Scrap Odds & Ends Pics

This Korean couple invited me and a classmate to dinner at their flat. It was so nice to go to home! Their daughter, Joy, will be 3 in February. For weeks I had been tolerated at a only distance. A little candy bribe gained me a measure of favor. She now deems to at least speak to me, even if it is a strong, "No!". It was a real treat to spend some time with them in their home.

This was a shot of some fellow "En Route"-ers during a Sunday afternoon "walk".

This is a pic Thea took during a class project.

This is Victoria train and underground station in London. I stopped at a nearby Indian restuarant for lunch. If you can believe it, the Indian food here in the UK has been significantly spiced "down". I had to ask for something spicy - a chutney or something - to add and even then it was not really that "hot". This is in the kitchen of a family Olga and I visited in Southend by the sea in Essex (across the Thames from Kent). We went as part of a group from the school to do missions services at their church. Pictured below with me is Jolly, who is originally from India but moved to the UK when she married years ago. We were cleaning up after a very good lunch.

Then the family kindly took us to the seaside (the Thames river opening up into the sea), which was just about 5 minutes drive away. Here is the Barber family (John, Matthew, and Jolly) with Olga (my roommate). Because the Thames river is tidal, the tide comes in and out and the water drops significantly - so there is a very long pier out into the water: 1.3 miles long. It is the longest in the world.

We rode a train out to the end of the pier, and then had fun with the bell. I was so grateful Jolly had an extra coat to lend me. I had left my heavy coat back at the school and the temperatures were falling with strong winds off the water.

Olga took this shot of me on the pier. Those lights behind me in the distance are Kent.