London, part 3

I cannot overstate how the music from this land has influenced me.

Irish blood, English heart, this I'm made of
There is no-one on earth I'm afraid of
And no regime can buy or sell me

I've been dreaming of a time when
To be English is not to be baneful
To be standing by the flag* not feeling shameful


The flag. I think it was a Buffy episode where someone said, "You're flying the English flag upside down." It took me a while to figure it out, but there is no way to fly it upside down. The thicker white portions are symmetrical.  My mom and I stood at Buckingham Palace staring up at it in the wind, trying to figure it out.

We stared and stared as the wind whipped it around so we couldn't tell. Then we both said simultaneously, "HOLD STILL!" We cracked up that we both lost impatience with the wind at the same moment.

Our first glimpse of Westminster Abbey, which has a clock on one tower and a suspiciously missing clock on the other.

As Christians we really appreciated this sign - I love how Europe is unafraid to express its beliefs even if they might offend some other religions. Here in Germany, the *regular* radio stations have church services every morning at 6:45 AM. They alternate between catholic and protestant so no one feels left out. And they talk about God and Jesus in the media as if it's perfectly natural to speak about them.

WHP told us to visit the British Museum and we did right away, it was very close to our hotel. My mom was telling me that she'd heard that the original horses were very small, pony sized. When we found these bits at the museum, I told her she must be right - they are tiny! These look like painful versions of the bit I iuse.

This is at our favorite pub - A Friend at Hand, with a St Bernard dog with flask on its neck on their sign. I told my mom to go over and pose like Vanna White next to this sign which is trying to convey the importance of not losing your belongings. I asked because my parents had arrived from Paris, where they'd lost their cell phone, 2 Kindles, and various other important things. Lucky for them, the items were recovered and will be shipped home. But not before they endured a great deal of stress not being able to contact me, or anyone. My mom is so cute that she humors me like this - I hope you can see what a sense of humor she has.

It's my first day in London and they took me to A Friend at Hand for lunch. Some kids who don't need tables are taking their drinks standing on the sidewalk out the window. I'd just tasted my first "slider" in my life - isn't that an American thing? It was awesome! I also had a lovely Guinness. 

This is the Albert memorial (?) - the taxi driver made a big deal out of it, saying how much gold is coating its surface. We were at Serpentine Lake in Hyde Park (Central Park NY) and he was very clear when he pointed it out, that the Princess Diana memorial nearby is not important to people *shrug* Certainly hers wasn't what you'd call splendid. I wonder what the story is on that.

Place to see famous concerts, not open on this day.

 

WHP told us where to go - and we took his advice and went to all the places he recommended. This is ---oh geez, I forget which district. This pub disturbed me because they forgot the apostrophe.

When we arrived at Times Square, sorry, I mean Picadilly circus, my expert snacker step-father got himself an ice cream cone immediately. It was like 3 pounds (6 bucks!) - and tasted very much like American ice cream. I don't think those ingredients are legal in Germany.

Right next to a subway ("Tube") entrance was one of those funny street performers painted in silver. This one seemed to be sitting in mid air, it was quite a trick for the children to see. This place was so crowded, though, we just wanted out of there. I actually ran down that subway entrance cuz I was determined to show my parents the escalator to the center of the earth. Sadly, you have to buy a ticket to see that. It's no honor system, like in Germany! Heck you even need your ticket to get OUT of the station!

People kept taking pictures of themselves or of their friends. We did the same. I was the only one protected from the skin-cancer-giver in the sky.

See? Times Square! Hm, it seems here that Joel has found a coffee while I wasn't looking. And my mom is chatting in her friendly way with a touristy guy who is trying to sell something.

Close up of the subway "Tube" sign because it's ...well, as the English say, "iconic."

I should ask people what they think is happening in this photo before I tell. The truth is, it was hot out, and my mom kicked off her shoes in the taxi. But then she was taken by surprise and had to jump out onto the sidewalk in her socks. I was amazed  - "Mom, you can't walk London sidewalks in socks!"She cheerfully grabbed a rail and put on her "American-giveaway" shoes right there. A lady walked by and gave my mom such a look, a look to melt steel. We laughed and laughed about this. Did you see that look that lady gave me? As if she'd never seen anyone put on their shoes after exiting a taxi!? *lol*

At  A Friend at Hand. I had run up the street and bought a tray of fresh raspberries, very sour, but we managed to eat them. Let's eat a little bit of healthy food while we're here!

I think I showed you this pic before but it illustrates so much. Our snacking, our Americanisms (ice bucket!) , our priority on relaxing within sightseeing. Joel is 82. It's not easy to traipse the earth anymore, for him. I can only hope he can manage it again, because I want them here.

Royal Albert Hall again, we're strollen, strollen...watch us stroll.

OK this is the Museum of Natural History, something I couldn't miss. You might be able to make out me and Joel waving at my mom taking our picture on the escalator. 

Beforehand was a total fiasco, the Science Museum next door had to be evacuated for some reason, so the entire street was blocked off full of people. Then I had to pee. And Joel had to suddenly rest his tired legs, and I was desperate. They sat down on the steps of the Mormon Cathedral (really, seriously) and I ran, I ran into the subway, hoping to find a toilet. I'd drank 2 cups of coffee, 3 orange juices, 1 cranberry juice, and probably the Queen's tea. I ran through that subway on a mission. That subway was not a subway, it was an underground walking tunnel connecting all these historical buildings.  So I ran. Finally I came to an underground entrance to the Victoria Albert museum, the museum my mom really wanted to see, and I asked the kindly black gentlemen in suits at the door, "MAY I USE THE TOILET, I"LL PAY!!!" they said, "no need, the museum is open and the toilet is free." I ran further, and encountered lines of people wanting to get in to certain exhibits. I glanced at the art my mom wanted to see. I sprinted further til I finally found the toilet, and it was very nice, but of course, this is England, it doesn't flush properly. I sprinted for the door and said sorry a hundred times as I ran past people - I took another exit onto the street level because I never wanted to see that dark subway tunnel again. I ran and ran, down that street, and the traffic was at a standstill, and some guy hooted at me. (At ME?!) I had been gone almost a half hour and I was panicked. I ran back to that Church of Latter Day Saints and my parents were not there! I huffed and huffed and looked around, there they were casually sitting on a bench, sunning themselves. I almost got killed running across the street to them, cuz of the freaking left hand driving. (In countries where they drive on the left, you must look that way too!). I sat down and they said, "Well, we used the toilet at the Mormon church." I said, "Well, I saw your Prince Albert museum!" *lol*

I LOVE earthquake simulators. And I hate them. I mean, I cannot resist them, but they freak me out sometimes. I've been to one in San Fran, one in Bremen Germany, and now----surprise, England! They designed what looks like an asian shop, and as you stand there, it starts rumbling and then everything is moving.....and I became upset and almost had to leave, but my mom thought it was fun so I held onto the rail and tried to stay calm. In case you don't know, I went through the Nisqually Quake of 2001, and I'll never be the same. But, to evaluate this exhibit, I would tell them, don't just make the hanging lights flicker, that's not enough. They must SWAY. Geez. Also, I never noticed anyone else getting nervous, so I think they hadn't been through the Nisqually Quake, where I prepared to die.

We had some disagreements about the age of the earth, in this place. Here is the tail of a dinosaur, and I wanted to capture how lovely the architecture is in this museum. If you have all day, you can spend it here. I had to stop at the insect section, because they had way, way too many insects.

I wanted to try to capture how many people we had to swim through.

Oh, dear, I guess I'm done with England. I was only there 3 days, certainly not enough! I would suggest, if you hate NY city, don't go to London. But if you love it, you must go! Also, there are more economical ways to seeing London that I chose. You have to be clever. Here I am, looking out the window of my airport express train  to the modern side of downtown London, and about to enjoy another meat pasty (meat pie). I have my cell phone there to text my husband, I'm on my way.....

I keep trying to tell you how good these simple meat pies are - they are like English fast food - each pie costs only 1,40 pounds. And look at this one, it's steak and gravy. I'm dying here. I don't usually photograph food, but on a trip to London, I must.

Now I'm sad.

I have no more English meat pasties.

I took this photo for anyone familiar with the area between London and Stansted airport - I saw lots of swamps, sheep, spotted horses lying down, tents where it seems homeless live, and fallen trees. Why aren't the trees cleaned up? There were so many.

When I arrived at Stansted airport, I was thrilled to be way ahead of schedule. I took a pic of my express train, the train I enjoyed so much because it was so empty! Oh wait - on the way back, there was a guy giving relationship advice over his cell phone to a woman, he kept saying what a creep the guy was, and how she deserved better, and he didn't seem to be aware, at all, that everyone could hear that conversation!! I wanted to hear how it all panned out but he departed the train before I did.

On arrival, getting very excited about getting back to Germany and my man I was waiting for the Cologne flight.

I had quite a bit of time left a the airport due to the amazing efficiency of the subway and trains. I had one more meat pie in my bag, and I sat down at a restaurant and ate it, with my ipod (guess the generation of my ipod) and said Thank You to the Polish lady who waited on me "Djellyeck" - cuz my mom and I had tried so hard to learn that word at our hotel.

It was one of those silly little flights where you have to walk up a staircase to get in, like the President of the USA. I stood there in the wind, enjoying the cool air for the last time before getting into that little Ryanair deathtrap.

Then there were two German guys next to me, and we spoke German the whole way home, and I was happy.

My parents arrived home the next day safe, and said they liked the German aspect of their trip the best: ): ) :) Well, it always helps to have a local showing you around, you know?