Day 14 of 15: London, you are just full of surprises. Today, the most delightful one was my delicious dinner at Dishoom. (Thank you to my wonderful friend Lauren for the glorious recommendation!)
After a chilly day of exploring St. Paul's Cathedral and the Tower of London, I was ready for a nice warm meal in a relaxing environment.
(You'll have to forgive some of these nerdier selfies. You'll just have to.)
After an hour-long, totally-worth-it wait at Dishoom, I was lucky enough to be seated in the underground bar area, where it was nice and cozy -- not too loud but bustling with the sounds of excited conversations. As I waited for my table, the bartenders laughed with me about how obviously American I am, which was entertaining since I've gotten mixed reviews about exactly how clear it is over the last couple weeks.
I had some delectable vegetarian samosas and chicken curry with rice and naan. And of course I had to top it all off with a hot chai and a chocolate pudding with chili-flavored ice cream. Everything was perfect.
Then I did something that probably only weirdos do and that no one should ever admit -- I traveled aimlessly on the tube for a while. Not only was I just not ready for my last night here to be over, but I am also endlessly fascinated by the comings and goings of so many people passing each other every moment of every day. All the chance encounters are so intriguing to me. I witnessed an awkward one as someone tried to comment to someone else about the book they were reading. Neither person was wrong for wanting to talk or not, but it was painful to watch the mismatch occur.
It made me think about the way everyone avoids looking at each other on public transportation. So many people, some wanting nothing more than a little solitude and others wanting nothing more than to have a little human interaction. The important thing is to make sure to properly respect those who want space and try to empathize with those who want a little connection here and there. And of course, when you come across a person who wants the opposite of what you're searching for, it's always pivotal to "mind the gap." In case you couldn't tell, this wasn't just about the Underground. Until next time, London. Cheers.
