London

Ok, it's the first time I've been on the internet since I got here, and even thought it's only been a day in a half, I feel like I've already done so much! Well, my legs, feet, and shoulders definitely tell me I have.

Yesterday Sharon and I made the mistake of deciding to do a little sightseeing before we checked into our hostels. Sure, my bag may have felt fine walking up and down the street a few times, but after several miles of not really knowing where we were going and calling it sightseeing simply because no matter where you seem to wander there's always sights to see in London, those 36 pounds on my back were weighing very heavily. We definitly received a few dirty looks from the 'Londoners' because of our uber-touristy backpacks we were lugging everywhere.

On, the plus side we saw the Royal School of Music....basically the same as Benton at OSU. Well, we don't yet have a ticket box in the front area, nor do we have an actual museum of musical instruments in the basement, but we're getting there. There were all these people rushing around toting various instruments and speaking with only very 'sophisticated' British accents, and about very sophisticated things I'm sure.

People in London hang out in parks. A lot. Seriously, in the middle of the day the grass was covered with people picnicing and chatting and walking around. And we're talking really big parks here! Sharon and I decided that these 'people' may actually be cyborgs that the government places in the park to make them look full and bring up the morale. I think it's plausible.

Today we hit two of the main museums in London: The National Gallery and the British Museum. Absolutely amazing. In two hours I'm sure we only skimmed the surface...but such is our 'whirldwind' tour of London. Also, we saw the changing of the guards at Buckinham Palace. Well, we got there a bit late to actually see anything, but I heard a lot of patriotic music, and think I may have gotten a few pictures of the tips of one of those ridiculously huge black hat/helmet thingies. Our other stops included: Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, and Covent Garden, and finished off by going to a show of Chicago.

Oh, and I've officially had both fish and chips AND steak and kidney pie with a pint, as well as ridden a double decker bus. I'm basically English, now. If only my accent didn't sound so ridiculous...and if only I was used to having to pay double for EVERYTHING. It's super expensive here! I have to ask specifically for tap water, so as not to get a 5 dollar bottle of water.

What amazes me most is how anyone can live in a city like this and not be in complete awe of it every second! People walk around looking so jaded, seemingly not knowing the cobblestones they're walking on are hundreds of years old! I think it would take a lifetime to explore all the museums and attractions London has to offer, and that isn't if you spent all your days sitting in parks! I guess this is what being raised in rural Oregon does to you.

I will end with a few terms I've picked up: toilett instead of restroom, surname instead of last name, and litter bins, instead of garbage bins. Oh and there's NO recylcing anywhere. I looked inside of one of the 'litter bins' and saw nothing but plastic bottles. I was so sad! Again, a product of being raised in Oregon I suppose.

Now I'm extremely tired and a bit light headed, and I think it's time we made our way back to the hostel. Oh, it's very nice by the way! Clean and quiet...and no one seems to snore in our dormitory, yet!