London Part 1

Hi All,

So for those of you following the trip I have left beautiful Ireland for the UK and specifically London.  Which is crazy compared to the serene landscape of Ireland.  To prove my point I'll give the play by play of the last couple of days.  I flew into London on Tuesday (9/4/07) and took the bus into the city center thinking it would be cheaper and easier (wrong, it only saved me 2£ and took forever).  The lovely lady at the desk that sold my the bus ticket gave me crap directions.  I showed her where my hostel was and she sold me a ticket to a station roughly a mile away from my hostel.  So after my nap on the bus ride I was treated to a wake up call that entailed me lugging my stuff up Oxford street approximately a mile to my hostel.  Now I know you're thinking why didn't she just catch a cab or a bus or tube or something.  Well to answer that brilliant question the tubes were on strike when I arrived and none were working.  I got into London at 5pm just in time for rush hour so finding a taxi that wasn't occupied was impossible and the buses were jammed packed with all the people that normally take the tube.  Plus the fact that the London Bus system is a freakin' nightmare to people who don't know it.  So I hoofed it all the way and earned myself some serious brownie points for desert.  I knew I was getting close to my hostel but was still completely lost so I asked a young woman where the hell to go and she was nice enough to walk me to the correct street.  At the time I almost kissed her for being so kind.  Then I checked into my hostel only to find out that after all the trouble and walking there were two different buildings to the hostel and I was staying in the other one.  I got a map and thank god it was really close, otherwise I would have screamed bloody murder.  I collected my bags and hoofed it over to the other building and upstairs to my room and met one of my 5 roommates, Teresa, an Aussie from Brisbane living in Ireland and on holiday.

We chatted until I realized how late it was then changed clothes and made a mad dash to Leicester Square for the Spiritual Warriors screening.  I grabbed myself a piece of pizza and ate while walking and getting bad directions to the theater.  I did however make it in time and ended up chatting with a lovely British woman, Allie, who had never heard of MSIA and came to see the movie based on an ad she saw in the paper.  We chatted and ended up sitting next to each other.  After the screening Jzu and Lee Taylor-Young did a Q&A which was really interesting.  When it was over I said hi to Zoe and chatted a little more with Allie until she walked me up close to my hostel where I could figure out where I was going.  I got her number and told her I would try to ring her this weekend.  I unfortunately missed Carrie (MSIA UK rep) at the screening.  There were just too many people but I'm going to try emailing her tonight.  By the time I got back to the hostel I was pooped and got in bed after introducing myself to my other roommate Juliana.

I woke up to a bright and shiny Wednesday morning and got up and dressed.  Teresa had been to London before and was going to go do maintenance stuff for the day so Juliana and I decided since we both wanted to go see the big tourist stuff that we'd go together.  So we had breakfast (baguette style rolls with butter and jam and coffee) and signed up for the hostel BBQ.  I figured all you can eat BBQ for 3£ wasn't to bad.  We headed out and after a little bus stop/direction/route confusion caught the correct bus to Westminster and saw the Westminster Abbey.  We didn't go in as they are charging 10£ for entrance (that's 20$, I don't think so) but the outside was beautiful to say the least.  We then headed over to see Big Ben and the House of Parliament. I got a great picture in front of Big Ben.  We crossed the Thames and walked along the river with some ice cream and took a ride on the London Eye.  It was great a couple got engaged during our "flight" on the eye.  The guy had his brother and sister in law hang a banner off the side of the bridge that said "Diane, Will you marry me?"  At the beginning I was wondering why they had binoculars but when she finally read the sign and started crying he pulled out the engagement ring and proposed and I put 2 and 2 together.  I was really very sweet and we congratulated them and took pictures.  After our flight on the Eye we walked through St. James Park and Juliana feed and took a ton of pictures of the squirrels, just like I imagined Kim would, then we ended up at Buckingham Palace.  Again, just my luck and the changing of the guards was not being done that day so after taking some pictures we decided it was worth it to take the tour of the Staterooms of the palace.  So we toured and let me tell you it was gorgeous!  I couldn't believe all the beautiful rooms with silk wall paper and gilt and ornate carvings and furniture and everything was exquisite.  I didn't get any pictures because they were not allowed, that way they can make you get the book to get some pictures.  Not something in my budget.  After our tour we walked over to Hyde Park and took a tea and snack break in the cafe by the lake and relaxed.  We walked through the park and split up.  She was only in London another day and a half and wanted to make sure to get over to Knotting Hill.  I was exhausted and wanted to go back for the BBQ.  I walked all the way back yet another mile long hike thru the urban jungle and made it in time to have a hamburger and at least 4 or 5 sausages (I know what you're thinking but they were really small burgers and sausages and that was all I had eaten other then an almond croissant since breakfast).  Shortly after Teresa and I decided to get out of the food maylay and went around the corner to a pub and had a Bulmers and talked.  She is awesome and I had a wonderful time chatting with her.  It was nice to have such a deep and personal conversation with someone.  As we finished our drinks the bartender bought us another bottle to split so we hung around and chatted some more.  Then went back to the hostel and climbed into our jammies and were in bed by sadly 11:30pm.

But we were up and raring to go the next morning and showered and got beautified and went to breakfast.  Teresa was leaving after breakfast so we lingered and chatted.  Then she checked out and we went back to our building.  I met up with Juliana then and said my goodbyes to Teresa and Juliana and I left for the British Museum.  We spent a couple of hours in he museum and I fried poor Juliana's brain.  She is a lovely Argentinean woman that currently lives in Valencia Spain and was here on holiday.  English is her second language so reading all the plaques for the exhibits is a bit overwhelming.  I may go back later in the trip to finish seeing everything.  But we got some lunch at the hostel and then headed out to Covent Garden Market and took a look thru the stalls there.  Then walked through Leicester Square and up to Regent's Park where we visited Queen Mary's Rose Garden.  I even took some pictures for Marjorie in the garden and definitely thought of her.  We walked around in the garden then about 8pm started the walk back to the hostel.  We stopped off at an asian noodle restaurant for dinner and then crashed in our room.  It was an overall fabulous but tiring day.

Today was another bright and shiny morning in London and Juliana had to leave at midday.  So we got breakfast and she checked out out of the hostel then headed out and saw St. Peter's Cathedral (the outside at least again they were charging 9.50£ entrance) we decided it wasn't worth it and crossed the millennium bridge and went thru the Tate Modern Art Museum.  Juliana left me about half way thru it to go back.  I got her email address and vice versa so we can keep in touch.  I then walked along the Thames up to Marbough Market and walked thru.  I bought some dried pineapple rings and banana chips and a yummy quiche for later.  I ogled all the stalls of pastries and actually restrained from buying something sweet to eat.  I then continue my walk and saw the London Bridge (really not that exciting) and on to the Tower Bridge where I crossed the Thames again and went to the Tower of London.  Here I did splurge and pay the 16£ entrance fee and toured.  When you pay the entrance fee you can automatically join a tour with a Yeoman Warder (Beefeater) who gives you the run down on the Tower.  Lots of information on when the sections were built and what prisoners were held there before being beheaded including several of Henry VIII's wives.  The guide David was great and really funny so I was happy I splurged.  Sorry and I can't remember even half the facts he gave.  After the tour I went and saw the crown jewels.  I want to write the queen and ask her if I can any of the crowns, scepters, etc.  I'll even settle for one of the little coronation rings.  I promise to give it back!  After my my realization that I would probably never get to hold something so grand and expensive I dried my eyes and got some conciliatory fish and chips.  I munched on the benches outside the Tower and then headed for home.  Most of the tubes are up and running again so I took my first tube ride to Holborn station and walked back to my hostel.  to drop stuff off then headed her to the internet cafe on New Oxford Street to write my illustrious memoirs.

Talk about a jammed packed couple of days, huh?  So I plan to spend the next couple relaxing a little more.  Unfortunately due to some scheduling, financial, driving on the wrong side of the road issues I will not be able to make it to Stonehenge this trip.  I'm know I'm really bummed!!!!!  But it gives me an excuse to come back and for those interested in future travels with Amanda I'm going to be planning a trip to England and Scotland in the future.  Okay in the next 10 years hopefully.  I have to pay off this trip first.  In any case stay tuned for London part deux.