7 Observations and an excuse to post another picture

1. Drinking here is both a passion and a lifestyle. People will frequent a local pub so much, they'll simply refer to it as "my local" and you'll know exactly what they mean. I took a marketing survey last week and it had the phrasing, "which pub do you use most frequently." Use? Yes.


2. I always figured Europe as environmentally progressive. Not really, at least in London's case, there's just no space and fuel is expensive, so cars are smaller and more efficient. But I rarely see a hybrid and recycling is WAY behind what I'm used to in the US. But the Pac NW is a bit of an outlier, I'll admit.


3. The word "pants" means underwear. I've made a fool of myself many times with this. ("I'll make sure to iron my pants before the meeting." "I feel like I've been wearing the same pants all week." "I'll be right there, I'm just going to change my pants."


4. Here, the word "fanny" means a body part that's on the opposite side and only available on females. Amazingly, I found an occasion to comment on a woman's fanny pack in front of my co-workers. There was shock and horror.


5. People are amazingly polite here. I was purchasing beer to smuggle into a movie. The 60 yo woman at the check out stand said (imagine quaint English accent), "Ohhh, well those are nice and cold, aren't they? How lovely! There you are, dear."


6. Instead of a dinner with clients, here they have a nice lunch. Alcohol is not only acceptable, but expected. Try a steak dinner and a couple glasses of wine at 2pm and then get back to your spreadsheets and emails...not easy.


7. Walking through asian tour groups makes you feel tall. And this doesn't only work in London!

NO! None.