London

it's been about a week since i got to london and what was supposed to be just a one week trip for work has been extended to two and today was by far the most exhilarating if not utterly tiring day. today was the first day that i have been entirely on my own and i spent all day running around from place to place trying my best to see everything on my list. for a little over eight bucks, i was able to take the underground all around london and it was the easiest thing ever. i don't understand why sf can't have public transportation like this but i didn't get lost once and i even transferred from train to train without any trouble and felt like a true local.

the last time i came to london was when i was 12 and while i knew i had seen all the usual tourist spots then (big ben, buckingham palace), what stood out more from that trip was when i was standing out in the rain in a phone booth on the phone with the guy i was dating at the time elated because that was the first time he said i love you to me. yes that's the stuff one remembers at that age, not historic sites or anything so all that i revisited again today. i started off at st paul's (the church that princess diana got married in) and made it in time to sit in on one of the sunday services and it was all i could do to pry myself away. i just wanted to sit there forever listening to the singing and staring in amazement at the walls and ceilings.

next i went on to kensington gardens and hyde park because i really wanted to see the princess diana memorial fountain (yes i have a bit of an obsession with her) and that had to be the biggest disappointment of the day. i probably should of looked it up before i went so i had an idea of what it would be but it basically just seemed like a stream with kids splashing around in their bathing suits and it seemed more like a makeshift waterpark than anything else.

from there i hit up harrod's the department store because my co-worker had told me it was a must see which i slightly disagree with, i felt claustrophobic the whole time and then it was on to covent garden which was just an outdoor square with lots of shops and boutiques along the way and then the big bang with buckingham palace, westminister abbey, big ben, house of parliament and the london eye all in one swoosh.

out of everything that i've seen here so far, my favorites have got to be trafalgar square (where the tmobile sing-along took place), st paul's, tower of london and house of parliament. i don't remember feeling this in awe of the buildings the last time i was here but then again, i probably didn't appreciate it for what it is as much. the london eye was a bit overrated but a must see just because it was new although i have no desire to get on that thing at all. it's a waste of 30 minutes if you ask me i don't care how great the views are.

my schedule everyday has been get up at 5am, try to go back to sleep unsuccessfully, meet up with my co-workers at 8am and take the train a hour to our office. then it's work like crazy till 6pm or so and run to catch the train back to london and then out to grab a bite to eat somewhere and then back home to get some more work done. it's been a bit crazy but i'm sort of loving it although after another week here i think i'll be ready to go home. i'm not sure how long i can keep up this pace given the jetlag, the lack of sleep, the being woken up by mosquitos and feeling dead tired all the time.

the place that i'm staying at is more of an apartment than a hotel which is nice since i have my own kitchen and living room so i've been eating in some nights when i'm just too tired to do anything and i even plan on doing laundry this week. yes my own washer/dryer here, something that i don't even have in sf. i'm located right across from the liverpool train station and i secretly hope each morning that tmobile will be filming another commercial there so i can break out in song and dance and be captured on film. liverpool i'm told is the financial district of london which i can definitely tell based on all the guys in suits in the morning and then at the pubs when i get back home.

it's been a whirlwind week so far and just some quick observations or comments:

- potatao jackets are all the rage here which is basically just a baked potato filled with different types of toppings. i got mine with cheese and butter but tuna and baked beans seem to be a popular option which kind of seem a bit odd to me.

- there's no toilet seat covers in any of the public restrooms. i'm not exactly sure why but if i had known, i would of made sure to bring my own before i came.

- i'm in love with the supermarkets here, mainly tesco and boots are the two that i've been frequenting. they have everything and i do mean everything and they sell it all in single size servings. they even have these little jugs of milk that are just too cute and it's just so convenient for those living on their own.

- the locals here are either really pale or really orange. as in too much fake bed tanning. i'm just saying...it's not a good look.

- my beacon home has been the "gherkin" building which is located near my apartment and can be seen from pretty much anywhere in london so when in doubt, i just look for that and walk in that direction and so far it's worked out quite well.

- trash cans are hard to find out in public and especially at train stations. it's usually just a plastic bag tied to a wall post somewhere and the reason for this i'm told is because that's where the ira used to hide their bombs.

- i walked in on a festival at leicester square yesterday and thought to myself damn the live music here is pretty good until i realized i had walked in on "spirit in the city" which was a christian festival and what i was hearing was prayer songs. there was even reconciliation booths around for those who wanted to confess their sins on a balmy saturday afternoon.

- gladiator sandals are everywhere and not just on the young and hip but even the old too. so much so that i almost convinced myself that i needed a pair until i remembered that i used to ridicule them. silently of course.

- i've been taking pictures up the ying yang since i got here and probably have taken more this one week than i have this entire year.

- i pretty much have no concept of money here. it's not that it's all that hard to convert but i don't even bother and just buy whatever i want whenever i feel like it. it's a pretty amazing feeling although i'm sure i'll regret it later.

- my favorite thing i've eaten here is this ham and cheese croissant sandwich from this little bakery at the train station in the mornings. it is amazing and i could probably eat one everyday but i won't. and for some reason, waffles are a big thing here too which i had no idea on but they are pretty delicious. it's the smell that gets me everytime.

- the perfect way to end a day of sightseeing: buying some roasted almonds and a hot dog off of westminister bridge and parking my ass down right underneath the london eye and just partaking in the scenery for a good hour or so.

- one of my favorite musicals of all time les miserables is playing here and i desperately wanted to buy tickets but i don't know if i'll get time to. tickets are ridiculously cheap ($80 bucks for the most expensive ones) and i'm still hoping i can somehow fit it in but it's not looking good. but honestly how amazing would that have been? to see les mis live again!

- my one wish that i didn't get to do was go clubbing one night but i guess that will just have to wait for next time. i entertained the thought of just going by myself but in the end decided against it. i'm not hong.

and with that, i'm off to get ready for another busy week and hopefully some more sight-seeing if i can swing it. if you've read this far you must really be bored or you must truly be one of my friends and for this i thank you. it warms my heart so.