Hullo Love!

1-4 July 2006:

Well, I've arrived! I left Mom and Dad a the Kansas City International Airport at 2:55 p.m. on July 1. The flight was a beast. I arrived at 7:30 a.m. on July 2. I had set my watch ahead and was just dreading the major jetlag that I would experience. I convinced myself not to try and figure out what time it would be at home...because that would just exhaust me! It's not so bad in the evenings when it's 10 p.m. here and 4 p.m. at home...but when it's 10 a.m. here and 4 a.m. there...I'm sure I'd miss my sleep!

Surprisingly, I haven't felt the effects of jetlag much. I don't have any secret remedy (just drink lots of water) but I've been doing pretty well! I'm just getting myself on a British schedule and sticking to it!

I was pretty proud of myself at the airport. After 1 1/2 hours of waiting to get through customs, I went directly to the train and confidently headed into London. Since it was Sunday, I wanted to go to church. I located the Tube station nearest the church building which happens to be by the Victoria & Albert Museum and the Natural History Museum. I was walking up the road, soaking in the feeling, the sights, the smells, staring at the buildings...just excited to be back! It was SO hot...and I was sweating with the big backpack on my back (I swear it was under 25 lbs., but it seemed to have gained some serious weight as it crossed the Atlantic). I felt gross.

I'm walking and walking and walking...and almost arrive at Kensington. Wait a second! I KNOW that it's on Exhibition Road (of which I'd just walked the entire length) and Exhibition Road ends at Kensington. Hmmm...all right, turn around!

So, I walk down the road, still with the backpack, still sweating...and ask a nice doorman for directions. He says, "Oh, it's just down the street...you can't miss it. Oh, wait, I gues you have!" Haha. Funny guy, huh? ;)

At church, I saw Erin and Trevor...and they headed back to the hotel (they'd arrived for the earlier meeting) and I stayed for the Spanish meeting...thinking I'd be able to understand. Well...this was "Portuguese Sunday." Great! So, amidst all the "shhshhshh"ing Spanish that those crazy Brazilians and Ports speak, I could pull out a few things here and there.

I took the Tube back to the hotel and felt SO much better to take a shower and change my clothes! A new woman! Not to mention, my body thought it was 9 a.m....and time to get up and get moving!

We went to the Tower of London (2nd time...and I'm not doing it again, I don't care WHO comes with me...you're on your own). It's not that thrilling...unless you like armor and guns. No art, no furnishings....boring!

Trevor wouldn't even jump the short fence into the grassy area where the ravens were sitting and flap his arms around like a giant stork shouting "Kaw! Kaw!" No fun! Although, Trevor claims it was due to the sign (at left) that he opted out of the stork charades. I don't believe him. :)

Then we went over to the London Eye...and, having learned my lesson last time I was here, I stayed on the ground while Erin and Trevor went up. It's all right to do once, but nothing wonderful! Instead, I went with Kayla (the daughter of Trevor's boss) down along the bank and saw a "professional street entertainer" [at least that's what he called himself] work his body through a coat hanger...successfully and COMPLETELY disjointing his right shoulder out of the socket. Gross!

We got dinner at a pretty good Indian restaurant...and I started to realize...again...how expensive London is.

We went to Portabello Road today (not realizing that it's Saturday that has the bustling street market). That was a little disappointing. Then we went to Harrod's deparment store. More than the hundreds of dollars you could spend on designer handbags and shoes, I am amazed by the foods! You can get ANYTHING! It's amazing. Last time I was there, my good friend, Jenn Alder, and I thought it'd be a great idea to buy one of their delicious salads. Well, it ended up costing us WAY more than we expected. So, in honor of Jenn Alder, I took a picture at the salad counter at Harrod's.

Then, we came back to the hotel, figured out a decent itinerary for the rest of the week, and then headed out. Erin and Kayla went to Kensington Palace (been there, done that) and I went to the Cortauld Institute's Art Gallery. I LOVED IT! I'll admit, I'm a bit of an art history geek...but I adore walking through a museum at my own pace, oohing and awwwing over things that I've studied in books...and there they are, right in front of your face!

I saw Van Gogh's self-portrait with the bandaged ear, a bazillion Rubens, many by Manet, a few Renoir, Degas, etc. etc. I LOVED it! It was good I was on my own, though. I mosied through at a snails pace, reading all the placards I could care to read. Ahhh...I need to remember those sorts of experiences when I wonder what I should study when I grow up!

Outside the Cortauld in the courtyard, there are these foutains that shoot up from the cobblestone and people come to play in the fountain on the hot summer days! I would have loved to join them...and even contemplated it, but didn't have the time...nor the spare change of clothes. :)

Tonight we went to this fancy-schmancy restaurant with a business associate of Trevor's. We went to The Tenth, an amazing restaurant on the 10th floor of a hotel that overlooked Hyde Park. And the food...incredible! It was one of those restaurants where they actually name the chef on the menu and where presentation of the food is 1/2 the price! I had scones, focaccia bread, duck pate, sea bass in a tomatoe sauce with basil gnocchi, rhubarb creme brulee with ginger tart, and a chocolate after-dinner truffle. HOLY COW...good food! And the bill...244 pounds for 6 of us (that's about a $440 meal). But hey! You don't turn down free food...especially one that's $70 a plate!

And now we're back at the hotel. I'm tired...which I should be. It's nearly midnight.

I don't know when I'll be able to upload photos...hopefully they'll come soon!

London is a blast, though! It's good to be back!

Cheers!