Well, I'm home. Today it will be a week since I made my return to the normal world. I miss Europe, but my heart's not broken. Now that I'm back on my regular schedule I appreciate the madness of those 3 weeks a little more, especially since they're over ;)
I'll be editing, captioning, and uploading photos throughout the week. Hopefully I'll have a 2 Picasa web albums ready to go by the weekend; one for London, one for European Highlights.
I'll also be transcribing some of my better journal entries into this blog. I'll be keeping up my regular blog as well; if you haven't been following it, you can find it here: Laura in Real Life.
Cheers,
-Laur
August 24, 2009
August 16, 2009
Wrap-up
Just a quick post for now because I have to go say goodbye to some people who aren't staying at the hotel.
The tour is over and just in time, because I've run out of money haha. Tomorrow I'll be home and ready to get back to real life. I get in at around 3:15 in the afternoon.
Tonight we're doing farewell drinks in the pub later on, for those of us who are staying at the Royal National hotel until we leave London. I still have to repack my suitcases and take a shower; I'll do that later, I think. I haven't met my roommates, but for now I'm hungry and I think I'll go find some dinner.
Next to come: highlights and lowlights.
-Laur
The tour is over and just in time, because I've run out of money haha. Tomorrow I'll be home and ready to get back to real life. I get in at around 3:15 in the afternoon.
Tonight we're doing farewell drinks in the pub later on, for those of us who are staying at the Royal National hotel until we leave London. I still have to repack my suitcases and take a shower; I'll do that later, I think. I haven't met my roommates, but for now I'm hungry and I think I'll go find some dinner.
Next to come: highlights and lowlights.
-Laur
August 15, 2009
Amsterdam-aged
OMG This city is ridiculous! I'm almost ready to start my full day there and last night I got my first taste of the red light district. B, I so wish you were here <3
The bus is going to leave soon and I have to hit the bank. Here's a short recap:
Munich: not much fun, with the exception of the Bier Hall dinner. I drank half a 1-litre stein of beer! Sarah would be so proud.
The Rhine valley was GORGEOUS! I wish we had had more time there. I bought two pairs of Birkenstock Madrids for CHEAP and then after dinner went for a delicious and drunken wine tasting in the award-winning cellar near our hotel. Delicious!
Anyways, people want these computers so I'm going to have to sign off. Home on Monday for stories in person!!!
-Laur
The bus is going to leave soon and I have to hit the bank. Here's a short recap:
Munich: not much fun, with the exception of the Bier Hall dinner. I drank half a 1-litre stein of beer! Sarah would be so proud.
The Rhine valley was GORGEOUS! I wish we had had more time there. I bought two pairs of Birkenstock Madrids for CHEAP and then after dinner went for a delicious and drunken wine tasting in the award-winning cellar near our hotel. Delicious!
Anyways, people want these computers so I'm going to have to sign off. Home on Monday for stories in person!!!
-Laur
August 12, 2009
Ciao, Italia!
MY GOODNESS! What a crazy few days I have had! I've been to Firenze, Roma and Venezia, and now, sadly, I am in München (Munich), and I miss Italy already.
You got my post from Florence; the next few days were even crazier! The morning after the dinner and club we woke up to an earlz breakfast, put our stuff back on the coach and headed back into the city. We saw a leather-crafting demonstration and got to look at some very expensive purses and such, and then we had about an hour or so of free time to hang around before we went on a walking tour of the major sights. I wandered around and bought a few gifts and such, and took a few pictures in Piazza Signoria, where the replica of Michaelangelo's David stands, and then met up with the tour at ten to 11. Our guide was very knowledgeable and well-spoken; she took us past the Uffizi gallery, pointing out all the statues of important Italian artists, authors and leaders; she took us to Ponte Vecchio, which is home to 24 gold and silver shops; we saw some markets, some piazzas, and finally, the Duomo and the Gates of Paradise. Very cool. I had time for lunch and then we headed out for Rome!
In Rome we went for a sight-seeing walk with Sion, but we had to be sneaky because she could get fined up to 500€ for being a non-Italian guide. We saw the Trevi Fountain (!!!!!), the column of Marcus Aurelius, the Pantheon, and finally Piazza Navona, where we were all responsible for finding dinner. Me and the gang found a restaurant up an alleyway and everyone had something different and delicious.
The next morning Jon wasn't allowed to drive again, so we all took the Roma Metro into the city for our guided tour of the Roman Forum and the Colloseum. We arrived in the nick of time, and the tour was awesome if not very, very hot. I loved the history of the place; it's just so old! After we finished there, the gang and I headed for Vatican City. We got in pretty quickly but lost Melissa to heat exhaustion shortly thereafter; she headed back to the campsite for a shower and a nap. Khanyisa, Augusto and I kept going, through miles of galleries and corridors, until we finally reached the Sistine Chapel; it was darker and more crowded in there than I expected, but the awesomeness of that masterpiece of a ceiling made up for it. We went to lunch when we were finished, and then took the Metro one station over to go to St. Peter's Square. It was gorgeous too! So much space and such beautiful architecture, amazing! We went back to camp and had dinner there, and then went to bed late after some drinks.
The next morning we headed for Venice; it's the longest drive we've had so far, but so worth it! We arrived at the camp with enough spare time to get changed, and then took the camp shuttle ferry into town. After a glass-blowing demonstration and some shopping time we took a half-hour gondola ride and I got toasted on champagne. I struck out on my own after that and shopped and wandered and ate the most amazing lasagna I've ever had, got my last gelato, and headed for the ferry back to camp.
Now for a German dinner!
-Laur
You got my post from Florence; the next few days were even crazier! The morning after the dinner and club we woke up to an earlz breakfast, put our stuff back on the coach and headed back into the city. We saw a leather-crafting demonstration and got to look at some very expensive purses and such, and then we had about an hour or so of free time to hang around before we went on a walking tour of the major sights. I wandered around and bought a few gifts and such, and took a few pictures in Piazza Signoria, where the replica of Michaelangelo's David stands, and then met up with the tour at ten to 11. Our guide was very knowledgeable and well-spoken; she took us past the Uffizi gallery, pointing out all the statues of important Italian artists, authors and leaders; she took us to Ponte Vecchio, which is home to 24 gold and silver shops; we saw some markets, some piazzas, and finally, the Duomo and the Gates of Paradise. Very cool. I had time for lunch and then we headed out for Rome!
In Rome we went for a sight-seeing walk with Sion, but we had to be sneaky because she could get fined up to 500€ for being a non-Italian guide. We saw the Trevi Fountain (!!!!!), the column of Marcus Aurelius, the Pantheon, and finally Piazza Navona, where we were all responsible for finding dinner. Me and the gang found a restaurant up an alleyway and everyone had something different and delicious.
The next morning Jon wasn't allowed to drive again, so we all took the Roma Metro into the city for our guided tour of the Roman Forum and the Colloseum. We arrived in the nick of time, and the tour was awesome if not very, very hot. I loved the history of the place; it's just so old! After we finished there, the gang and I headed for Vatican City. We got in pretty quickly but lost Melissa to heat exhaustion shortly thereafter; she headed back to the campsite for a shower and a nap. Khanyisa, Augusto and I kept going, through miles of galleries and corridors, until we finally reached the Sistine Chapel; it was darker and more crowded in there than I expected, but the awesomeness of that masterpiece of a ceiling made up for it. We went to lunch when we were finished, and then took the Metro one station over to go to St. Peter's Square. It was gorgeous too! So much space and such beautiful architecture, amazing! We went back to camp and had dinner there, and then went to bed late after some drinks.
The next morning we headed for Venice; it's the longest drive we've had so far, but so worth it! We arrived at the camp with enough spare time to get changed, and then took the camp shuttle ferry into town. After a glass-blowing demonstration and some shopping time we took a half-hour gondola ride and I got toasted on champagne. I struck out on my own after that and shopped and wandered and ate the most amazing lasagna I've ever had, got my last gelato, and headed for the ferry back to camp.
Now for a German dinner!
-Laur
August 8, 2009
I saw Brad Pitt!
No I did't. That's a complete and utter lie. I did, however, tromp around Nice and Cannes yesterday, and he has been in both places, most recently Cannes for the film festival that takes place there every May. The Palais de Festival isn't actually an impressive place during the rest of the year, and was a bit disappointing, but the ocean views on the train to Nice from Cannes were second to none and swimming in the Mediterrenean (spell check is in Italian so I don't know if that's correct) sea was stupendous. The day was 36 degrees celsius in the shade with a few wispy clouds in the sky, and it was perfect.
In the evening we went to Monte Carlo to rub elbows with the rich and famous (not) and I enjoyed the classy atmosphere and excellent cars. Walking down avenues full of shops where a handbag costs 2,500€ changes your perspective on things a bit, that's for sure. Monaco is a gorgeous principality that seems to be very well cared for and definitely well-loved by its occupants (the number of million-€ yachts in the harbour attest to that); it's also very romantic, as Nathan and Amy, a couple on my tour, discovered. After pretending to be ill all day in order to avoid Amy, Nathan proposed to her that evening during a romantic evening walk. YAY! And Tim, another guy on the tour, won 250€ in the Grand Casino. Woohoo!
Today we woke up early (goodbye, double bed) and drove through rain and intense traffic to Pisa to see the famous Leaning Tower. On the way there we stopped at a crazy gas station rest stop for bathrooms and lunch; I had my first piece of authentic Italian pizza, just plain old cheese, and it was delicious! It also happened to be a quarter of a pizza, so I was well-satisfied until we got to Firenze (Florence), though I did have some gelato at Pisa. It was incredibly hot there! I had to have something to cool me down :P
Now we're here in Florence, staying at a very nice campsite just outside of town, and even though it poured on us half an hour before we were due to get back on the coach to go out for the evening (which included a group photo so we were all dressed up), I'm having a great time. We enjoyed a delicious Tuscan-style dinner, complete with limoncello shots at the end as a digestif (I had 4, woops!) and now everyone else is down the street living it up in a very hot and crowded karaoke bar. I had a bellini and sang along for a while and then decided I would come out to cool down and write this lovely recap for you guys. Be grateful! I also spoke to Mom for the first time since London. Love you, Mommy.
My friend Melissa and I have to go meet our tour guide, Sion (pronounced Sean), so she can walk us back to the coach so we can go back to the campsite. A jaunt around Florence tomorrow morning, and then Rome tomorrow afternoon!
Ciao, bellas!
- Laur
In the evening we went to Monte Carlo to rub elbows with the rich and famous (not) and I enjoyed the classy atmosphere and excellent cars. Walking down avenues full of shops where a handbag costs 2,500€ changes your perspective on things a bit, that's for sure. Monaco is a gorgeous principality that seems to be very well cared for and definitely well-loved by its occupants (the number of million-€ yachts in the harbour attest to that); it's also very romantic, as Nathan and Amy, a couple on my tour, discovered. After pretending to be ill all day in order to avoid Amy, Nathan proposed to her that evening during a romantic evening walk. YAY! And Tim, another guy on the tour, won 250€ in the Grand Casino. Woohoo!
Today we woke up early (goodbye, double bed) and drove through rain and intense traffic to Pisa to see the famous Leaning Tower. On the way there we stopped at a crazy gas station rest stop for bathrooms and lunch; I had my first piece of authentic Italian pizza, just plain old cheese, and it was delicious! It also happened to be a quarter of a pizza, so I was well-satisfied until we got to Firenze (Florence), though I did have some gelato at Pisa. It was incredibly hot there! I had to have something to cool me down :P
Now we're here in Florence, staying at a very nice campsite just outside of town, and even though it poured on us half an hour before we were due to get back on the coach to go out for the evening (which included a group photo so we were all dressed up), I'm having a great time. We enjoyed a delicious Tuscan-style dinner, complete with limoncello shots at the end as a digestif (I had 4, woops!) and now everyone else is down the street living it up in a very hot and crowded karaoke bar. I had a bellini and sang along for a while and then decided I would come out to cool down and write this lovely recap for you guys. Be grateful! I also spoke to Mom for the first time since London. Love you, Mommy.
My friend Melissa and I have to go meet our tour guide, Sion (pronounced Sean), so she can walk us back to the coach so we can go back to the campsite. A jaunt around Florence tomorrow morning, and then Rome tomorrow afternoon!
Ciao, bellas!
- Laur
August 6, 2009
Chateau de Cruix and other adventures
Bonsoir! It;s 10:30 at night in the beautiful city of Cannes and I am using a French keyboard so bear with me.
Yesterday we drove most of the day to Lyon from Paris, stopping in Fountainbleu to see the former royal residence and then making our final stop in Lyon at a gorgeous old estate called Chateau de Cruix. It was old but renovated and spacious and airy and the party in the basement club, called The Cave, was themed "Anything But Clothes" (ABC). The costumes, made from magazines, bubble wrap, tin foil, garbage bags, aprons, French flags, towels, sleeping bags, and even a broken backpack, were hysterical and once everyone was drunk, it got even funnier.
Today a severely hung over busload of kids stopped at Avignon for lunch and a genuine, centuries old French perfumerie to sample the wares; my new scent is called "Miranda" and contains essences of bergamont, amber, vanilla, and coconut. We have been upgraded a hotel because the campsite was full and now we're staying at the 3 star Albatros hotel in Cannes. Sweet deal!
Off to bed after a tired day, and last night!
Monaco tomorrow night, and Nice and Cannes during the day.
- Laur
Yesterday we drove most of the day to Lyon from Paris, stopping in Fountainbleu to see the former royal residence and then making our final stop in Lyon at a gorgeous old estate called Chateau de Cruix. It was old but renovated and spacious and airy and the party in the basement club, called The Cave, was themed "Anything But Clothes" (ABC). The costumes, made from magazines, bubble wrap, tin foil, garbage bags, aprons, French flags, towels, sleeping bags, and even a broken backpack, were hysterical and once everyone was drunk, it got even funnier.
Today a severely hung over busload of kids stopped at Avignon for lunch and a genuine, centuries old French perfumerie to sample the wares; my new scent is called "Miranda" and contains essences of bergamont, amber, vanilla, and coconut. We have been upgraded a hotel because the campsite was full and now we're staying at the 3 star Albatros hotel in Cannes. Sweet deal!
Off to bed after a tired day, and last night!
Monaco tomorrow night, and Nice and Cannes during the day.
- Laur
August 4, 2009
La vie en rose
Bienvenue a Paris! I joined my tour yesterday morning and a lot of it was as I expected it to be: some awesome people, some obnoxious jerks, and one or two really special people. I'll spare you the exasperating details about the jerks, though.
Met a fellow Canadian from Ottawa right off the bat, and we've been hanging out ever since. Her name is Melissa, she's an ECE, and she's amazing. We arrived at our campsite at 4 pm and I was designated a "dishie" for the duration of our stay, so I dry dishes for 10 minutes after any meal we eat at the site. After dinner they paid us for our troubles with 3 bottles of champagne and a candy necklace. Sweet deal, I think.
In the evening we went on a driving tour of the city, which was great, and today we spent in the city with free time. I teamed up with Melissa and a South African girl named Khanyisa, and we had an absolute ball. Base of the Eiffel tower, top of the Arc de Triomphe, Champs, cafe for lunch, bridges, Grand Palais, Notre Dame, Pont Neuf, and the courtyard outside the Louvre; we came, we saw, we ate ice cream in a park on the grass. La vie en rose.
- Laur
Met a fellow Canadian from Ottawa right off the bat, and we've been hanging out ever since. Her name is Melissa, she's an ECE, and she's amazing. We arrived at our campsite at 4 pm and I was designated a "dishie" for the duration of our stay, so I dry dishes for 10 minutes after any meal we eat at the site. After dinner they paid us for our troubles with 3 bottles of champagne and a candy necklace. Sweet deal, I think.
In the evening we went on a driving tour of the city, which was great, and today we spent in the city with free time. I teamed up with Melissa and a South African girl named Khanyisa, and we had an absolute ball. Base of the Eiffel tower, top of the Arc de Triomphe, Champs, cafe for lunch, bridges, Grand Palais, Notre Dame, Pont Neuf, and the courtyard outside the Louvre; we came, we saw, we ate ice cream in a park on the grass. La vie en rose.
- Laur
August 1, 2009
My dream realized! and other such things
Today was a different sort of day. I overslept but was at Great Portland Station by 9:40, not too shabby considering I was only allowed to use my travel card after 9:30. I went straight to Tower Hill station and traipsed around the Tower of London for 2 hours, climbing even more stairs and reading plaques and oohing and aahing over the Crown Jewels (never in my life have I seen so much opulence. It was almost obscene). I got charged by a raven at one point; they're smart buggers, and they're really scary. Legend has it that if the ravens were to leave the Tower, it would fall; they clip the birds' wings to ensure that never happens. A little superstitious, don't you think?
After the Tower I had a snack along the Thames (hard boiled eggs. I got a few funny looks. It was amusing.) and then I headed for the Tower Bridge to see the Exhibition. More stairs! The exhibition is mostly on the two upper footpaths, which were actually used by pedestrians for a while after the bridge opened in the late 1800s (they must have been in really good shape!) and there were some great videos and placards explaining all of the history and engineering behind its construction, design, and current use. In the basement you could see the engines that powered the whole thing (the middle of the bridge lifts for tall ships, but you knew that) and then a dinky gift shop.
After the Tower Bridge I made an executive decision; I was going to go climb the Monument for the view (and the certificate of achievement they apparently give you) but I wasn't up for the stairs so I headed for the tube and went to Westminster station to see...you guessed it, Westminster Abbey! What a gorgeous building! I would have gone in, but it cost £15. No thanks. I walked around it for a bit and then headed across Westminster Bridge to get some awesome shots of the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. It was raining off and on and I was so exhausted suddenly that when I was finished with that, at around 3, I went back to the hostel and took a nap.
I felt really refreshed when I woke up and I was about to leave when a new roommate showed up, so we had a visit and I headed out; it had rained while I was asleep (surprise, surprise) and I wondered if it would start up again, but I wanted to go to Hyde Park and see the Peter Pan statue. It's a favourite of mine because of the end of the movie Hook, so I couldn't very well not see it.
Well, it rained again. And rained. And misted. And rained. And I walked all the way around the Serpentine lake in the middle of the park, saw the Peter Pan statue, the Diana memorial fountain (oddly designed but very nice), was the subject of amusement of some teenagers who were drunk and playing in said fountain, and never got soaked because I was packing my trusty umbrella.
When I was finished there I went to Bond street station to eat Fish and Chips at the Golden Hind restaurant because it was recommended in my guide book; it was very tricky to find so a lovely local lady on her way home from work showed me where it was. I ate in the corner next to a leaky air conditioning unit and it was DELICIOUS! Totally worth it.
Now I'm back at the hostel, waiting for my laundry to dry because tomorrow I leave this place for greener pastures (aka the Royal National Hotel, a 20 minute walk away). Monday morning I leave on my Contiki tour! Woohoo!
Tomorrow I will be seeing Buckingham Palace (from the outside), doing a bit of light shopping on Oxford and Regent Streets, and going on a London walk of the places that inspired Harry Potter YAY!
Time to go downstairs and check my laundry!
-Laur
After the Tower I had a snack along the Thames (hard boiled eggs. I got a few funny looks. It was amusing.) and then I headed for the Tower Bridge to see the Exhibition. More stairs! The exhibition is mostly on the two upper footpaths, which were actually used by pedestrians for a while after the bridge opened in the late 1800s (they must have been in really good shape!) and there were some great videos and placards explaining all of the history and engineering behind its construction, design, and current use. In the basement you could see the engines that powered the whole thing (the middle of the bridge lifts for tall ships, but you knew that) and then a dinky gift shop.
After the Tower Bridge I made an executive decision; I was going to go climb the Monument for the view (and the certificate of achievement they apparently give you) but I wasn't up for the stairs so I headed for the tube and went to Westminster station to see...you guessed it, Westminster Abbey! What a gorgeous building! I would have gone in, but it cost £15. No thanks. I walked around it for a bit and then headed across Westminster Bridge to get some awesome shots of the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. It was raining off and on and I was so exhausted suddenly that when I was finished with that, at around 3, I went back to the hostel and took a nap.
I felt really refreshed when I woke up and I was about to leave when a new roommate showed up, so we had a visit and I headed out; it had rained while I was asleep (surprise, surprise) and I wondered if it would start up again, but I wanted to go to Hyde Park and see the Peter Pan statue. It's a favourite of mine because of the end of the movie Hook, so I couldn't very well not see it.
Well, it rained again. And rained. And misted. And rained. And I walked all the way around the Serpentine lake in the middle of the park, saw the Peter Pan statue, the Diana memorial fountain (oddly designed but very nice), was the subject of amusement of some teenagers who were drunk and playing in said fountain, and never got soaked because I was packing my trusty umbrella.
When I was finished there I went to Bond street station to eat Fish and Chips at the Golden Hind restaurant because it was recommended in my guide book; it was very tricky to find so a lovely local lady on her way home from work showed me where it was. I ate in the corner next to a leaky air conditioning unit and it was DELICIOUS! Totally worth it.
Now I'm back at the hostel, waiting for my laundry to dry because tomorrow I leave this place for greener pastures (aka the Royal National Hotel, a 20 minute walk away). Monday morning I leave on my Contiki tour! Woohoo!
Tomorrow I will be seeing Buckingham Palace (from the outside), doing a bit of light shopping on Oxford and Regent Streets, and going on a London walk of the places that inspired Harry Potter YAY!
Time to go downstairs and check my laundry!
-Laur
To make up for the short post: 31 July 2009
This morning I decided I would try to kill two birds with one stone before my Photo Walks of London tour (I took the Pool of London tour, but more on that later). I got up before 8, intending to walk to St. Paul's cathedral for 9 am, but things, I find, don't always go as planned. I wound up procrastinating and didn't make it there until 10, which messed up my schedule a bit. I didn't want to spend more than an hour there, but did you know that the views from atop the dome are stupendous? And that it was a sunny day? Well, I climbed all 530 steps. It took me a while, understandably, but I did it. And boy, even though I was sweating obscenely and red in the face, it was totally worth it. I wish I could post pictures, but the computers here are pretty basic and don't have a program to read cameras.
I got to Tower Hill station at 11:45 and realized that I wouldn't be able to go through the Tower of London in the manner I would have liked in just an hour (I had to meet my photo tour at the station at 12:45) so I stepped into the lovely Trinity park beside the station and had a rest and recharge on a bench there, as many other Londoners were doing on their lunch breaks.
At 12:45 I met Ian Hardy, the proprietor and (only) tour guide for Photo Walks of London. Joining us was a man from Virginia and his two very nice adolescent children, and a nice but kind of weird older gentleman. Ian took our cameras from us while we watched some guys practise their swordplay along the side of the tower and discerned what they were capable of; then we were off. We took some great shots of the tower and some even better pictures of the Tower Bridge (which has to be my favourite London landmark) and then moved on to some statues at St. Katherine's Pier to practise some new techniques. We wound up on the Tower Bridge taking pictures of red City buses coming through the arches, and then moved over to the other side to take more shots of the Tower and such. The father and kids team left us shortly thereafter, and then it was just Ian and Chris (the nice, weird guy). The tour definitely stretched over the promised 2 hour mark, and by the time we were finished (after shooting The Monument, Lloyd's building, Leadenhall market and other stuff) I was pretty tired. I went back to the Tower to go in and explore, but I only had an hour before I had to set out for Avenue Q over on Shaftesbury Avenue, and in the end I decided to go back the next morning and see it when I was fresh and had time. I took a short Thames River cruise instead and even though it was very pleasant and I got some awesome shots of the London Eye, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, I wound up being late for Avenue Q because I went one stop in the wrong direction in my haste to get to the theatre.
I wasn't terribly late, but I did miss the opening number, which I definitely regret, but hey! What can you do?
Avenue Q, which features a human-and-puppet cast similar to Sesame Street but much, much raunchier, was a huge laugh and I really enjoyed it. The songs were catchy, the storyline interesting, and the little cartoon vignettes used to explain things were hilarious. I would definitely see it again.
After the play was over I was about ready to drop and my dreams of the ultimate fish and chips experience had long since died, so when I crossed the street in front of the theatre and saw a big neon "Vietnamese" sign, I headed straight for it. I felt much more human after enjoying a big bowl of delicious beef pho with tonnes of rice noodles, and headed for the hostel without limping.
When I got there at around 10 I intended to shower and crash, but 2 of the girls in my room, Esther from Germany and Eden from Taiwan, were deep in conversation and invited me to join and give them my unique Canadian perspective; who was I to refuse? I wound up falling asleep at around 11:45, but that's okay. New friends are pretty awesome anyways.
- Laur
I got to Tower Hill station at 11:45 and realized that I wouldn't be able to go through the Tower of London in the manner I would have liked in just an hour (I had to meet my photo tour at the station at 12:45) so I stepped into the lovely Trinity park beside the station and had a rest and recharge on a bench there, as many other Londoners were doing on their lunch breaks.
At 12:45 I met Ian Hardy, the proprietor and (only) tour guide for Photo Walks of London. Joining us was a man from Virginia and his two very nice adolescent children, and a nice but kind of weird older gentleman. Ian took our cameras from us while we watched some guys practise their swordplay along the side of the tower and discerned what they were capable of; then we were off. We took some great shots of the tower and some even better pictures of the Tower Bridge (which has to be my favourite London landmark) and then moved on to some statues at St. Katherine's Pier to practise some new techniques. We wound up on the Tower Bridge taking pictures of red City buses coming through the arches, and then moved over to the other side to take more shots of the Tower and such. The father and kids team left us shortly thereafter, and then it was just Ian and Chris (the nice, weird guy). The tour definitely stretched over the promised 2 hour mark, and by the time we were finished (after shooting The Monument, Lloyd's building, Leadenhall market and other stuff) I was pretty tired. I went back to the Tower to go in and explore, but I only had an hour before I had to set out for Avenue Q over on Shaftesbury Avenue, and in the end I decided to go back the next morning and see it when I was fresh and had time. I took a short Thames River cruise instead and even though it was very pleasant and I got some awesome shots of the London Eye, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, I wound up being late for Avenue Q because I went one stop in the wrong direction in my haste to get to the theatre.
I wasn't terribly late, but I did miss the opening number, which I definitely regret, but hey! What can you do?
Avenue Q, which features a human-and-puppet cast similar to Sesame Street but much, much raunchier, was a huge laugh and I really enjoyed it. The songs were catchy, the storyline interesting, and the little cartoon vignettes used to explain things were hilarious. I would definitely see it again.
After the play was over I was about ready to drop and my dreams of the ultimate fish and chips experience had long since died, so when I crossed the street in front of the theatre and saw a big neon "Vietnamese" sign, I headed straight for it. I felt much more human after enjoying a big bowl of delicious beef pho with tonnes of rice noodles, and headed for the hostel without limping.
When I got there at around 10 I intended to shower and crash, but 2 of the girls in my room, Esther from Germany and Eden from Taiwan, were deep in conversation and invited me to join and give them my unique Canadian perspective; who was I to refuse? I wound up falling asleep at around 11:45, but that's okay. New friends are pretty awesome anyways.
- Laur
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