Two out of three Australian boys will want to talk to you naked

I did have some alternative titles.
I made a baby cry.
The V&A smells funny.
People love dead people.

Day Two
Woof! I did A LOT of walking. First I was off to St. Pancras Station. I didn't actually go inside. The outside is amazing. It's rather unfortunate that the British Library is right there as the BL looks rather...dull...next to the grandness of St. Pancras. I also nipped over to King's Cross to get a look at the infamous platform 9 3/4 (yes, I was THAT tourist standing there taking a picture. you know you would too).

The British Library, despite its unfortunate cover, is rather amazing inside. They have this exhibition of all sorts of interesting books...everything from the Magna Carter to Alice in Wonderland to the Beatles. it really is worth the effort to go and see it.

Then I quickly walked down and took a peek at the Sicilian Avenue, Bedford Square, and the Russell Hotel facade before heading to the British Museum.

The British Museum is where I would go to die. It's just crazy to have study these things and to then see them in person. I almost peed my pants from joy. Like a dog. I think if I had to chose just one room as my favorite I think it might be there the marbles from the Parthenon are. Just standing there looking at the size of the figures for the pediments...breathtaking.

But, holy crap, people! You guys really like looking at dead people. Each time I went past the mummy room, it was jam pack full of people looking at them and taking photos.
You sick bastards.

After that I jetted down to the Photographers Gallery where I saw two exhibitions. One was on the film Blow Up, which after seeing this exhibition I think I want to see now (a photographer starts blowing up an image and it becomes like a surreal painting and he begins to question the reality that his camera is capturing). The other was photos from the Firemen Archives. really amazing stuff.

At this point I try to meet up with Law-rah's fantastic boyfriend at King's Cross. Alas, neither one of us saw the other. But hopefully before my trip ends I can give a first-hand account of what a darling Ben is.

I end the evening with two Australian boys entering the women's shower. They proceed to shower together and then coming out, naked and soapy, to chat with me. They obviously expected a response and when they asked if I was going to tell all my friends about the naked boys, I responded "Why? They would just say 'Oh, that's just another Monday night for you."


Day Three
I noticed it's getting harder and harder to get out of bed. I like to blame this on my dormmates and jet lag.

Don't contradict me.

On the tube that morning, a baby was sitting next to me and noticed my delicious Cotton Candy flavored lip smackers. I let her play with it for a few stops as she obviously has good taste. When it's my stop, I got it back from her and she immediately started crying like I just kicked her. I shot a glance to the parents and apologized profusely before leaping off.

I'm not meant to be around children.

I spent the morning doing what was to be a 60-minute intro tour of the V&A (the tour guide spent 1 hour and 45 minutes showing us 5 rooms). I'm not big on decorative arts so I didn't do that much more after the tour. I did, however, checked out their exhibition on 60s fashion. hilarious some of the stuff they found!

I then jetted over to Harrod's to point and giggle at the awful Princess Diana memorial.

The off to the Spy & Spycatchers walk (most of the London Walks were free last weekend thanks to the Mayor's open house). Then to the Murder Most Foul walk.

my feet still haven't recovered from all that walking.

Day Four

More walking.
Lots of walking.

I checked out Hyde Park. Um, yeah, pretty and nice, but again, I'm tired of walking so I don't make it that far past the southern statues.

Then off to Bayswater Market for their open-air art market.
Ugh.
But some of the stuff wasn't bad. There was one place that made up images from parts of a clock. They had done an AMAZING one of the Tower Bridge.

Then I quickly hopped on the Circle line (which took FOREVER) to get to the Ancient London walking tour. I got to see bits of the old city walls and hear tales of people behaving very badly.

It was during this walk that my camera battery started to die and I realized that I didn't have a converter. great. so back to the hostel to find a store where I bought my overpriced converter. as the battery was charging I took the time to take a cat nap.

Then it was off to the Harry Potter walk. While at the Tube station a train had just closed and then reopened their doors. I thought I wouldn't make it so I slowed down. Just then someone shoved me and the next thing I knew I was on the train with the doors slammed shut on my arm. Now we have all seen those tourists on the Metro who try to hop onto a "doors closing" train and get stuck, and we all shake our heads in disgust at their ignorance. but usually the train doors open again and they can get free. not me. I had to use all my bodily strength to break free. my arm does not look pretty.

Oh, the Harry Potter walk was interesting. They showed us where J.K. Rowling got some of her ideas from and where the Ministry of Magic is. It was quite cute.

Then back to the hostel and out to a pub to get some beer and write some postcards.

okay...this post is HUGE! I hope all four of my readers made it through it!