Exploration

Day 6
Location: Trafalgar Square and beyond

Ooooh my feet are tired. I dont consider myself a particularly lazy person, and I used to walk quite a bit around Seattle. However there seems to be something about exploring a new city that makes your feet especially tender. That and the fact that I always seem to be breaking in new shoes while I am exploring. I guess thats my own fault.

Well, in my walking I have seen some fun things. Yesterday my cousin Sarah and I spent a day walking around and getting to know each other. She and I met for the first time about 8 years ago when her mom and my uncle got married, and have not seen each other since. So it was really cool to connect again. She, like me, is a transplant from the US. She has also been amazingly helpful in my transition here. A few nights ago she let me tag along with some friends of hers to celebrate turning in her dissertation. We visited a couple of very interesting and very different bars. One was themed around the Breakfast club and other 80s cult hits. We were escorted downstairs to the bar, through a refrigerator. After that we went to the 10 Bells. Apparently this pub is notorious for being near where two of Jack the Rippers victims met their ends.

Yesterday we strolled through the Saturday street market, passing some amazing looking cheese, pastries and assorted goods. We walked along Regents Canal and ended up in an area called Angel. While there we browsed through an amazing alley full of antique and boutique stores. I also finally got my hands on an A to Z (pronounced zed).

I think this book, the A to Z is going to be a lifesaver. I am at the moment going through severe phone withdrawal. Back home I have a phone that, to be honest, does everything for me. But most importantly it has gps and maps built in. This means that I could always find where I was going. Here I bought the cheapest phone I could find. It has nothing, I cant even make the buttons stop beeping without turning off the sound completely. So no help finding my way around. And boy have I spent a lot of the last few days wandering around rather lost. It has never been to the point of panic, but I am definitely feeling quite a bit vulnerable without my phone. I am sure it is good for me, builds character or something, but at the moment I just wish that I would remember to write down better directions before I leave the house.

Today has been a day of touristy sights. I visited Trafalgar square, and the National gallery, passing by Big Ben and the houses of Parliament in the process, ending my day at Shakespeare's Globe. 

Along my walk I passed some interesting artwork. I particularly liked this monument to the women of WWII, both for the intent behind it and as a piece of art. The piece below I just thought was a lot of fun. I didnt really understand why it was sitting in out front of the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square, but who am I to question these things.

After a while I did realize that it may come across as if my camera went to London but I stayed behind. So I made my roommates take some pictures with me in them too. I think they were amused by this idea. So below are some touristy photos. I was able to capture one of my roommates on film, but not the other. So, everyone this is Panayotis. He is Greek and will be studying Advanced Theatre Practices, more specifically directing at Central this fall. You will all meet Lucile at a later date!

...Ok having some trouble with this picture thing. Cant get them to do what I want them to, or upload for that matter. So pictures of me are going to have to wait. You'll just have to take it on faith that I actually am here, and I didnt just download these photos off the internet!