England Travel Log #3 - June 13, 2000, part 1

 June 13, 2000

Tuesday

This morning I feel perfectly grand!  Got my eight hours of sleep, figured out that the constant wheezing that I hear must be a pigeon outside my window instead of a couple having bad sex next door or somebody with emphysema in the next room.  My bags should be arriving this morning so that I can wear my blue striped t-shirt & blue jeans.  continental Breakfast is from 7-9, so I've got a half-hour or so to knock about & take my time.  I took a shower first thing when I got in yesterday, so I won't really need one right now.

I didn't take a whole lot of time to describe my room yesterday, so I'll go ahead & do that now while I'm waiting.

First thing you notice is that there's probably more space floor-to-ceiling than there is wall-to-wall.  It is a very tall room with some embossing around the ceiling, painted white.  The walls are papered in this horrible third rate peach and maroon stuff that only hotels use.  the paper is a combination of stripes, swirls, and diamonds.

One thing that room is not lacking in is bed space.  I guess that one twin bed and one single bed is enough for one person, wouldn't you?

I can hear the trains rumble through Paddington station every once in a while.  I feel it in my chest a bit more than just hearing it, but it's a comfort.  Something like how the ocean roars when you're staying on a condo near the beach.

As I mentioned before, I believe, the bathroom's particularly small.  The toilets here are different than U.S. toilets.  They're round on top instead of oval, and they're very, very deep - reminds me of a hole in the ground.  Thankfully, however, they do have seats on htem.  I hear there are some countries that do not have seats on their toilets, and I would find that exceedingly uncomfortable.

The shower is very small as well.  Basically, you step to one side of a little trough and you're in the shower.  The sink is in the same 'room' with the shower, which takes some adjustment.  The shower consists simply of one of those massage nozzles on a long tube.  There is a mount for it, but you must take the nozzel down to adjust the temp. 

I'm actually being a bit unjust in my description of the shower.  After I think about it, it seems practical to have the sink & mirror in with the shower.  Makes it particularly easier for a man to shave while showering instead of after.  And they do have what almost equates to a vanity in the bedroom.  In all, it's a very nice room.  No pillows, since I don't use feather due to my allergies, but the bed is comfortable and I can use stacked up towels for my pillow & do just fine.

There are reading lamps above the beds & also two bed stand tables.  I've got a nice little self-heating pitcher to make hot water for the tea or coffee they've provided.

Funny thing I found yesterday was that the phones charge per minute on local calls.  I was trying to call Richard so that I could get back my rain jacket.  Sadly, I'm probably going to have to get a new one.  But I'll drop back by the bar we stopped into by Kennsington Palace.  I'll find it very easily because there was a Burger King right across the road.

And speaking of roads!  They're so tiny!  Wow!  They've got the words "Look Right" or "Look Left" marked at some of the crosswalks.  Most people walk or use the Tube (subway trains) I believe.  It is also funny how some of the lines on the road are zig-zaged instead of straight.  I'm honestly glad that I'm not driving because I'd be far too confused in the city.  It might be easier in the country, but between driving on the left and one-way roads, I would be use to get in an accident.  Thank god for the European obsession with public transportation!

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June 13, 2000 (cont.)

Well, the contacts are back in and seem to be doing O.K.  One thing I am missing about this bedroom is a box of kleenex.  My nose is giving me little fits from the new pollutants and I'd really like a proper kleenex to blow it in.  My allergy medicine is also with my bag.  I hope I won't need much because I only brought a few pills worth of Chlortrimeton.

The instant coffee is pretty good.  Cream & sugar & all, it tastes like the regular stuff!  Only a couple of packets though, so a real heavy coffee drinker would be up a creek.

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Called Mom to let her know that I got here O.K.  Didn't mention about the bags or anything.  Also called the airport.  They said it'll be afternoon before my bags get here, so I'll be sight-seeing without my new camera today.  Maybe I can get a disposable & a t-shirt.  I can't go to Westminster without a camera.

Pictures

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June 13, 2000 (cont.)

O.K., it was funny when it was just misplaced, now they've only found the one bag.  I broke down and picked up some essential toiletries - shampoo, deoderant, razors.  Was sick of smelling myself, but the Tube had stunk so bad it didn't matter if I was adding one more odor.  Picked up a new shirt & am cleaning out the one I was wearing in case the bag isn't my clothes bag.  Put an extra change in the other, though, so at least I'll have a change of clothes either way.

Still morning now.  I'll be heading off to Westminster now that I'm feeling human again.

Funny thing: Everybody in London speaks French.

Temps in upper 60's (F)

Pictures  (listed in my journal, all not necessarily shown when you see these lists)
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Thames @ Westminster

Aqurium w/ Millenium Wheel

Westminster "Bridge Street"

Big Ben

Sovreign's Entrance - W.A.

Golden Eagle

Yellow - Big Ben Building

White = Westminster Abbey

Oliver Cromwell in front of Big Ben

Churchill in front of W.A.
George V in front of W.A.
BesideW. A.

Gardens inside W.A. (Little Cloister - College Garden)

Let me give you an idea of how awesome it is to be sitting on the steps of George V's statue between two of these most impressive pieces of historical architecture.  Big Ben (named for Sir Benjamin Hall, who commissioned its building) rings every fifteen minutes.  What I refer to as Big Ben in the pictures also includes the Parliament Building, which it is attached to.  

Clouds billow here and there in the sky, which is extraordinarily blue for a day that started out being so overcast.  People drive, walk, rollerblade, and motor by, as i f there is nothing here to be particularly impressed by.  But they see this daily.  There are also tourists like myself taking pictures to capture every moment.  Now off to find out how I can get in to see the abbey.

Not hard at all to get into the abbey, but they don't allow picture-taking.  There are statues everywhere, donated by all sorts of people from English history.  Yes, the architecture is truly breathtaking - I don't believe my writing could ever do it justice, so I'm just going to walk around and marvel at it.

I am down to change & was going to cash one of my traveler's checks, but he said they don't take them here.  I pulled out my change, ,which was three pounds & a bit.  He said "I'll take the three pounds and will just call you a student, how 'bout."  I am continually amazed and grateful for how kind the people are here.  there's not been one person rude or nasty.  Everybody's been so marvelous and even going out of their way to help this  silly little American girl.  It would be so easy & tempting to make London my home.

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I am overcome by a sense of worship and kneel before the steps leading up to the altar.  I feel God in this place.  The awesome power of millions of worshippers through four centuries of celebrating God's work in this world through Jesus Christ's teachings.  One's soul is touched by the amount of love coursing through the veins of stone.  I'm sure that the remains of the most powerful and talented people in my history have only added to the energy of this awesome spectacle.  

I came through poet's corner just before entering the Worshiping Abbey.  How many people lay here!  Chaucer, Keats, Lawrence, Tennyson!  It must be the English in me that admires great works of thought over and above works of strength & state.  Seeing Mary, Elizabeth, Richard II, Edward, Henry, etc. etc. - it's amazing.  But the Poet's corner, that is beauty and grace at its finest.

O.K. - the abbey was founded in the tenth century, so we're talking a thousand years.  St. Paul's is only four centuries - and not quite even that.  This is a Gothic place - truly.  In every sense.  I should be getting along to that boat tour, or lunch, or something - but I am loathe to leave.  No wonder there are so many skinny English.  It takes too much time to eat when there's so much else to see and do.