle I ordered up a phaal.  The waiter gave me a strange look.

"Are you sure?"

"Oh yes.  It's really spicy right?"

"Very spicy.  We will have to call the fire brigade if you can't handle it!"

I assured him that I could indeed handle it and he went back to the kitchen giving me a couple odd glances on his way.

When they brought out the dish I dug in right away.  At first I wasn't all that impressed.  The flavor was good but the burn hadn't kicked in yet.  Suddenly the slow burn started, and I knew I had found something good.

The waiter came over to check on me to see if I had survived.  He seemed surprised top see me digging in with gusto.  He actually called another waiter over.

"Do you know what this guy is eating?  Phaal!" 

I felt like a small c celebrity for a moment or two.  Nothing like having others admire your ability to take pain to stroke the ego a little bit.  The curry was great but I still am on a quest for hotter.  Luckily there are 100's of curry houses to choose from on Brick Lane alone.

After my adventures in mouth pain I headed to my friend Mike's house.  He is another Seattlite who moved here a couple years ago and has been a good support line for me.  It really helps to have someone who knows where you are coming from culturally and can help you out with questions like how to get a train ticket or what kind of cider is the best.  There was a little party planned for me at Mike's in honor of my 29th. 

It was a great time.  The only downside was that my camera slipped out of my hand at one point as I was documenting the festivities.  I took it into a repair shop and it is going to cost about £45 to fix. ($90)  Ouch!!  Still on the plus side it should be ready for next week's midterm break.

Although others are jetting of to Greece and France or Italy I have decided on a couple of much more glamorous locales.  Liverpool and Belfast.  Both cities renowned for their chic lifestyles are metropolitan glamour.  Or not.  Don't get me wrong the beaches of Ibiza sound nice but I took this trip to get to know England.  I am also a huge Beatles fan so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to head to their hometown and go on a Magical Mystery Tour of my own.  (Don't laugh, that is actually the name of the Beatle tour company.  I know, I checked it out online.)  I decided to go to Belfast mainly because of an Irish history course that I took last winter.  The history and politics of the area have always fascinated me.  Now that the violence of the area has ceased I figured that I should check it out.  I will be in Liverpool from Sun to Tues next week and then I take a ferry across the Irish Sea to spend Wed through Sat in Belfast.  I believe that I will have internet access on at least some parts of the journey so I will be posting some more experiences.  Can't guarantee if I will be able to upload pics though.  Stay tuned to see how I deal with my first experience in a youth hostel!