Fish and Chips and the Sky

I finally sat down and had fish and chips at The Anchor, a pub on the bank of the river Thames. I was people watching and writing a letter when I looked up at the sky and WABAM there was a sundog. I ran (yes, ran) to the nearest bridge to take a halfway decent picture. I love the sky.



Just a quick update. New pictures from my adventures of the weekend are linked on the right.

London and the Countryside

Saturday was spent wandering around London. First stop was Borough Market, where I picked up a roast beef sandwich, fudge, and ice cream. The sandwich was good, the fudge was crap, and the ice cream was ok. Glad I tried the fudge before buying a box to bring home to Maaaa. Then I went to Tower of London. I didn't go in (what can I say, I'm still a cheapskate sometimes), but I got some up close pictures of Tower Bridge. The reason I went over there was to get onto Tower Beach, but I now realize that it is scheduled for next week. Whoops. There was also a "spaceship landing site" and "secret police" on the other side of Tower Bridge. I can't figure out what was going on after a quick Google search. Oh well.

Tower Bridge. There's a drawbridge in the middle that raised after I crossed over

Off went to Portobello Market. Think NYC street fair, with antiques thrown in with the crappy clothing and trinkets. I poked around the shops though and found some neat stuff. After that I took the Tube to Kensington, where all the museums had closed at 5:30. LAME. Looks like I'll be going there next Saturday before my plane takes off. I laid in the sun in Hyde Park for a bit, grabbed dinner, and headed back to the hotel. Lots of walking, but the weather was decent; mostly sunny, temps in the upper 60s with a light breeze.

Sunday was I'll-suck-it-up-and-be-a-tourist day. I was going to take a train out to Bath, but decided to take a tour bus instead. That way, I was able to stop at Windsor Castle, Stonehenge, and Bath.

Windsor Castle is where the Queen spends most of her time. It's outside London near Heathrow Airport. It's a big sprawling castle that's been around a long time. Only one part of it is open for touring, but it is still in use: that's where the Queen hosts her dinners and entertains her guests. No pictures allowed inside, but I would love to be royalty for, let's say a month, to just be able to enjoy living in a CASTLE.

Round Tower at Windsor Castle. The Queen wasn't there; you can tell because the flag with three lions is not raised. She's on holiday in Scotland.

After that we were on our way to Stonehenge. First we stopped off at the local Stonehenge Inn, which is a pub in a military town next to Stonehenge. It's in the middle of a field in the middle of nowhere farm fields. But, they're pretty middle of nowhere farm fields. I've always wanted to see Stonehenge, and I'm so glad I got to do it. It's a bit anticlimactic because it's so touristy, but well worth a visit.

Stonehenge (henge = circle)

Bath is named that way because it is home to the only hot springs in Britain. The Romans used to use it. When they left, the British filled it in and forgot about it until the 1700s, when they decided it would be a good idea to preserve and restore what remained. Wise choice. It was really neat to see, touch, and walk on the old Roman architecture. Looks like I need to head to Rome next, then!

Can you see any of the bubbles from the hot springs?

Bath is a pretty little city. Two architects, a father and son team, designed the city long ago, and the buildings look just about all the same; the only exceptions are how fancy the moulding is on the outside of the building.

Street in Bath

All in all, I think the tour bus was money well spent. The tour guide was great; he knew a lot about the areas, made it personalized, was cheery, and answered everyone's questions. I will admit to feeling like a herded sheep at some points, and I didn't spend nearly enough time in Bath, but I expect that I'll be back to England at some point in the future, playing tour guide to some friend or family member.

London, Round 2

I've been lucky enough to have been sent back to London for work again. I'm here for another 2 weeks. I got in midday Monday, so I haven't had time for anything but work yet, but here's what I think so far.

The Same
The hotel, the smell of the hotel (not bad, just distinct), the 5 minute walking commute down either Fish Street Hill or Pudding Lane, the many different and delicious offerings of fruit juices, the office, the weather (still hasn't rained on me!)

Different
More daylight, dozens of people outside the pubs at lunchtime (!!)

Yeah, London doesn't change much :) I feel completely comfortable here. Just wish I had friends and family here to enjoy it with me! I'm still planning my weekend, but I'm thinking about heading out to Bath. It's supposed to be the quintessential English town.

Edit:
I thought these were in the vending machine downstairs, but it must have been somewhere else that I saw them. If I find them in a store, I will be sure to purchase them.

Catching Up

I'm a slacker. I know it. It's hard do to do anything extra in a day because I've been so busy! Here's what's been going down.

Early June: My grandfather passed away at the age of 83. He had his ups and downs after having his stroke last year, and his body just couldn't take anymore. I plan on doing a tribute post at some point; he had a really big impact in my life.

Mid-June: My sister turned 20, my brother turned 9! We also attended the PA reception for Jonathan's brother and sister-in-law.

Early July: Celebrated 4th of July in Baltimore with Jonathan's friend Victor. Went to wedding #3 of the summer. I was a bridesmaid in Sara and Todd's beautiful wedding. It was at the Dorito church in State College, followed by a reception at Tussey Lodge. It was fantastic seeing everyone again. Pics stolen from Ashley.

She smacked his hand out of the way :)

The wedding party at Tussey