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Today was my last big touristy, running around all over London day. No more hopping Tube trains, having to endure lines and all that other stuff. (hopefully) I woke up QUITE tired this morning, but knew that I had to trudge my way along to make it down to central London by 9 am. Around 8:30, I made my way to the Globe Theatre...the rebuilt replica of the theatre that Shakespeare's plays used to run in. Of course...i'm not usually one to snicker at Americans (ya right) but was kind of funny to hear some yanks talk nonesense. ( I could tell from their thick southern accent and american flag t-shirt and pins...ugh!) The woman said to her male companions, "wow, it is in such great shape! Its been around for 400 years and the plaster and wood look great!" Giggling is certainley a good way to start your day. Now again, I REALLY have nothing against americans at all...just sadly the same 2% who are that dumb are usually the most vocal...so I must retell their stories.
The Globe was rebuilt around 20 years ago and houses shows during the afternoon. Was a great experience. They built it
to the exact specifications and gave me a few 'ideas' for my own shows. I'd say I followed that with a short walk to the Tower Bridge, however...it was long as HELL! Across the bridge is the Tower of London, which houses the crown jewels. I'll have to do my own research here...however, Possibly the oldest buildings in London. The main white tower was built in the 11th century and housed soo many different little walks and rooms i spent roughly around 3 hours walking up and down narrow/steep staircases only to come to a room that had ONE carved signature in the wall left by a political prisoner from about 400 years ago. Quite abit of it was great...the state room of Edward 1 (the evil dude from Braveheart!!) Henry VIII armour (which was made for his massive form and sadly had a large hilarious bulge in his neather region...me thinks he did that on purpose since they didn't have convertibles back then. haha) The crown jewels are housed in a massive safe that you walk through...and you are taken along a moving walk way to make sure no one hogs all your time. Then a quick walk to
Sir Walter Raleigh's prison room...very stately, but served a purpose as well. FINALLY, I ventured the torture exhibit...Can't overly imagine anyone going through that! Get there early if you go....line ups are awful.
After this...a quick train ride to Madame Tussauds wax museum...which was QUITE cheesy, but still a need to see. The place was absolutely stuffed with people...getting their pics taken with the wax figures, very odd behavior. Especially when getting to the Presidents exhibit...and the multitude of young men going to the george w bush figure and either giving it the finger, strangling it...or putting their right hand on his lip to create a hitler stash...and raising their left arm in a hiel hitler salute. I did, however, find out that Madame Tussaud was actually a woman who was commisioned to make death masks of political, revolutionary figure heads during the French Revolution. She fled France for London...and set up an exhibit of her death masks for people to see...and hence the reason for the chamber of horrors section....which was QUITE disturbing!
Finally...Abbey Road Studios. It is quite an unassuming area and building. You'd get lost walking out of the tube station trying to find it.
Obviously you head to Abbey Road...but if you weren't looking, you'd miss it. The studio is a plain white building and if it weren't for the graffitti on the white wall protecting the area, it would look like all the other buildings. I did not do the picture going across the famous crosswalk...however many people DID hold up traffic trying to recreate the album cover. I think the locals have just come to accept that little inconvenience. It's still an active studio (latest album I know recorded there was by Donovan Frankenrieter who I like...same type of music as Jack Johnson).
My day has been 8:30 am to 4:30 pm nothing but WALKING and hopping the trains. Also...I am showing a little distaste today for a few groups of travellers...mostly b/c of their generally rude, insane behavior in public places. The most annoying tourists I've come across over here are French, German and Spanish. The French for obvious reasons..haha (how awful do I sound) They pretend that they can't read the english signs or understand any english (sounds like OUR french..haha) The germans hold up traffic and walk soooooo slow...only to follow that by saying "We don't understand, we
are German!"...well if your German how did you understand the english it took to SAY THAT!) hahahaha by the way...someone has to answer me what the German fascniation with Jeans is!?!?!?! I can't keep track of how many awful jean jackets I saw today on german speaking tourists! (see early 90's fashion) The spaniards just but in line...thats my only greivance! Ok, Ok....maybe it's just b/c I'm tired from my journey...but I'll probably be best of friends with all those countrymen...however today they were ALL on my radar!
I'll end this right here....you've made it. The last LONG blog I will record (hopefully) Hope this reaches you all safely and look forward to replying a few emails/comments if you have them.
Later,
Don
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Kelsey
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Germans and Jeans
You already have the answer... think about it - who made denim famous in the early 90's................ David Hasselhoff!!! He's practically the national hero! :) I can say that, because I am part German, hahaha.