London - Day 3

---

I didn't come here to be a "tourist" in the normal sense of the word, but this is not to say that I haven't been doing a few "touristy" things.

On Sunday, I took the tube to Leicester Square and walked down to Trafalgar Square. Yes, there are several decades' worth of bird droppings on the pathway, but it really is quite nice. The 50M statue at the centre is awe-inspiring and the fountains add a nice touch. There was some sort of assembly going on (of course), but I think it was some sort of London Youth Acting Association fundraiser. There were signs all around telling people not to "feed the teenagers" - perhaps they were starting a hunger strike?

I then proceeded to the queue for the National Gallery. I only spent about an hour here (again, I'm not a museum nor an art lover), but I can admit that decor was very nice. I did overhear 2 of the museum staff discussing Bush and their distaste for his evangelicalism. I also checked out the National Portrait Gallery up the street and I did find this exhibit much more interesting, probably due to my interest in historical figures in general.

I decided to sample some of London's typical hole-in-the-wall Chinese food so I walked back up towards Leicester Square and into the narrow roads of Chinatown. I was soon greeted with that familiar smell of garbage that amplifies all Chinatowns. I settled at some typical BBQ restaurant with the BBQ ducks and pigs on display in the window. I decided to go with something safe and ordered a plate of Yang Chow Chau Fan. The portion was fairly large and it wasn't bad, but the price was certainly more than I'm used to paying - £5.60 (with tea).

After lunch, I took the Tube to Marble Arch and checked out Speakers' Corner. I read about this in my travel book and I was really looking forward to hearing lunatics rant on about various subjects. There was quite a sizable crowd and a number of speakers ranging from Muslims defending their faith, black guys talking about the racial prejudice in the world, old white women and men ranting about Jesus, and a couple of intellectuals who had things to say about Marxism and the situation in the Middle East. I actually spent about 2 hours there walking from speaker to speaker. As you can imagine, people get into debates and they become quite heated. But, I guess it's tradition in that people never allow their disagreements to become physical. One does not see this sort of thing in North America too often and it's a pity, I think.

After a quick bite to eat for dinner, I decided to head out to a bar that was recommended in my travel book. I made sure that I remembered the Tube station where I was supposed to get off. However when I consulted the neighbourhood map at the station, I did not see the street in which the bar is located. I decided to "live dangerously" and walk around the neighbourhood in the hope of finding it. I walked around for a good 20 minutes in the dark streets of London, with barely a soul around, but I was unsuccessful. I actually was going to consult their website beforehand for a map, but I forgot to do this while I was at an internet cafe in the afternoon. (Btw, I just checked out the website and I think I'll try again on Wednesday night)

The good thing about Sunday night was that I had my bedroom all to myself. (take this however you like)

Day 3
First thing I decided to check out where the Cabinet War Rooms and Churchill Museum. Although I've only seen a couple of museums and at the risk of straying towards hyperbole, I think this is probably one of the most comprehensive, fascinating, and sophisticated museums one will ever see. The war rooms have been restored to their former glory with details such as the cigars and bottles of brandy that Churcill favoured. Also, the museum covers Churchill's entire life and his surprising radicalism in his earlier years. Well worth the £11.

After a stroll around the Westminster area, I walked across the Millenium Bridge and to the Tate Modern. Again, I don't normally appreciate art, but this place did have some pretty interesting and controversial pieces. Aside from the usual mono-colour canvasses that signify the dysfunction of Western society, there were photos, scupltures, and displays of VW buses and sleds. 2 floors are free and it's a good way to kill a couple of hours.

I'll end this entry with a few quick observations:

- "Mind-the-muthafucking-gap!"
- The Tube never operates at full capacity. There is always a repair or problem that requires you to change your route.
- Levi's Jeans. Aside from a few selected styles you can find at Hills, they're strictly department-store clothing in North America. Everyone here seems to wear them, though. And Levi's is treated as a high-fashion brand.
- It's "Takeaway", not "to go"

---

Comments

[Eric Hayashida]

lost in london
hey darin...cheers from down south! "...was that I had my bedroom all to myself." very interesting comment! u'll sure have better luck soon...single asian backpacker male from north america in london...they wont resist! haha take care and enjoy ur trip! eric

[Phoenix]

How fun! you seem to be having a good time.

[PolisciGuy]

Nice one, Eric. Unfortunately, there are simply too many Asians in London for me to stand out.