Some of the advantages of being here

In addition to seeing the tulips and hyacinths, I got to watch two rounds of the UK election debates to see live how poorly Gordon Brown performed and the emergence of the telegenic and articulate Mr. Clegg. We have been able to have discussions with some Europeans from different countries about the prevailing malaise here, only worsened by the volcanic ash crisis and the governments' responses to it. Following my trip to the US, where things in places like Niagara Falls seem horrible while the macro economy picks up, seeing empty or closed down stores here seems familiar. Yet in the US, even in Niagara Falls, one senses an energy that is missing here.

Being stuck here meant we needed to do laundry:

Also, that Amartya got to meet his friends here, and play DS games with them.

Lots of time watching construction will be covered later.