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London Bridge
London Bridge just as we go over it in the busOh my goodness, we are done our time in London already! So sad, we are jumping on a train to get to Gatwick tonight to be able to check in for our 6am flight to Amsterdam tomorrow morning. Crazy, we have to pack up!
So our hostel is pretty good, lots of great people, so dirty though... Showers worked half of the time... and there was toilet paper about half the time also. But we got free breakfast and the location couldn't be beat. All in all, a good place. We were totally the minority English speakers, it was a crazy feeling... Going to breakfast and not being able to understand ANYONE. Literally, no one that we met had English as their native tongue. It was awesome.
So Friday, we were total tourists, it was great. We did the open air double decker bus tour around the city. Really sunny, and once Dan had gotten over his bonked head (2seconds.. haha) we went up stairs to the top of the bus for a wonderful guided tour. A great way to see loads, and there were a bunch of walking tours and a boat ride down the Thames thrown in for
Big Ben
From the bus free too. And I got my first sunburn of the summer!!!!! (Don't worry mom, it isn't bad...) After the buses and walking tours we met up with my cousin Ben (Son of my dad's sister, Josh's brother) who I havn't seen in a few years. We went out and got some pizza and sat in Lecster(sp) square, then went to a pub for a drink in Covent garden (lots of good people watching) and then to another pub for another drink. The Last pub was Belgian, which isn't really all that different EXCEPT they had Fruli, fruit beer, strawberry and cranberry. SO YUMMY OH MAN! My new favourite let me tell ya. Great to see Ben, thought maybe that was the end of our visit with him, but oh no! I have the bestest cousin ever and he had lots more to show us on the weekend. Went to bed, crashed and burned(been a bit of a theme over the past few nights) so badly.
Saturday we went to see the queen. She is doing very well. Or at least her palace is in good shape. We saw the changing of the guard, which I realized I had never
seen live. It was pretty good, lots of police around. Kind of hard to concentrate on the guards as there are so many police yelling at people to get off the monuments (people getting up higher for a better view), quite exciting really, but I bet it gets very redundant for the police officers. Then we went on the London Eye, very pretty views. Totally worth it. You go so high and see so much. Hopefully when we get time we'll work out how to put photos on this website to show people... I think we'll have time in Amsterdam. Then we met Ben again and went the British War Experience, it was all about WW2 and how the people of britain were effected. So pretty interesting really, a more human side vs the guns and tanks side. Lots of great anti-Hitler posters. After all of that we were pretty beat, we found a cheap movie theatre with student rates and chilled out for the rest of the evening. Then had a cheap burger at a pub with Ben and bid him adeiu until the next day. Went back to the hostel, had a shower... or tried, no cold water...
It was a little tough. Oh got home to a drunk roommate, a guy from Argentina, so funny. But we ended up in a discussion about Amsterdaman and its contriversial politics with drugs and prostitution. He is a law student, I'm a sociology student, and one other girl from Holland was there,she is an economics student. It was pretty funny... The law student passed out right after the debate. haha
Sunday, We did laundry in the morning! feels good to have clean clothes. And we met Ben at Canden town to go to the best market of my life! It was so cool.So much good food from all areas of the world. I had a lamb curry, cooking and simmering right in front of me. Dan had a chicken one and a somosa. This was the real deal in terms of Indian food. So yummy. Then we walked around the stalls for hours ooohing and ahhhing (or I was, there were so many pretty clothes and accessories and jewlery.... oh my restraint was amazing). Though I did spent 3.95GBP on an Indian stall for a shirt at 2.95 and a scarf a 1 pound. Pretty wicked. OH and dan
River Cruise
Down the River Thames! got the hottest belt with a changable buckle, its so wicked. The buckle is of a dragon with a few chinese characters on it for peace. Very hot, let me tell ya. Camden was so awesome, so colourful. So much cheapstuff, cheap tattoos and peircings too, I wish I wanted something done, cause it would have been totally worth it! This place had the mowhak Londoners, the hug docmartin boots, and just the most fabulous atmosphere. Everyone was there! Next we took the tube (oh I forgot to mention that we have been taking the tube everywhere on day cards. So useful, a really really efficient system) to Canary Wharf, very pretty. And then to Greenwich to see the latitute line of 0 degrees and to walk around another market. not quite as colourful, and a little more subdued than Damden town. But still beautiful , so much cute baby stuff but a little expensive. Still a beautiful place with some wonderful gardens and a Navy College and University. Very pretty place. Next Ben took us to a belgian restuarant, Centraal. Very yummy, had rotissery chicken with a salad and a few fries, Dan had lamb and fries. I nice
River Cruise
Down the River Thames! change and a lot more vitamins from the cheapo meals we have been getting over the past few days (they rarely involve any veg). Oh and I had a Fruli, because they are so good! I have new found respect for the Belgium, Nickie you are going to have a wonderful time of wonderful food and wonderful booze!
So after dinner we said our final goodbyes to Ben as he tubed home and we tubed back to Bayswater Station. We see an internet cafe... well an indian restaurant with internet in the basement for 50p per half hour, the Halal Internet Cafe. This is where we are writing you all from. I just got the best news. My brother is a father! He has a son! I beautiful, healthy baby boy, 9 pounds (go tash!). I need to call him, but I don't know the phone number of the hospital, but hopefully I'll find out soon to be able to get all the details of how the baby is doing. And now I can officially by baby stuff. I saw a kid wearing a 'born to be wild' tshirt, I think I need to find one of those first. I'm
Dan and the fountain!
Dan looking beautious by the fountain at the National Gallery so excited, everyone can officially call me Auntie Robyn!
So tonight we are off, like I said to Gatwick airport. We have to check in at the terminal at 4am. So we are off to be on a midnight train (one of the last trains) to sleep (hopefully) in the airport for a little while before we do a puddle jump over the channel. We get to navigate a new town! We have roommates who live in Holland and love Amsterdam so we are pretty stoked. I hope it has an efficient transit system like London...Little bit anxious, just because I've never been there. However London was pretty foreign too I have to admit. I've been here before, but I had it navigated for me. This time it was all Dan and I, we did a great job I feel. Our next hostel is within walking distance of the Amsterdam Train Station.... which I hope means that Amsterdam is a small city or the train station is centrally located in the city... Well if neither is the case and we are in the boonies we have 7 days to see everything, lots of time.
Dan is sitting here next
HUGH!
When in London always admire tributes to Hugh Grant and his hot british ways to me, looking a little tired, so I think we have to go to the hostel pack and chill for the little time we have left here.
love to all.
Jamie if you read this give a phone number and send me baby pictures!!!
Dan and Auntie Robyn
PS We are so close to Notting Hill. Ladies, I saw the travel book shop, oh yes the one that Hugh was in and pretended to own in the movie. It was hot. And I saw his hand prints. Very exciting times. Dan thinks I'm a bit of an idiot because of it... I don't care, when it comes to Hugh, oh baby, its necessary to get excited.
PPS Stuey, I just got your message, I don't think I have time to get in touch with you. So sorry but we have to go in 1.5 hours. Hope you are well though. If you are traveling out of london any more tell me. Also, we'll be back in England in July.
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hey sweetie.....those "big ben buildings" would be the houses of parliament dear! lol -x-