Formal, polite and always smiling. That was B from Nepal, who after taking a good look at me on the bus, commented that in his homeland I could pass off as a local. I have been assumed to be Japanese, Korean or Singaporean. All valid assumptions with my single eyelids. But Nepalese? That’s a first.
On my penultimate night in Edinburgh at my temporary accommodation in Leonard Horner Hall C of Heriot-Watt University, B celebrated his 25th birthday university dorm style. The food spread was most impressive. P, the Chinese scholar on holiday from Sweden made some lovely Swedish cinnamon pastry with original Swedish ingredients she brought. We also had the chance to sample authentic Indian food with wives visiting. The Pohe and stuffed green chillies were fiery and spicy all at once and the only drink to put out the heat, original Russian Stolichnaya vodka which the Other Half and I contributed to appease the ex-Russians from Uzbekistan and Belarus in the room.
The South East Asians in the meantime offered an amazing Vietnamese
Chicken Salad, courtesy of M who is of course Vietnamese. I said to
him, “There’s some crunchy bits in there, tastes like fried pork fat.”
M replied with a smile pleased about his popular salad, “I diced the
chicken skin and fried them.” Tangy, spiced with chilli, refreshed
with cucumber, the salad disappeared in a wink! Several other
Malaysians contributed two versions of chicken curry and our showcase
was red bean sago pudding for dessert.
After some Bollywood showcase and Brazilian R&B breakdancing, we
finished the party with BT’s finger licking good grilled chicken
drumstick – a la Uzbekistan.
