The bombs fell for 57 days in 1940, killing over 40,000 people and damaging or destroying over 1 million homes and buildings. In an effort to cripple and demoralize Great Britain, Nazi Germany used the bombing method now called The Blitz to bring the country to its knees. But as the picture above demonstrates, the strength and beauty of the country towered greater than its enemies and stands today as a symbol of heritage, of truth, and of majestic courage. As the bombs came crashing down on London and fires ensued, brave citizens took their place on the dome of the cathedral and quenched fires as they came, thus saving the magnificent structure and instilling a sense of hope and resilience in the people. In the end London and Britain survived and Nazi Germany did not.
Our walking tour and afternoon lecture, primarily about the oldest part of London revealed other facts of this marvelous city including its Roman past, the importance of the year 1066, the Monarchy lineage with its occasional absurdity and brilliant wisdom that takes us to the elegant beauty of Queen Elizabeth, and mostly the heritage of this marvelous city that gives us beautiful art and architecture, museums and concert halls, theatres and libraries, and fish and chips!
My early breakfast of yogurt and coffee followed later by a lunch of tomato soup dictated the need for a more robust dinner last night. Heading out on a brisk walk with my colleague Dr. Landwer, we found ourselves in Chinatown. Celebrating the Chinese New Year, the area was decorated with bright red oval balls and Asian ornaments. Bakeries, restaurants, and clothing stores lined the streets and the feeling of excitement and energy permeated our thoughts. We found an excellent restaurant and I sensed the lovely but dead duck in the window asking for my attention. Ordering Hot and Sour Soup, Orange Duck, and White Rice, we patiently waited for our food and discussed Asian culture and its assimilation in London. Like most Londoners, the people in the restaurant were generally kind, polite, and fast moving, eager to please but equally set upon accomplishing their goals. I am entranced by the formal politeness of this world and am intent to retain that quality upon my return to America.
Far from being contrived, there is a sense of mutual respect for each other that I find refreshing and infectious. At first, in my selfish arrogance, I thought it was my "deanly" demeanor that caused everyone to call me sir, but I soon realized that is the pattern of the culture. Men are sirs and ladies are ma'am. Responding in kind to others, I have increased my usage of Ma'am and Sir and am personally rewarded with a sense of service and admiration for others, reminding me of the joys of humbly respecting those around us. I believe a wise man once said to do to others as you would have them do to you. More than just words, the truth of the Gospel is real in our lives.
Back to the meal of soup, duck, and rice, I left the restaurant joyful with my taste buds warmly treated to a balance of sour and sweetness, of wild and tame, of the richness of the world in one meal. Roses come with thorns, music has consonance and dissonance, and great meals often have variety in flavor, such is the case of Chinese food. We walked aggressively through London, bundled up against the cold but exhilarating chill, and returned back to our apartment complex filled with thoughts of food, of life, and of friends.
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