Greenwich

Now this has a whole different feel.  Less modern.  Less kids.  More crowded.  I walked around some but must admit the heat and sun and crowds were getting to me.  A/C seems close to non-existent.  The same could b e said for deodorant.  No, seriously. And of course watching people walk around in so many layers juat made it all the worse.

I glanced in at two of the museums.  I checked out the park.  I walked through the market.  A great concept except stuffy stale air and well those references above.

I found the most trendy least pubish brewery amd had a half pint sitting in the sun.  That sun screen everyone questioned me to pack... it is back at the hotel.

People are everywhere taking advantage of the weather.  I suspect on a day like today at home we would drudge through our day miserable that it was already Sunday and not take advantage of it.   I am impressed with the Brits or whoever all thes other people are enjoying the day.

I need to go catch the boat.

The O2

So I guess I first became aware of the O2 when it was opened as tge Millenium Dome.  Maybe.  Maybe not.  I know a number of artists tgat have perfotrned there.  And somewhere in the googling of it all I realised it is quite an interestibg structure.
In my planning I was glad to find the British Music Experience was there.  It would give me a reason to go and not just oddly gawk at the architecture.
I had no idea until I landed at the dock what all there was there.
Emirates Air has a sky tram.  A cross between a Disney ride and the tram up Stone Mountain.
You can sign up to walk/hike across the top of the dome.
There are more eateries than I anticipated.
And fountains for hot sweaty kids to plan in.

The BME was an experience of the senses.  There was music music music.  There was some memorabilia.  And tonnes of electronic mediums delivering all sorts of musical historical facts.  Some of the gadgets were not the easiest to use but I got the hang of it.

My quest for trivia knowledge of all things British music could have had me stay there all dat.  I did not allow myself to get sucked in...  but I so could Bowie; Beatles,  Freddie, Robbie, The Specials, Adam Ant, Stone Roses.  All sorts of stuff.  All sorts of AHA moments.  All sorts of Oh I haven't heard that in ages.  Or I loved this song.  They have a website.  I intend to revisit.

From there I strolled around some and decided on lunch at an outdoor Mexican restaurant.  Yes, some of the most bizarre Mexican food I have had in some time.  It wasn't bad it just seems to have soice influences from other regions.  And I don't think my margarita had any tequila in it.

I set out for ince cream to offset it.  I was unsuccessful.  So went back to the dock and came to Greenwich.

The Shard

I passed the line for the London Eye and opted to head straight to The Shard.  The Thames Clipper is definitely a commuter boat.  OK by me.  Gets me to all the places I want to go.

Could see The Shard in the distance.  Took some time to find my way there.  You pretty much need to make your way around the major train and bus stations.  Thankfully traveling alone I got a ticketto the top right away.  Wasnt sure how I'd fair the elevator ride.  It was unnoticeable at all.  You take an elevator to the 33rd floor and then another to 68 or 69 and thenyou walk up a floor for internal viewing.  Then go up to 72 floor for exposure to the elements.  It was really cool.
You can see Wembley and The Eye and the Gherkin, Tower of London, Tower Bridge.  So much better a view than the Eye.

From there I made my way back to the dock.  It was easier to navigate on the way back.  Good thing too.  I had to take a little jog from London Bridge down to the dock to not miss the boat.

Then I took a leisurely cruise on the River Thames out to the O2.  It is an entertainment peninsula all on its own.  I did the British Music Experience.  And that's what it is

Sunday Funday

Could actually be a slower day than my itinerary.  Hadnt given much thought to the time it would take to get to the hotel from Wembley.  Quite the exercise in people moving.  Some 60, 000 people meander on over a fee hours.  And then at the end of the night masses of really drunk people all flow out of the stadiun and line up for the tube.  Amazing.  Overwhelming.  And serenity insisting in a moment.
By the time I got back to the hotel I was wired.  Ended up stopping at the hotel bar for a wine.  Ran into three women that I saw on the tube on the way to the show.  What are the odds.  I probably chatted their ears off I was so hyped.  It was late when I got to bed.
And that damned 430 sun woke me up even with the drapes drawn.  My sinuses felt the weight if a days city travel as well. 
This morning I sit at the local breakfast nook next to my hotel.  Coffee eggs and toast on order.  Then off to the Eye.  Depending on the lines I may just jump on the boat first.
Supposed to be another beautiful day!

Wow

I haven't been to a stadium concert in ages... The Cure Giants Stadium circa 1989?
I need to check how many people this place holds.  Their seats are comfier than Panthers Stadium.  I forget the stats of this versus Croke Park.  They give tours of Wembley except Robbie is set up here all week.
Got myself a tshirt.  Wore the Stereophonics tshrt to the Keane show.  Wearing my Keane tshirt tonight.  Gonna wear the Robbie tshirt to the Stereophonics.  Full circle.
DJ just started and I realized the earplugs Lynn gave me are sitting on the desk back at my room.  Ears ringing tomorrow!
DJ was OK.  He did a little nod to Freddie with some We Will Rock You.  I think I forgot the Queen cover in my Robbie cou tdown.
The video montage in between isn't too bad either.  I wonder who picks those.
The drunk people are a bit much.  Mom and Nana sitting next to ne just let the boy with them go to the loo by himself.  He might be 12.  I suspect the bag of Malteasers has him akl hopped up or the taste of his moms Pimms.
Olly was fun.  Quite the dancer.  The sample of Earth Wind and Fire got the ccrowd to their feet.  A good thing since he only has a few releases to date and some are mellow.
Now we wait for Robbie.
Sold out but the stadium isn't packed yet.  The beer lines are long.  Carlsberg   I am avoiding the beer.  The ladies room line was amazingly manageable.  The stadium is doing sonethibg right there.  I had a hot dog for dinner.  That may come back to haunt me.

Will write morw tomorrow.  Diwnloading wee video to YouTube then off to bed

Day 3 continued

From the Abbey I walked around some.  Took a picture of some statues and made my way back to the hotel.
I stopped at the Churchill War Rooms along the way.  It was interesting to see the confined underground spaces they stayed in during the war.  How they ruled from below ground.  It reminded me of the bombing stories my landlady in Bermuda had told me of.  There was a museum dedicated to the life of Churchill as well.  He lived to 1965 the age of 90.  I could imagine my dsd spending a good amount of time there.  For me I spent just enough.
From there I walked past St. James Park and down the Mall towards Buckingham Palace.  I think the approach and the statue are fsr more commanding of attention than the palace itself.  Most likely touring the palace on Tuesday AM
Lunch at Serpentine Bar and Kitchen was delicious.  My big meal of the day.
The nap was good too.  I don't normally schedule naps into my holiday but thought today might warrant such behavior.
Now I am off to Wembley.

Day 3 Lunch time

Wow.. so glad I opted to get on out early.  The crowds grew quickly at Westminster Abbey.  An informal line started.  The a semi formal line took over.  And finally all directions were given barricades were put in place and the waiting began.  It wasn't too long of a wait.  I am glad I went when I did. 
Jeremy Irons is the tour guide on the auduo guide but I am pretty sure the female voice was Dame Judy Dench.  It had a brighter and lighter feel to it once inside than the abbeys in Dublin.  Too think to be a young girl and to be married there.  I am more and more impressed with her composure.
And the people and royalty laid to rest there.  As most know cemeteries are not my thing.  So to casually happen upon the tombs of Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots...  I lit a candle and said a prayer for my dad.  And they do stop throughout the day for prayer.  When I was there it was a prayer for forgiveness.  I was shocked at those unfamiliar with the language or rude enough to not observe the moment of silence.
Oh lunch is here - lamb, chips, rocket, white wine and a chocolate cookie.

Day 3

And the crowds gather outside Westminster Abbey.   It opens in 25 minutes or so.
I successfully mastered the tube.  Even better I learned a more direct route to get to Wembley this evening. Yay me!  Only one stop and I can get there on the www exact same lines that brought me to Westminster this morning.
I will be walking back to the hotel from here.  Having lunch at Serpentine and taking a nap.

Day two - part three

I venture out again.  The main itinerary of the day...  Fat Tire Bike Tour...  I signed up for the Royal Gardens Tour.  Me and about 12 others.

We started at the same place - Kensington Gardens - and made our way through Hyde Park past Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, House of Parliament,  Big Ben, a statue of Abe Lincoln (I probably should go back and get a picture), Westminster Abbey, St. James Park.  Oh I am sure I missed something.

It was a great way to spend 3+ hours.  I highly recommend it.   The tiue guide - Max - was very knowledgeable.  The people all very friendly.  There was a family with small boys from Myers Park.  A family of 3 from Minnesota.  A couple from Orlando.  Two guys from Texas studying international accounting in Paris for the Summer. A high school math teacher from Chicago.  And I know I have missed some others.  Only my tour guide knew who Robbie Williams was.  Lol

And now I am at dinner at a pub down the street from my hotel.  Steak and ale pie and a Guinness.  Ok I know that is not British beer but all the rest was overwhelming.

Now to head back to the hotel to upload all this.

Day two - part two

I am in prime location to Hyde Park.  I walked out the front door.  Got a "white coffee" (miso or au lait for the rest of you) and headed across the street to Kensington Gardens. 

The weather was spotty but the walk was nice.  I saw Royal Albert Hall - there was a graduation going on there.  I saw the Princess Di fountain - nice and understated.  There we're people swimming in Serpentine.  And the walk continued.  I suspect I will become quite familair with Hyde Park during my stay.  There are 2 restaurants there I want to check out.

And back to the hotel I went.

Day two

Wow..  I just wrote so much and the phone replaced it all.

Day two started at 2AM or even earlier.  That is when our flight appraoched London and they threw on the lights and served breakfast.

Through the clouds I saw a brief glimpse of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Stadium.  Looked just like that Take That Olympics foorltage without the fireworks.

And then again through the clouds I saw The Gherkin, The Strand, The London Eye and Tower Bridge.  I felt like Wendy.  If you are unfamiliar with the alliteration go to Disney.  Peter Pans Flight.  It felt judt as magical.

The airport is huge!  It felt like gate E30 in Charlotte.  The toilet was nice.  The immigration girl not so much.  Wow, she read all the stamps in my passport.  Baggage claim awkward.  ATM OK once I found one that worked.  Yes, there was a moment of fear with that. And they have the Heathrow Express process down pat.

The train ride... in my mind was a train ride.  I came out into Paddington Station and felt what I always feel in train stations...  where the heck am I and where do I go from here.  Give me strength to master that over the next few days.

I walked from there with my luggage to the hotel.  Checked in.  Took a nap.  Errr - my non diamond HH status negates my free internet access. Errr.  It will probably do well to clear my head.

And I took a teo hour nap in my little twin bed in my smaller than a dorm room room.  It is quaint.

Day one

Well that was spent around the house.  Then I was at the airport.
Oh the people watching at the airport.  One word..  Bojangles.  Wow!  I opted for the grilled chicken salad.  Not as reasonable as the Waxhaw or South Park version.  But OK for airport food.
The airport itself was crazy crowded.  The queue for my flught was rude and insane.  And I am damned tired of people and their luggage carry ons.  They take up more space than necessary.
On my flight I sat next to an elderly woman.  She could have been my mom.  Sorry Mommy no disrespect on the elderly comment.  She was retu red amd traveling by herself.  She was dropping off her suitcase at a hotel and then boarding a train with her backpack to Scotland for 2 weeks.
She was traveling far more free spirited than any trip I would plan.  Probably because I actually plan.  She was just winging it.  I was impressed even if that would never be my approach.
By the time I left the airport I felt like I should hang about some and help her out.  She was having difficulty with seeing the forms and finding her luggage. I helped her with the ATM but we parted ways there.
I slept OK on the plane.  USAir made a big deal about the meal and complimentary glass of wine and coffee. I JUST wANTED to SLEEP!  I eventually slept.
And so was day one.

Happy Fathers Day

I have stuff going on in mybhead that I feel like writing about.  Just not sure what the overall topic would be.  I guess for me this day leads to reflection on numerous levels.  And the things I am uncovering in that reflection are startling, awkward, unsettling, disappointing.  Not sure how to put my finger on it.  I guess the easiest way to o ut it...  as I continue down this path of trying to be healthy I feel like I have less and less in common with others.  I suspect that is not entirely the case but that is how I feel right now.  And that is what has been on my mind this week, this weeekend, today. 
What does it have to do with Fathers day?  Probably nothing more than timing.