"Where you from?" he asked after I had told him my destination. "Wait. No. I bet I know: The States."
"Yes, you are very observant," I said.
"So what part of the states are you from?" he asked.
"I'm from Michigan."
"Is that a place?"
[Jesus Christ! Yes, generally people are from places.]
"It's more of a weather condition, actually."
"Wow. You learn something new every day."
"Or so you would think." (I kind of muttered this, to be fair)
There are a lot of idiots in this world. I just wanted to let you know I had met one of them.
How is your Thursday going? Mine is cloudy with a chance of Ireland, which is a synonym for R-A-I-N. You can BANK on it raining in Ireland. The only sure things here are death and rain.
But enough about Ireland. I feel like I've neglected to talk about London enough. First, I wanted to try and explain the prices in London, and I think the best way to do this is to give you examples of costs. For one, a return trip on the tube to anywhere is about £5. That's $10. For a subway ride of about 1/2 mile tops.
I bought a bottle of water for £2, which is $4. That is expensive even by Cedar Point standards! My hostel was £80, or $160 for 3 nights in rooms I shared wtih 8 or so people and bathrooms that I shared with the entire building. And one morning I bought a frappocino (okay shut up--you try being away from the 'bux for more than two months and see if you miss it) and it cost £3.50. That's a SEVEN DOLLAR FRAPPOCINO.
Basically, if you are on any sort of budget whatsoever, London may not be the city for you. I can see why Brits are taking shopping trips over to the states; the prices must seem downright CIVIL compared to the way they get ripped off in their motherland.
But if you do find yourself in London, there are a few things I would really reccommend you see. Harrod's, of course. But also make sure to:
1. See a West End play
2. Visit Hyde Park
The West End is the Broadway of Europe. It can tend to be expensive, but there are discount tix all through Leicester Square (in the West End) for day-of tix. I saw "The Woman in Black", a horror play that's been on for about 16 years or so. I was curious to see if a horror play would really horrify me, but let me tell you--the acting in the West End is so stellar, I was sitting in the last row of the top balcony and I forgot that I was watching a play. It's something you have GOT to try one day!
Hyde Park is my other "don't miss", and once you walk in and stretch your blanket down in some corner, you'll see why. It is 350 acres of groomed gardens, forests, huge swan-filled ponds, fields and rolling hills, all right in the very center of the city. It's a great mini-city-break, and you only have to walk about 5 feet in before you put the hectic London noise and pace behind you. It is very calm and very lovely and something every London sightseer should experience.
Okay so have I done London justice now? Can I put it behind me? Cuz I have Copenhagen next weekend and I kind of have to get on the bandwagon, man! I'll be picking up my guidebook this weekend (Top 10, of course), and getting ready! Can't wait!
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