LONDON!!

I finally am able to get to sit and write! Plus, I forgot my password to my own Blog site, oops.
Here's a quick run down....landed on Thurs a.m. Saw Buckingham Palace, Duke of Wellington Arch, Hyde Park, Regeant's Park, Traflagar Square.....
Friday, I had to venture on my own to find the Tanzanian Embassy to get my Visa. Took the "tube" (subway), had to pay 5 extra Pounds to get Visa the same day, otherwise it would have been Tuesday, and that would have been too late. I took a bus tour, a very touristy thing to do, but I LOVED it! Two hours, got to see the Tower of London. Known for it's torture and beheadings....Took lots of pictures and will try to upload them. Parliament, Westminister Abbey, London Eye....all kinds of great structures.

London is so CLEAN! I am very impressed. The streets are virtually litter free. Street signs are posted on the buildings, not on the corner, the ground floor is first, then floor 1,2, 3 ext. Tough to find the restroom when I don't know how to count their floors, plus restroom is a fitting room, "toilet' is the bathroom.

London has beautiful buildings and lots of statues and fountains. Very historic,metropolitan and BUSY! Also, the parks are gorgeous, so green and lots of people sitting on the park benches having lunch or business people just relaxing on their lunch hour.

My oldest girlfriend, Carrie, her younger brother Craig, now lives in London. He and his fiance, have a "flat" in an upscale area. It is very clean and modern with beautiful furnishings and within walking distance to the tube, small shops and restaurants.

The public transportation system is great! If you are from New York or Chicago, it isn't much different, but since I'm not, I think it's great!! Very efficient, but again, the directions aren't clear....Example, it doesn't say East or West, you just have to look to see if that direction of tube takes you to the stop you need.

Saw "Les Miserables" at Queen's Theatre. That theatre is where Phantom of the Opera began. The show was good, but I was still jet lagged....

Yesterday, took a boat ride on River Thames and saw the National Gallery Museum. The museums are all free in London. However, some exhibits like Van Gogh and Picasso were closed for renovation. Saw Rembrandt and others. Tried to tour the Westminister Abbey, but they didn't have tours on Sat. afternoon. I got to see from the outside.

Food is very bland. If you order a chicken sandwich, you get chicken and bread. No fixings. Condiments are extra.
The pubs you can order half pints which is good, I just want to have some of the local brews, but not have to drink full beers....

Americans are NOT the rudest by far!! A family of Ukrainians at the airport took the prize, cutting in line of 500 people to get through customs and lied about it, talking on the phone, holding up the line....Then on the boat ride yesterday, an Italian Family was standing and talking while the tour guide was speaking and told them to sit down and be quiet. Plus, they pushed their way through the whole crowd while trying to disembark the boat. Completely oblivious.... So, Americans are not the rudest....

I already have two blisters! Walking a ton! So much to see, also asking for directions is difficult, they don't really tell you where to turn by street names, they tell you by "turn where all the shops are." (shops are everywhere)

The flight was good, everyone rushed to the middle seats when we were in flight, I didn't know at first, but I had 3 seats to myself to sleep. However, I didn't sleep one wink! Too excited. Did have toiletpaper stuck to my shoe and didn't know it all the way back to my seat. Classy.

That's it for now! :)