Impressions of London

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We're getting ready to leave London today for Bath on the bus @12:30 and I thought I'd get my impressions of the city down before I leave. I'm up at 5:00am for two reasons...couldn't sleep well last night, new room, new bed and I kept bumping myself on the railing and waking myself up! It's a struggle to get onto the internet here at the hostel since it's so popular I figured I'd have it to myself at this hour.I do.
London is amazing. You don't really get a good idea of how big the city is until you see it from above or from afar as I did yesterday. First from the top of St. Paul's cathedral in wht's called the golden gallery. All 400 or so steps up to the top of the dome and the whole city stretches out in from of you. Then I went to a private museum in the north of London clled Kenwood House which was once a 'town residence' of an Earl. full of painting the grounds were unbelievable with all these winding paths and natural heath...a piece of green in the middle of the city and what a view.
I've finally gotten to used to walking on the LEFT side of stairways and sidewalks and everyone passing you on the escalators where you have to stay on the RIGHT. I had a Cornish pastie yesterday. I've found Pepsi for sale twice, but never in restuarants only Coke there.
Pepsi needs a good PR person! The food is horrible. I've never tasted anything so bland in my life. Even the presentation stinks, and we're eating in a nice restuarant once a day. The English are not going to get any culinary awards.
On the plus side the city is so clean and grafitti clear. I saw my first piece of litter yesterday and I had to stop and look at it!! I bet this place is fantastic in the winter because like NYC there's something going on all the time.
Went to Westminister yesterday; the line for the Abbey was down the block and around the street and estimated at 2 to 21/2 hours wait and this is only May! So I skipped that and went to the smaller church across from parliment called St. Margaret's where Sir Walter Raleigh is buried. Now there's a story, first he was a national hero for bringing tobacco back from the colonies in america and all his exploration, and he was Queen Elizabeth's pet courtier for awhile, then he did something to piss her off so they shut him up in the tower for a few years, finally they (she) cut off his head, then out of guilt build this incrediblly beuatiful stained glass windown in the church. Of course she;s the middle panel! The church was badly damaged in WWII and a number of americans gave $ to help rebuild it, so I'm reading the plague about that which lists the names...guess who the second to last name was...Mr. Frank Sinatra.
Hope to write tonight.........Cheerios

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Photos

strawberries
these were some strawberries from the chelsea flower show, they smelled soo good!

Comments

[Nancy R-S]

Glad you're enjoying it!
When you get back, I'll cook anything you want!