London Trip 1!
Greetings from the land that formerly owned my hometown! I'll put up pictures of my house later this week. It's not very exciting, I promise.
So, I went to London with Elena yesterday! We took the train, then the tube, and whoever it was that told me that they no longer used double decker buses in London is a liar-face. They definitely have them, and I definitely rode on one! On the upper level! (Elena, Alice and I are going to take the double decker tour one weekend!)
First we went to Camden Market (no, there was no New Jersey involved). Oh. My. God. Mash New Hope and South Street and multiply by about 10. We went through the more bohemian part of the market. I bought two skirts (both on sale!) and a scarf! I'll probably be going back for a hoodie (it seems expensive because I'm still converting pounds to dollars, but Elena says it's actually a fantastic price) and tea that is more than black or Earl Grey. Also, I started my list of things I'm buying you all for Christmas. There was lots of really crafty jewelry and clothes and, well, crafty bits. Really odd stuff that you just dont see anywhere else. (I also got yelled at by a vintage clothing seller because I told her I really didnt do well in high heels. I got a lecture on 'what are you going to wear to your wedding?! It was funny) There was some weird cyber-black-lit clothing store. Kind of scary, but right across the lane from a (different) vintage clothing store that was blaring music by The Beatles! Also, we bought waffles with chocolate sauce on them to munch whilst we browsed. Yum!
When we ran out of shops in that area, we hopped on a (double-decker!) bus and rode to Trafalgar Square. I finally pulled out the camera and started taking pictures. We got sandwiches and ate them by the fountains (out of which I totally pulled about 60p and a 10 cent Euro from Greece!) (there were two other young teenagers who were actually walking around in the fountains, but they got chased by security). There was a small demonstration going on, and I got my picture taken with one of the Lion statues! Then we went into the National Gallery (after looking at some chalk art (not that good, but I'd never seen any in real life before)and I dragged Elena through the 1250-1500 Gallery. Mostly religious artwork with LOTS of gold. Some of it was quite good. Others were really silly looking. It's really a shame that many of them were made for churches and altar decorations, and the churches are still standing, but they dont want the artwork. :( We then went along and saw some Van Gogh and Degas (the only two impressionists I can stand), but there weren't any of the really beautiful ballerina pieces, so that was a little disappointing.
BUT. I got to see Botticelli's "Venus and Mars." ! !!! !!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When our eyes started going numb, we left, looked at Big Ben in the distance and said, we COULD go over to Westminster.
Or we could sit.
So we sat in a cafe and I had the BEST HOT CHOCOLATE. It tasted like liquid brownie. Not like water/milk with brown powder in it. Amazing. Then we came home and met Alice's fiance.
Also, I never got a picture of a Trafalgar Square Pigeon. Next time...
Pictures will be posted on facebook assuming my card fits into my computer (as I have left my wire at home...)
So, I went to London with Elena yesterday! We took the train, then the tube, and whoever it was that told me that they no longer used double decker buses in London is a liar-face. They definitely have them, and I definitely rode on one! On the upper level! (Elena, Alice and I are going to take the double decker tour one weekend!)
First we went to Camden Market (no, there was no New Jersey involved). Oh. My. God. Mash New Hope and South Street and multiply by about 10. We went through the more bohemian part of the market. I bought two skirts (both on sale!) and a scarf! I'll probably be going back for a hoodie (it seems expensive because I'm still converting pounds to dollars, but Elena says it's actually a fantastic price) and tea that is more than black or Earl Grey. Also, I started my list of things I'm buying you all for Christmas. There was lots of really crafty jewelry and clothes and, well, crafty bits. Really odd stuff that you just dont see anywhere else. (I also got yelled at by a vintage clothing seller because I told her I really didnt do well in high heels. I got a lecture on 'what are you going to wear to your wedding?! It was funny) There was some weird cyber-black-lit clothing store. Kind of scary, but right across the lane from a (different) vintage clothing store that was blaring music by The Beatles! Also, we bought waffles with chocolate sauce on them to munch whilst we browsed. Yum!
When we ran out of shops in that area, we hopped on a (double-decker!) bus and rode to Trafalgar Square. I finally pulled out the camera and started taking pictures. We got sandwiches and ate them by the fountains (out of which I totally pulled about 60p and a 10 cent Euro from Greece!) (there were two other young teenagers who were actually walking around in the fountains, but they got chased by security). There was a small demonstration going on, and I got my picture taken with one of the Lion statues! Then we went into the National Gallery (after looking at some chalk art (not that good, but I'd never seen any in real life before)and I dragged Elena through the 1250-1500 Gallery. Mostly religious artwork with LOTS of gold. Some of it was quite good. Others were really silly looking. It's really a shame that many of them were made for churches and altar decorations, and the churches are still standing, but they dont want the artwork. :( We then went along and saw some Van Gogh and Degas (the only two impressionists I can stand), but there weren't any of the really beautiful ballerina pieces, so that was a little disappointing.
BUT. I got to see Botticelli's "Venus and Mars." ! !!! !!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When our eyes started going numb, we left, looked at Big Ben in the distance and said, we COULD go over to Westminster.
Or we could sit.
So we sat in a cafe and I had the BEST HOT CHOCOLATE. It tasted like liquid brownie. Not like water/milk with brown powder in it. Amazing. Then we came home and met Alice's fiance.
Also, I never got a picture of a Trafalgar Square Pigeon. Next time...
Pictures will be posted on facebook assuming my card fits into my computer (as I have left my wire at home...)