Three Great Things About America

Ahh…America. So many great things!

Allow me to focus on three stunning facets of the American Restaurant.

1. Kids cups –It’s plastic (your 4 old can actually drop it without breaking it) AND it has a lid (they can drop it without breaking it OR spilling it). How great IS this country? What more could you want IN YOUR LIFE TIME than kids cups at restaurants? Seriously. Even if you don’t have kids – do you really want some else’s screaming kid spilling their chocolate milk on your shoes while shards of glass fly into your eye? Think about it. Kids cups are a real game changer (not that Africa has chocolate milk - but that's a topic for another day).

2. Brewed Iced T – Wow. Brewed. You wouldn’t think this would be as exciting as it is – BUT IT IS EXCITING. Virtually every time I had Iced T in Africa it was in a can – just really, really not the same. I will say – it was a little slice of heaven when a fellow CPxer shared their imported-from-good-ole-southern-USA sweet T they brewed themselves. I would have traded several pairs of SHOES for a few more swigs of that!

3. Condiments:

---- Ranch - Obviously the best condiment in the entire world and should be served at all meals – does not exist in Africa for reasons that surpass my understanding

---- Malt Vinegar – The restaurants in South Africa have a small deficiency in variety and virtually all of them offer Fish and Chips. However, not one of them has Malt Vinegar to go with their anti-diversity Fish and Chips. When Karl really pressed the issue – they brought him Balsamic Vinaigrette and tried to pass it off as the same thing. Let me just say, not even remotely similar.

---- Ketchup – They don’t call it ketchup – they call it “tomato sauce” – I’m not sure if that’s a copyright issue or if they just feel strongly that “tomato sauce” is a more honest approach. Regardless, it’s much sweeter in Africa – tastes more like candy Ketchup. To be fair, Karl likes African tomato sauce better (but does that really make it OK?).

I could go on and on – but let’s just say I want to kiss America on the lips! Don't you?