CHAPTER 2

COSMOPOLITAN LONDON
London's ethnic diversity makes it a very special city. People from almost every part of the world live here.

Londres cosmopolita

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La diversidad tnica de Londres la hace una ciudad muy especial. Las personas de casi toda parte del mundo viven aqu.
This was obvious to Pablo and me when we took the Tube from the airport to the centre of the city.

Esto era obvio a Pablo y m cuando nosotros tomamos el Tubo desde el aeropuerto al centro de la ciudad.
People of every nationality were traveling on the train and it was nice to see that everyone seemed accustomed to the great variety of races and religions in this city.

Personas de todas las nacionalidades estaban viajando en el tren y era bueno ver que todos parecamos acostumbrados a la gran variedad de razas y religiones en esta ciudad.
We were fascinated by an orthodox Muslim woman who was sitting opposite us.

Estabamos fascinados por una mujer musulmana ortodoxa que estaba sentada en situacin opuesta nosotros.
Only her eyes were uncovered and we couldn't stop looking at her because it was the first time that we had seen a woman dressed this way.

Slo sus ojos estaban descubiertos y nosotros no podamos dejar de mirarla porque era la primera vez que nosotros habamos visto que una mujer vistiera de esta manera.
No one else paid any attention to her.

Nadie ms le prest cualquier atencin.

If you're a person who likes eating different types of food, London is the place to go.

Si usted es una persona que gusta comer tipos diferentes de comida, Londres es el lugar para ir.
I've eaten food from many parts of the world here and most of it has been excellent.

Yo he comido comida de muchas partes del mundo aqu y la mayora de ellas han sido excelentes.
Indian food is especially popular.

La comida india es especialmente popular.

When arrived back at our hotel on the afternoon of our second day in London, I asked the lady at reception to recommend a few good restaurants in the area.

Cuando "lleg atrs" a nuestro hotel en la tarde de nuestro segundo da en Londres, yo le pregunt a la seora a la recepcin que me recomendara unos restaurantes buenos en el rea.
She said that there was a very good Indian restaurant close to the hotel. Pablo shook his head.

Ella dijo que all haba un restaurante indio muy bueno cerca del hotel. Pablo agit su cabeza.
"No, I want to eat something that's typically British," he said.

"No, yo quiero comer algo que es tpicamente britnico," l dijo.

The lady laughed.

La seora se ri.
"You don't understand," she said. "Indian food is typically British."

"Usted no entiende," ella dijo. "La comida india es tpicamente britnica."

"Oh, I see," replied Pablo.

"Oh, yo veo," contest a Pablo.

When we got into the lift, he looked at me and said, surprised, "Perhaps London isn't as traditional as I thought."

Cuando nosotros entramos en el ascensor, l me mir y dijo, sorprendido, "Quizs Londres no es tan tradicional como yo pens."
I laughed and decided to take him to places that showed London's ethnic diversity, like Chinatown.

Yo me re y decid llevarlo a lugares que mostraran la diversidad tnica de Londres, como Chinatown.
London's Chinatown is in the middle of the theatre district and it feels wonderful to cross a street and enter a completely different culture.

El Chinatown de Londres est en el medio del distrito del teatro y te sientes admirable cruzar una calle y entrar en una cultura completamente diferente.
"admirable""asombrado, maravillado"
There are lots of excellent Chinese restaurants there, as well as many Asian supermarkets.

Hay muchos restaurantes de chino excelentes all, as como muchos supermercados asiticos.
We specially liked walking through the Chinese fruit markets.

Nos gust especialmente atravesar los mercados de fruta chinos.

"Look at this!" exclaimed Pablo.

"Mire esto!" Pablo exclam.

"Look at what?" I asked.

"Mire el que?" Yo pregunt.

"This fruit," he said.

"Esta fruta," l dijo.

"I've never seen most of this fruit before.

"Yo nunca he visto la mayora de esta fruta antes.

It's so exotic."

Es tan extico."
"There are lots of exotic things in London, if you know where to look," I told him.

"Hay muchas cosas exticas en Londres, si usted sabe dnde mirar," yo le dije.
"Like what?" Pablo asked.

"Gustar que?" Pablo pregunt.

"Well, London has a Caribbean carnival.

"Bien, Londres tiene un carnaval caribeo.

It's a huge annual carnival and it takes place on the last weekend in August, in an area of London called Notting Hill

Es un carnaval anual grande y tiene lugar en el ltimo fin de semana en agosto, en una rea de Londres llamada la Colina de Notting .
My friend Mike took me to the carnival a couple of weeks after I met him at the Globe," I explained.

Mi amigo Mike me tom al carnaval un par de semanas despus de que yo me lo encontr al Globo," yo expliqu.
"That sounds interesting.

"Eso parece interesante.

What happens during the carnival?" asked Pablo.

Qu pasa durante el carnaval?" pregunt Pablo.

"Well, Notting Hill has a big West Indian population and thousands of people go to the carnival to eat West Indian food and dance to Caribbean music.

"Bien, la Colina de Notting tiene una poblacin del indio Oriental grande y miles de las personas van al carnaval comen comida india Oriental y bailan msica caribea.
Mike and I walked through the streets and there were people of all cultures celebrating together.

Mike y yo atravesamos las calles y haba personas de todas las culturas que celebran juntos.
At one point, I closed my eyes and it felt like I was in the Caribbean instead of London!

En un momento dado, yo cerr mis ojos y se senta como m estaba en el Caribe en lugar de Londres!
I was surrounded by West Indian accents, music and smells." "It sounds fantastic!" exclaimed Pablo.

Yo fui rodeado por acentos de indio de Oeste, msica y olores." "Suena fantstico!" Pablo exclamado.
"It was ... oh, and I remember another interesting thing that happened that afternoon," I told him.

"Era... oh, y yo recuerdo otra cosa interesante que pas esa tarde," yo le dije.
"What was that?" he asked.

"Que es aquello?" l pregunt.

"Well, from the carnival, we went to Mike's flat in one of London's famous black taxis.

"Bien, desde el carnaval, nosotros fuimos al piso de Mike en uno de los taxis del negro famosos de Londres.
After a few minutes, the driver began talking to us.

Despus de unos minutos, el conductor empez a hablar con nosotros.

He was speaking English but I couldn't understand him! He was using Cockney rhyming slang!"

l estaba hablando ingls pero yo no podra entenderlo! l estaba usando a Londinense de la clase popular que rima jerga!"
"What's that?" Pablo interrupted.

"Que es eso?" Pablo interrumpi.

"Luckily, Mike explained it to me.

"Por suerte, Mike lo aclar para m.

He told me that the driver was a Cockney and Cockneys are traditionally from the East End of London.

l me dijo que el conductor era un Londinense de la clase popular y los Londinenses de la clase popular son tradicionalmente del Extremo Oriental de Londres.
They have a very strange way of talking, called Cockney rhyming slang.

Ellos tienen una manera muy extraa de hablar, Londinense de la clase popular llamado que rima jerga.
For example, "When my friend called me on the [ dog and bone ] (phone) last night, I ran down the [ apples and pears ] (stairs) to answer it."

Por ejemplo, "Cuando mi amigo me llam adelante el [el perro y hueso] (telfono) anoche, yo corr abajo el [las manzanas y peras] (escalones) para contestarlo." **lcosts** "That's incredible!" exclaimed Pablo. "Eso es increble!" Pablo exclamado. London's full of surprises!" "Londres est lleno de sorpresas!"