Aww London...so refreshing to speak English. No "grazie", "scusi", and "prego"...just good ole English. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind speaking Italian, but it was nice to understand everything that was being said to you.
Since McKenzie got to London at 8am, I had to travel all alone to London. Side story on that. McKenzie didn't mean to get there that early, she booked the wrong flight- 6am instead of 6pm. AND since the times on the Ryanair website were in military time, I'm not quite sure how she did this. She didn't get to sleep either because the bus leaving for Pisa left Florence at 3am. So...she pretty much took on London with no sleep.
Of course my flight was delayed, I was flying Ryanair, so I didn't get into the city of London until around 11pm. I was starving when I got there so right after I dropped my stuff off we were off to find somewhere to eat. It seemed as though the only restaurants that were open that late were Italian restaurants, which is totally ironic since none of them stay open that late in Italy. So the restaurant we end up eating in was of course Italian...just when you think you get away from those crazy Italians. It was actually pretty good, and the only problem we had with the place was that it smelt like our waitor hadn't showered in two months. Pretty hot.
We didn't do anything after that, just went back to the hotel to sleeeeeep. Apparetnly Central College and Iowa has a program in London, and the students stay in these dorm/hotels. Well, McKenzie knew one of them, so the first night we stayed with her, and the other two nights we rented our own room. It was a pretty good deal, plus it was in a really good location!
A pretty church by our hotel.
When we woke up on Friday, the first thing we did was buy our Wicked tickets! Then we were just in time to NOT watch the chaning of the guards. Ok not really, but it was so crowded we could hardly see anything. The only way you could get a decent picture was if you stood in the drive and you got yelled at by the gaurds on hourses. I knew that the changing of the gaurds was a big deal, but this thing went on for over an hour. McKenzie and I proposed a valid question...who is gaurding the palace when all of the gaurds are playing the clarinets and trumpets? I don't know if Queen Elizabeth should feel so safe! Just a thought.
Beautiful fall colors in a London park.
Buckingham Palace
The London Eye
St. James Park. By far my favorite one we walked through! So pretty!! Complete with coffee stands...I think I was meant to live in London.
Westminster Abbey
Big Ben
A close up of the London Eye
Parliament
A pretty London street
London Tower Bridge
Random big black bean...
I wasn't too impressed with the English food, well the fish and chips at least. I think my expectaions were set higher because the only English person who has ever cooked for me is Cheryl Mulligan, and her food is hard to beat.
Of course I got a picture like this. However; I realized when we got back that I didn't get a picture with a gaurd. My tourist ways are disappearing.
NOW 71. I don't think they're ever going to stop making these stupid cd's. Does anyone even buy these anymore? Please let me know if you do.
St. Pauls Cathedral.
At Wicked!!
On a leisurely bike ride with Lance.
My future husband.
My favorite actor! Check out the ginger break cookie by his foot.
Discussing politics.
My woman.
Aww...what a cutie. Check out the cheerio on her hat.
Notting Hill...just like the movie.
Some day I will have a mansion like this...just wait.
Hyde Park. It was really pretty, but was different than I imagined. I thought it would be hillier and have more trees. I thought some of the other parks were much more impressive.
We were always loosing our key, so we felt it was necessary to take a picture with it??? Don't ask.
One reason I love London!!
This is Piccadilly Circus. This is where most of the Londoners, or tourists, come for night life. We went to this bar called Jewel. It was really pretty inside, but of course was suppppper expensive. Not 18 Euro, but still pretty ridiculous. These pictures didn't turn our very well...sorry!
Showing off my alto saxophone skills.
Meet Julia and Lydia. Ha...McKenzie and I decided we were going to pretend we were different people. For some reason the first names that popped into my head were Julia and Lydia, hm, that kind of sounds the same. They are Olympic skiers from California. Look for them in the upcoming Olympics in Canada.
London was an amazing city! Again, I wish I could have spent more time there. There was so much to see!
I hope everyone has a wonderful time eating turkey and celebrating Thanksgiving. Please think of me while I'm in Rome, celebrating (celebrating?) my year anniversary of being single. What an accomplishment, right?
peace&love
vivi
Since McKenzie got to London at 8am, I had to travel all alone to London. Side story on that. McKenzie didn't mean to get there that early, she booked the wrong flight- 6am instead of 6pm. AND since the times on the Ryanair website were in military time, I'm not quite sure how she did this. She didn't get to sleep either because the bus leaving for Pisa left Florence at 3am. So...she pretty much took on London with no sleep.
Of course my flight was delayed, I was flying Ryanair, so I didn't get into the city of London until around 11pm. I was starving when I got there so right after I dropped my stuff off we were off to find somewhere to eat. It seemed as though the only restaurants that were open that late were Italian restaurants, which is totally ironic since none of them stay open that late in Italy. So the restaurant we end up eating in was of course Italian...just when you think you get away from those crazy Italians. It was actually pretty good, and the only problem we had with the place was that it smelt like our waitor hadn't showered in two months. Pretty hot.
We didn't do anything after that, just went back to the hotel to sleeeeeep. Apparetnly Central College and Iowa has a program in London, and the students stay in these dorm/hotels. Well, McKenzie knew one of them, so the first night we stayed with her, and the other two nights we rented our own room. It was a pretty good deal, plus it was in a really good location!
A pretty church by our hotel.
When we woke up on Friday, the first thing we did was buy our Wicked tickets! Then we were just in time to NOT watch the chaning of the guards. Ok not really, but it was so crowded we could hardly see anything. The only way you could get a decent picture was if you stood in the drive and you got yelled at by the gaurds on hourses. I knew that the changing of the gaurds was a big deal, but this thing went on for over an hour. McKenzie and I proposed a valid question...who is gaurding the palace when all of the gaurds are playing the clarinets and trumpets? I don't know if Queen Elizabeth should feel so safe! Just a thought.
Beautiful fall colors in a London park.
Buckingham Palace
The London Eye
St. James Park. By far my favorite one we walked through! So pretty!! Complete with coffee stands...I think I was meant to live in London.
Westminster Abbey
Big Ben
A close up of the London Eye
Parliament
A pretty London street
London Tower Bridge
Random big black bean...
I wasn't too impressed with the English food, well the fish and chips at least. I think my expectaions were set higher because the only English person who has ever cooked for me is Cheryl Mulligan, and her food is hard to beat.
Of course I got a picture like this. However; I realized when we got back that I didn't get a picture with a gaurd. My tourist ways are disappearing.
NOW 71. I don't think they're ever going to stop making these stupid cd's. Does anyone even buy these anymore? Please let me know if you do.
St. Pauls Cathedral.
At Wicked!!
On a leisurely bike ride with Lance.
My future husband.
My favorite actor! Check out the ginger break cookie by his foot.
Discussing politics.
My woman.
Aww...what a cutie. Check out the cheerio on her hat.
Notting Hill...just like the movie.
Some day I will have a mansion like this...just wait.
Hyde Park. It was really pretty, but was different than I imagined. I thought it would be hillier and have more trees. I thought some of the other parks were much more impressive.
We were always loosing our key, so we felt it was necessary to take a picture with it??? Don't ask.
One reason I love London!!
This is Piccadilly Circus. This is where most of the Londoners, or tourists, come for night life. We went to this bar called Jewel. It was really pretty inside, but of course was suppppper expensive. Not 18 Euro, but still pretty ridiculous. These pictures didn't turn our very well...sorry!
Showing off my alto saxophone skills.
Meet Julia and Lydia. Ha...McKenzie and I decided we were going to pretend we were different people. For some reason the first names that popped into my head were Julia and Lydia, hm, that kind of sounds the same. They are Olympic skiers from California. Look for them in the upcoming Olympics in Canada.
London was an amazing city! Again, I wish I could have spent more time there. There was so much to see!
I hope everyone has a wonderful time eating turkey and celebrating Thanksgiving. Please think of me while I'm in Rome, celebrating (celebrating?) my year anniversary of being single. What an accomplishment, right?
peace&love
vivi
