Soul Grub

I. Love. This. Place!

I've discovered two foods that if I could, I would buy crates of them to fill my suitcases when it's time to head home:

1) Rhubarb and vanilla yogurt. Why aren't more things made with rhubarb? It's divine! And sounds ridiculous.

2) Sparkling guava juice. I am rendered speechless by my love for guavas. The only word that comes close to describing how I feel about this fruit is orgasmic. And I'm a prude! (I looked for a synonym but dictionary.com didn't have any...)

But as delectable as those were, I was also in need of spiritual food and because today was actually going to be sunny I decided I would make the trek to Arnos Grove and see the resting place of Shoghi Effendi (for more information on Shoghi Effendi please see http://info.bahai.org/guardian-of-the-bahai-faith.html). It was a bit silly of me to want to go today because once I get settled in my own place, it will only be a few tube stops away but I today was going to be sunny and I wanted to go before I started work. I wanted a moment to pray and meditate and sincerely prepare myself for my internship and my summer in this city. My current roomate Nasrin gave me the "shortcut" directions, which involved a bit of trust because it led to an unmarked path through the woods. But once I emerged into the tangled cemetery there it was.

I left after a sweet conversation with Mr. Alaee, the custodian, and walked back to the tube with a Baha'i student from Georgia. I was sufficiently refreshed. Or so I thought. After a hour ride to Canary Wharf, and witnessing a woman loose it on the tube because of a luggage-lugging tourist, I resurfaced to ground level and remembered the DLR train to my place wasn't running this weekend. Groan. Rather than find a bus and harass the driver about whether it would take me to the right place, I decided to walk. My tour book that my parents gave me preaches walking as the best way to know London. And I agree. I stumbled upon the quaintest library - it just looked so darn cute... although I couldn't figure out the barded wire fence at the back. Must be for those who don't pay their library fines, eh Brian? But that wasn't all. Then I came across Mudchute park and farm, which isn't your typical Canadian green sapce - it's an honest-to-goodness wilderness! With pigs, chickens, and cows (the goats seemed to be on vacation) and a community garden with topless, bellied men, hardworking women and the lushest mud I've seen in a while.

And now I'm home. Appetite satisfied.