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Published: September 30th 2017
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Red Lamb Curry at Busaba Eathai ...
... absolutely delicious, especially after such a long break from having any Asian food. The inclusion of lychee was a unique touch, though not sure that I really cared for them in the dish. Geo: 51.5002, -0.126236
I used to love the everything about the Olympics - the competition, the spectacle, the sportsmanship ... I remember passing many days as a child, glued to the TV, watching as many moments of Olympic coverage as I could. But that changed as I got older, as the Games seemed to get away from its values, and morph into a giant marketing machine, a vehicle to sell more products to the masses. It became more about the media coverage than the competition itself, leaving me jaded, and only a casual follower.
Over the years, the Games seemed to get bigger and bigger, and more and more excessive ... it became popular years after to look back, and determine what value host countries actually received from them. Sure, there was usually an economic boom from construction of all the new venues, and a massive spike in tourism during, and immediately after the games. There was also all the attention and positive press, the economic benefit of which is difficult to quantify.
But what really is the legacy of hosting the Olympics? With the costs of recent Olympics spiraling out of control, it seemed that at best, the host country could
Mussaman Duck Curry ...
... good, but not as tasty as the lamb curry, as it lacked the contrasting flavours, which really made that dish pop. The vegetarian spring rolls weren't anything special, but the calamari was killer, with a light crispy batter, and nicely spicy, with a hint of tartness. Tough to choose the best dish between the calamari and the lamb curry. only hope to break even, after the massive expenditures. And what to do with all the shiny new venues that no longer had any use? Let them sit empty, and let them crumble, as they are too expensive to properly maintain ...
So here we are today in London, just a few days after the 2012 Olympics kicked off - it wasn't purposely planned this way, but we more or less stumbled upon the games as we finalized our itinerary. While we didn't care if we actually attended any sporting events, we still wanted to get out and about in London, and soak in the Olympic atmosphere, which was sure to be epic. But of course, the Olympic Gods were not pleased with the hypocrisy of someone who was no longer a fan of the Olympics, yet still wanted to partake in the festivities ...
Flying from Malta on Ryanair means no-frills, so we stepped off the plane not into a covered walkway, but directly out into the open, and into a massive downpour. The weather in London has been rainy for the past few days, and the forecast called for even more today - Hyde Park sounded like the best place
Fish Sauce, How I've Missed You ...
... as much as I mock this much-beloved Southeast Asian condiment, it really does bring incredible flavour to a dish. in town to enjoy the Olympic festivities, but not with the risk of another rainstorm. Karma has decreed that I'm not Olympic-worthy!
But the backup plan was a good one, having dinner with friends at a Thai restaurant - the food was definitely good, but tasted even better after weeks without any Asian food, since our crappy sushi lunch at Marks & Spencer was too terrible to satiate our cravings. Strolling around Covent Garden afterward, there was no discernible Olympic atmosphere, but perhaps this was because it's still early in the games, and the energy level will surely ramp up around town in a few more days. Still, Covent Garden was as fun as it always is, with a nice buzz in the streets.
We did manage to catch some of the events on TV at a nearby pub - so while our Olympic experience in London was not quite as we originally had hoped, we weren't disappointed. We're in one of the World's most amazing cities, sharing a few pints with friends - how could you beaet that?
Gelato Withdrawal Symptoms: It's hard to tell if our shakes are because of withdrawal, or because we're now freezing our asses Kebab!!! ...
... it's been a while, with our last one over a week ago in Catania. I'd forgotten how massive the kebabs in the UK are - we split this one three ways as a late night snack. Really good lamb, but there was a bit too much going on in this kebab, and it was drowning in vegetables. off in London's sub-20 C temperatures, soaked to the bone in our clothing that is more suited to the tropical temperatures we just left behind. Just the other day we were complaining about the heat, and now we are complaining about the cold!
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