June 10/11, 12 (Days 1 and 2)

These (shoes) were made for walking, and that's just what they'll do....

I'm in freakin' EUROPE!

Sorry, just had to express that. I've been wanting to go to Europe since I was, oh, maybe five? And I'm here....it's just crazy.

So, yes, I arrived.

Day 1:

Prologue - I had a wonderful, and far too short, few days in Chicago. I'm missing it, for sure. : (

Tuesday morning, June the 10th, Chase drove me to O'Hare. Now, I had an oh-so-brilliant plan, ja? To adjust for jet-lag and so I wouldn't need a nap or anything upon arrival, I was going to stay up all night Monday night, so I could sleep through my 8 hour transatlantic and wake up, feeling like it was morning, which it actually would be then. Perfect, no?

So I stayed up. I drifted off for an hour once, or so, but other than that....Anna was so cute that morning. "You stayed up ALL NIGHT?" she asked, her three year old eyes wide in amazement. "Yep...." Don't worry, folks - I cautioned her not to follow in my footsteps! I've done this too many times....

So, I do get rather tired....but it's right before my flight leaves O'Hare! Problem: I have a layover in Detroit before going on to Heathrow. I need to stay awake for this one. No such luck. I get an hour of sleep. Then I have a three hour layover of wakefulness. And then it's on to the mega-plane to cross the ocean. And I can't sleep. I drift in and out for the first hour and a half, two hours, or so....but I keep getting woken up by my head being repeatedly hit by the seat in front of me. Yes, it's possible. And it was getting painful. So I gave up. Commence watching Juno and half of The Bucket List, listening to my iPod, writing, staring at the ceiling....yep.

I get to London and successfully navigate to my hotel, with a few wrong turns. Probably walked five times more than necessary with all the zigzags I did, but that's okay. Now it's about 9 in the morning, London time, on Wednesday, the 12th. I walk in and ask if there's any way I can check in early. I'm pretty exhausted....maybe a nap wouldn't be a bad idea. No such luck. I leave my luggage, toss a few things into a small bag (including my toothbrush - couldn't shower, but at least I had that!), and take off, determined to keep moving and stay awake.

The weary traveler: I've successfully navigated my way out of Heathrow, through the Tube, and into Paddington Station.

1) Baker Street. This is where I took the Tube to first. I could've gotten off at the next stop and been closer to my target, but then I couldn't have walked in Sherlock's hunting grounds....

2) Abbey Road. Yes, I suppose that this was my first official sought destination in London! I walked the crosswalk and stood outside their old studio. The door and gate are covered with inscriptions - from lyrics to messages to the Four to 'Joanie loves Chachie' (kidding - haha) to 'Bob was here' to personal notes to friends and family and significant others. I might've left a few little notes myself. : )

Somehow I don't think I'm the famousest person to have walked here. ; )

Yeah, go try and find my messages....dare ya. : )

3) Regent's Park. Beautiful! Strolled around for quite a while, and took some time to sit and take it in, too. Even pulled out Jane Austen for a little bit, reading in the sunshine.

Still awake! Though I did take a ten minute pseudo-nap on a bench a little later....

Beneath a weeping willow - where I sat with my Pride and Prejudice.

Queen Mary's Garden.

This was a place I stumbled across after the Park - St. Marylebone's Parish.

Stepped inside for a quick prayer.

4) King's Cross Station. Yes, this is the Harry Potter station. I casually meandered towards Platforms 9 and 10, thinking I may just snap a quick picture between them. Whaddya know - there's a whole marked Platform 9 3/4 spot already. And you know what makes you feel really mature at such a moment? Being passed by a sprinting pack of jubilant junior highers. But I got my picture, anyways. I have nothing to prove! : )

*splat* Muggle alert! Dang, and I was so convinced I could make it....

5) British Library. Me and libraries. I know. I actually didn't really look around too much, though I spent a good amount of time there. They had a special exhibit room of some of their most treasured possessions - unfortunately, I have no pictures, as photography wasn't allowed (understandable, considering that some items were 1,000 years old, and had earned the right to be light sensitive!). They had anything from an 11th century manuscript of Beowulf to letters from Jane Austen to the very first handwritten compilation of Shakespeare's works to lyrics scribbled by John Lennon on the back of his son's birthday card. Oh, not to mention the actual Magna Carta itself. It was pretty sweet.

The interior.

After this, I finally checked into my hotel, where I essentially passed out for a little while, until it was time for the play.

6) Les Miserables. I can now cross off #47 on the Croak List - see a play in London. West End theatre is among the best in the world. When I wrote that list, I had no idea I'd be coming here! This play is probably my favorite, with Phantom of the Opera a close second. I saw it in Spokane with Staci during senior year, and found it so moving, from beginning to end. Every song, every word, striking another emotional chord. Okay, I confess....the bishop and Valjean's scene, Eponine's final song, the young boy's death, and the closing number with Valjean, Fantine, and Eponine....yes, I cried.

Do you hear the people sing?

End of the day. The Soho/Piccadilly Circus/Leicester Square area reminds me of Times Square or something, and was definitely hopping at 10 at night. However, I was not! I jumped on the Tube and went back to the hotel, where I collapsed about an hour or two later, after going well over 48 hours on about 4 hours of sleep.

Bright lights!

Never sleeps....

Day 2: Screw jumping out of bed bright and early. I check out just after eleven, leave my bags behind reception, and grab some shish taoouk from around the corner. (Wish I'd retained more of my Arabic - the fellows working there were speaking in it. At least it helped me order - ironically, it was easier to get the right pronunciation from the Arabic lettering than the English transliteration for me.) I refuse to attend an American eating establishment while I'm here! It was really good....I took it to destination one, where I sat on the grass, ate, and watched flocks of pigeons that made me think of Mary Poppins.

1) Kensington Gardens. I eat my lunch and start wandering. Spend a few hours here. See Kensington Palace from a distance - will probably hit that tomorrow. Also, the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain and the Prince Albert Memorial, as well as a ton of swans and various gardens and bodies of water.

The Elfin Tree - a really old tree they caged up and stuck tiny, weird little plastic elves on. A little creepy....

The Secret Garden! Well, not really....but you're not allowed to go in, but you have these little openings scattered around in a maze-ish thing outside.

Greenery! All that rain is good for something.... ; )

I find this to be the epitome of understatement (the Prince Albert Memorial).
Beneath the bridge....

The Italian Fountains....and a swan that didn't even try to attack!

2) British Museum. I spent three hours here, and felt like I had skimmed the surface of maybe a third of it. It's official - I am such a history nerd. And it also dredged up that old junior high ambition of being an archaeologist. Of course, the Indy movie a few weeks ago may've pulled it up, too.... : ) Anyways, a lot of fascinating things there, for sure and certain. I really want to go back - they were closing the Roman Empire and medieval Europe sections down right as I was about to go there. Saw ancient Greece and Rome, some of Asia, the Middle East, some of Africa, some of the Americas, and some special exhibits, such as one on the Enlightenment.

Is this not crazy? There are museums older than our country. Heck, there are shopping malls older than our country.

Venus. Their ancient Greece/Rome sculptures and frieses were pretty amazing....including a whole section of the Parthenon.

What did King Tut say when he got scared? "I want my mummy!"
Okay, my apologies for that. ; )

Female Sumerian headdress - thought it looked sweet.

And people say MY handwriting is small? Sheesh! Cuneiform version of the Epic of Gilgamesh.

3) Covent Garden. Basically, a busy outdoor market. Didn't get anything, but fun to wander around and people watch....and sit down for a few minutes, too!

The open-air market feel....

From St. Paul's Church, next to the Garden. These tombstones are hundreds of years old. London is such a mix of the old and the new, all mashed together in the same place.

I hear tell a muffin man lives in these here parts....

4) Royal Opera House and St. Martin-in-the-Fields Church. Intended to wander inside both of these, just for a glimpse, but neither was open - the first because of the later hour, the second because of construction work.

5) Trafalgar Square. I really liked it. Just a chill place to sit and hang out. And by this point, my feet were kind of hurting a bit - I'd been on them for a good 9 hours already during the day. Yeah, I know, that's pretty lame....but hey, I haven't worked an on-your-feet job in a year! : ) I'm outta shape for that!

Two of the numerous monuments in the general Square area.

View from Trafalgar - Big Ben in the distance.

Guarding the Square.

One of the fountains, with St. Martin-in-the-Fields in the background.

More wandering in the Soho/Piccadilly/Leicester area. Decided to get a nice dinner - more for a chance to chill than to actually eat. So I sat there at a little table just inside the window, watching people, reading, sipping my drink....yep. And then back to the hostel that I'll be staying at the rest of my time here. It's a pretty sweet place. I like.

Meandering....

The London night life - from ye olde English pubs to hot new dance clubs....another example of the old and new that is this city.

So, I should go to beeeeed now. I'm not exactly caught up yet, and I want to jump up early tomorrow.

Cheers!

Random tidbit: phonebooths are sketchy.