Jack Was Here (2)

I've gotta say that I'm really surprised by the way the Government, politicians, especially the foes, I'd like to call them, and ordinary people treated Jack Layton after his sudden death this week. A state funeral which leaders from all the parties and present and past politicians and people all take part. I didn't no much of him but I know that his efforts moved his party from the third place to the very strong second in the past few years.

I wonder what would happen to a politician in the old country, if the same thing happened to him? Would his opposition treat him the same way Layton got here in Canada? That's something respectable. His battle in both field of politics and cancer is appreciable. Sure this Jack is not that Jack but no doubt he has done more for his country otherwise people would not line up for hours to pay him respect.

(Photo: Jack Layton's casket arrives at Toronto City Hall where he used to work and it's said did a lot for poor and homeless as well as others)

Down and Out in Calgary

I previously wrote about my feeling in life and that was actually a long time ago. This time I decided to feel practically what Orwell realized in his time period he was a low-life labourer in Paris and London.

I had talked to Hodani and he arranged a telephone call with his boss for the same position as himself: a dishwasher. I eventually got the opportunity(!) to show myself. It, in fact, was not as bad as what he has described in his book, obviously because years has passed and now there's a little law to support the laborers. I worked from 04:00 to 11:30 and they wanted me up to 12:30 but I made an excuse and ran away!

I was doing OK until 10:00 and I had one half an hour break with meal allowance which I didn't take anything but after that I started getting tired. And then I was asked to broom and mop the floor and that is the thing I hate the most so I argued a bit, not in a bad manner and did part of the damn floor. What Orwell has said in his book about the way the food is prepared remains almost the same after almost 80 years! Most of the food is come to the restaurant previously ready and they just heat it up and put it in plates and garnish it. Almost everything is made with hands that is barely washed during a 10 hour or longer shift. So the steak that you're having and is laid down in a nice and clean white plate has been touched by as many as 3 people before lands on your table! That could be the line cook, the chef and the waiter or waitress. The nice white plate that you have your food in it and is sparkling, could have been just cleaned by a rug in the kitchen!

But what's the point of saying these stuff? The people who eat craps like McDonald's every day with bare hand, they don't care about these stuff! The people who eat Hot Dog from street vendors don't care how they food is prepared. The people who drink Coke and other Phosphoric Acid-filled drink, they could care less about who and how their food is prepared!

The boss gave me my schedule for the nest week stating that he would need me at least for 4 days (one of their guys had just been fired). I accepted that but F. F. is really mad and I have to talk to her or simply call the guy to say that I won't be in!

Never Trust Google Maps

I at times need to check an address before I go and the first choice and the handy of one is Google Maps. But it usually does not suggest the most convenient and closest way. So it's good to look at Google Maps but you, as the driver are the only one who finds the best way.

I wanted to go to 4th St., NE yesterday and the way Google Maps showed me would have taken at least 10 to 15 min. longer if I had took it.

After all GPS is the best and easiest.

Good Coffee, Good Earth

Coffee, as I've written about it several time is the most favorite drink in Canada but that's not because people like to drink it more often, it's because it gives them a very mild relaxation that they can only get through alcohol when drank a little. And because they can't drink alcohol that much then coffee would be a good choice.

This was just a preface to tell you a short story about we, trying a different coffee house: Good Earth. Their coffee is good but expensive: $2 for a medium size. Their, bakery goods, I asked they make them on premises, is delicious and filling and a little expensive as well but if you don't care about the price, go ahead.

Last piece of information: You might want to pay $14.95 for an one Ounce bag of Colombian! That's almost 2 times a regular coffee in a supermarket.

(Photo: I should have posted a better picture but I didn't have a better camera on and was not sure they let me take a photo. I like that cup with steams coming off!)

Surya

No I'm not going to tell you the story of my trip to Syria! This is Suria an East Indian restaurant in Calgary that we just tried last Wed. and was good.

In fact it was my third East Indian cuisine try and the 2nd restaurant of the kind. The first time I and Hodani went to a restaurant in West Vancouver called Handi. That was a good experience because Hodani speaks the language and we had a good service.

This time we tried the buffet in this one in Calgary and we liked it. We paid $15.24 each (including tax) and we had three invasions. I mostly tried their vegetarian foods including one with Chickpea and the other one Yogurt Currey. Also they have a very thin Cumin Bread which although it is made of white flour but is very tasty. It's even thinner than a regular chip like Lays. There they have a kind of Rice Pudding which is exactly the same as Persian Shir-Berenj (Milk-Rice) and the other cold-served fruit of them is a creamy mixture of Mango and Grape, I guess which really good.

Oh! I forgot to say that you get a freshly baked bread on your desk too and it's really good but unfortunately again white flour as whole grain bakery not common in old cooking style.

For a full list of their menu check their website or simply go to 11th and 11th. I will compare this to the other East Indian restaurant that I will probably try later soon until I buy a recipe book!

(Photo: I did not have a chance to take a photo and I'm not sure if they allow it. I might check with them if we go there again. Picked one from their website. Just to add that this is not what we had but you can get if you really are hungry!)