Day 5

Met up with Biffy for coffee in La Bohamin. One can't put these things off forever. We talked of old times, mostly, of the parties and boat races and Professor Alexandrovich with that accent we could never understand. The coffee was foul, of course, and I didn't touch what passes for buns here.

Biffy eventually let his curiosity overcome his reserve and asked me what I was doing here. I didn't want to say the truth out loud—never know who might be listening in a cafe like this—so I just said it was a pleasure trip. Which in a way it is.

I haven't made any sketches yet, but I'm getting ready to. I have a good sense of the city's layout at this point. The river is key, of course. There's curiously little traffic in and out by roads. But much is shipped in and out of Bislo by boat.

Hrm. Must find out what those factories actually make.