Overheard II

On By Laura MorganIn Uncategorized

At the chemist, this lunchtime…

Tourist #1: I’m looking for some lozenges, or pastilles, called Diff…diff-something. For coughs.

Pharmacist: …

Tourist #1: Or do you have another type of cough lozenges?

Pharmacist: Oh yes, there are several types [starts shuffling on a shelf behind her]

Tourist #2: I know what you want! You want Difflam! [To pharmacist] Ma’am, he wants Difflam!

Pharmacist: Difflam? That only comes as a mixture, not in lozenges.

Tourist #1: Oh, really? In Sydney it comes in lozenges. Why can’t you get it in Lozenges here?

Tourist #2: Because the queen! She said so!

Tourist #1, wisely: Ah, I see.

Swimming pools

On By Laura MorganIn Uncategorized2 Comments

In the last fortnight, I have discovered the world’s deepest swimming pool, the world’s largest swimming pool, and now the Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre in Sydney, which has just won an architectural award for being generally curvy and sexy:

The trouble with large indoor pools is that the echoiness (it’s definitely a word) and relative emptiness of the space makes them the least cosy places in the world: even the swish new pool at the Olympics looked like a large, bare, unattractive municipal facility. I don’t know if it’s just the curvy ceiling that gives the Ian Thorpe centre such an appealing look, but either way I like it. If, like me, you’re a bit scared of swimming but would like to do more of it, then curvy appealing-looking pools are a very good thing.

Although that doesn’t help me with swimming in the sea, which I will be trying next week. Wish me luck.

Georgia

On By Laura MorganIn Language

I’ve just stumbled across this explanation of why a US state and an ex-USSR country have the same name in English.  It’s all very interesting, but it also says:

In their native tongue, Georgians refer to themselves as the Kartveli and to their country as Sakartvelo.

Which surprises me, because every Georgian man I’ve ever met has been called George, which I assumed was some sort of patriotic gesture.  But if Georgians don’t call it Georgia, perhaps they just really like the name?  I shall have to ask somebody Georgian.

Edit: I guess this might have something to do with it:

Saint George is a patron saint of Georgia. According to Georgian author Enriko Gabisashvili, Saint George is most venerated in the nation of Georgia.

End-of-season prediction

On By Laura MorganIn Football

Here’s how the teams line up in the Championship table this afternoon, after one game. And the funny thing is, I can imagine the list looking exactly like this in nine months’ time when the season comes to a close, assuming poor old Derby don’t suddenly find some form.  Let’s check back next May and see how accurate it was.

(Image swiped from BBC sport)

And they’re off!

On By Laura MorganIn Football, Reasons to be cheerful

The new season starts today, for people who follow proper football. We’re at home to Watford, and I can’t go because I’m on call for work, which entails being within fifteen minutes of a broadband connection at all times.

I’m predicting Palace 2-1 Watford. We went to watch a pre-season friendly against Fulham, which was actually Dougie Freedman’s testimonial (WHO LET THE DOUG OUT!), and, whilst it was a completely rubbish game, there were some points from which I thought we could take cautious hope. The two youngsters, Scannell and Moses, both looked good, as did a new signing from Bristol City, Nick Carle, who if he continues to play well I will forgive for acting like an arse in the away leg of the play-off semi-final last season, when he took five minutes to leave the pitch after being substituted.

Meanwhile, I’m watching the swimming, the builders who have been making car crash noises on the roof all morning appear to have disappeared, and Final Score is back this afternoon. It could be worse.

Update: it ended 0-0.  Still, a point’s a point.  Onwards and upwards!

The Olympics!

On By Laura MorganIn Reasons to be cheerful1 Comment

It’s the Olympics!  Ratta-tatta-taaaa, ratta-tatta-taaa, Olympics, woo!  Olympics, woo!

I am recording the opening ceremony so I can watch it this evening, when everybody else is at the pub.  And then I’m going to spend all weekend watching it (the events, not just the opening ceremony over and over again, although opening ceremonies of major sporting events are one of the best things in the world.  They’re so well-intentioned and friendly and joyful, and also so very odd).

I love the Olympics.  Will everything be happening at night, though, or while I’m at work?  Timings-wise, it can’t be worse than Sydney, and I don’t remember having to get up in the middle of the night eight years ago.  But I may have just forgotten.

Asakusa

On By Laura MorganIn Other cities

After thinking about Tokyo and what a bafflingly unfamilar place it is I was inspired to go and have a look at some of my photos. At almost three years’ remove they look even more fantastical. This unremarkable street scene, for example, looks more than anything to me like a scene from some kind of futuristic, apocalyptic, science fiction film:

I really want to go back. You can see the rest of the set here.