sightseeing in london?

Sorry for being away for so long, but I was visiting a certain someone (Jean!) in London. It was all wonderful, and it was superawesome being around her again.
We went out for a touristy day and saw the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey. Yep. I’d seen the Tower before, but that was 5 years ago, so it doesn’t count. Besides, who doesn’t want to walk around learning about torture? Who doesn’t want to pretend to fight off enemies from the wall? Exactly.

Someone tried to tell us that morning that Westminster Abbey was ‘not that great.’ Really? Seriously? An abbey where all sorts of famous dead people are buried, a corner of just poets and intellectuals, and beautiful architecture and stained glass. It has to be wonderful and you should get out more. No pictures allowed in the Abbey [and that’s why I can’t post any.]

We saw the graves of so many cool people. All I can say is: one day I want to be famous enough to be buried in Westminster Abbey. Maybe I could write world-renowned poetry. Perhaps I could use my theories and out-theory Darwin. I could be a soldier buried in a world war monument. Any giant world wars on the horizon? There’s always becoming Prime Minister, but I’m not sure they would let me.

Oh! And we went to Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese. SO amazing. It’s the pub where Charles Dickens, Voltaire, and Thackeray used to hang out (not together, of course.) We sat in a dark booth in the corner of a small room and felt infinitely cool, slightly more intelligent, and vaguely [wonderfully?] pretentious. Perhaps that’s it. I’ll write something wonderful while sitting in Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese and they’ll HAVE to put me in Westminster Abbey.



Travel tip #2: If taking a train, don’t forget to check your ticket for your car and seat number.

I had a slightly embarrassing episode with this on the way to London. It involved me almost missing the train and making the girl next to me feel incredibly awkward. Oops.

But, really. How was I supposed to know the seats were assigned? I’ve only taken the train three times in my entire life. Well, five if you count the returns. From Connecticut to New York didn’t have assigned seats. I don’t really remember the train from London to Edinburgh 5 years ago, but I think it did have assigned seats. But I wasn’t in charge of my own seat that time. It doesn’t count. And Edinburgh to Glasgow didn’t have assigned seats.

So, really, I had no way of knowing.


Just got back to Edinburgh today. The snow is all gone, sadly, but there’s always a good chance of rain. I can’t decide if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. Sure puts a damper on touristy things. Jean came back with me. One weekend in London, the next in Edinburgh. Commence adventures!