Cheers,
I once wrote about our serendipitous meeting on Tower Bridge with Singkey’s Chinese university teacher Jessica. She and her husband visited DoraMac in September. A few days after Christmas, Jessica and her husband came again and, along with dinner, we had Christmas crackers! None of the three Chinese had experience these before so it was fun for us to “show them how it was done.” Of course Randal and I had just learned ourselves since being here in London.
Jessica is here at London University’s School of Education as a visiting scholar. Her husband visits periodically but lives back in China. Today Jessica took time from her busy schedule of research to “create” a wonderful Chinese meal for Randal, Singkey and me. What was quite interesting to me was to here Jessica speak about the “Jews of China” and about Pesach matzos. While Jessica was doing graduate work in Milwaukee she lived in the home of a Jewish woman who loved everything about the Chinese people. Jessica learned a great deal about Judaism and would sing along as Sabbath candles were lit. One of the really nice things about finally settling down in Virginia and building a home will be that people like Jessica and her husband will come visit us.
Tomorrow Singkey must return to Birmingham to the University. But we are making plans for her to perhaps, if there is time, come for a weekend visit in February. It has been a wonderful visit for us all.
Ru
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Introducing Jessica and her husband to the fun of Christmas crackers! |
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Jessica invited Randal, Singkey and me for a real Chinese lunch at her flat in Putney. “Putney is a large district of south-west London that lies on the south bank of the River Thames, to the south-east of Barnes and Mortlake. The name dates from Saxon times and is believed to mean "Putta’s landing-place", but the area has been settled since at least the Iron Age. For much of its history Putney was a rural area with the main industries being farming and fishing right up until the 19th century. The district has also long been important as a crossing point of the River Thames. The area began to be developed throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, as Putney became a popular country retreat for wealthy Londoners. But it wasn’t until the 19th century that development of the area changed Putney to the residential suburb that it is today. Much of the architecture of present day Putney dates from the late 19th century and so the feel of the district is remains that of an elegant Victorian suburb. As a result the district remains a much sought after area, with little of the industrial atmosphere of some parts of south London. |
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Looking down from the bridge that crossed the Thames Putney Bridge to Putney Green which is another image of London we don’t often see; but looks such a warm, inviting place to live. |
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The Thames Path follows the river but we were on our way to Putney Bridge Rd to Jessica’s “bed-sit.” |
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Jessica is in London as a visiting scholar at London University’s school of education. She is studying the practice and learning theory of vocational education in England as compared to China. |
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Jessica is a wonderful cook! |
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A little vinegar, sugar, salt….perfect! |
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A beautiful and flavorful salad, Chinese cabbage with noodles and scallops stirfried ribs in a light and fragrant tasty marinade and handmade, from scratch, stuffed dumplings. Everything was wonderful !!! The dumplings were so light and so flavorful it was hard to stop at just 4 or 5. We’d started the meal with tofu soup flavored with garlic and cilantro. Yum!!!! Very full! |
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Sprouted garlic! I am going to try this and use the tops in my cooking. |
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How many rice cookers….. Many Chinese graduate students, visiting professors, etc have stayed in this space each bringing his/her own rice cooker! |
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An absolutely untouched photo. The light was amazing as we retraced our steps back across the river to the tube station. |
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Arriving at the underground on the right of the photo; traditional red buses, some double-decker on the left. |
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Waiting for the tube back to Tower Hill. Putney is just about the furtheset west we have been in London other than Heathrow. |
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I will miss the Thames, but I’ll also miss the ease of travel provided by the tube system. |
