London, Part 2

On Sunday, we were out the door by noon to have another full day around London. Our first stop was Piccadilly Circus and Carnaby Street, one of the big shipping areas of the city. At home, my favorite shirt is this Ben Sherman button down, Carnaby Fit. You can only find them in department stores back in the States.....but look what I found on Carnaby Street!














We also found this store called MUJI, where, if I were to ever get married, this is where I would register. They have an amazing variety of stationary, office/filing supplies, photography items, home goods, and just generally interesting merchandise. I bought an acrylic stapler. And as random as that sounds, you can imagine how awesome it was that I was actually moved to buy it. I can't do it justice though, so check them out at www.muji.co.uk



















Later in the day, we made reservations for a 5 o'clock "flight" on the London Eye, the largest ferris wheel in the world. You can't tell from far away, but the little cars are actually these massive pods that hold about a dozen people, with a lot of room to walk around and see every angle of the city. The ride lasts about 40 minutes, and provides unbelievable views of Big Ben and Westminster, since you're about double the height at the top.














After our flight on the Eye, we met Alyce and my friend Kelly for dinner at Wagamama, a popular noodle bar in the UK. After dinner, we walked into a little cd/dvd store that sold only classical and jazz music, and only "art" films. There, on a shelf, in London, was 'Happiness,' staring me in the face. Unbelievable.














Once it got dark, we headed toward Tower Bridge. Tower Bridge is what everyone THINKS is London Bridge, but they're wrong. London Bridge is quite unimpressive, and the original one was sold and re-built in Arizona. But Tower Bridge is a massive structure that to see lit up at night is really beautiful.















After our day of tubing and flying and seeing, we went back to the apartment to watch The Superbowl. They showed the game on TV1, but just the game, not the commercials. Besides an incredibly uneventful game, the Stones half-time show, in a word, sucked. The band was swallowed whole by that enormous stage, and their lack of enthusiasm didn't help much. Even Sir Paul had more stage presence last year, and he was practically asleep on stage, but it looks like this is how it's going to be for the next few years, all thanks to NippleGate '04.

I booked a very early flight Monday, or very late Sunday, depending on how you look at it, for the return trip, to keep costs low, but also to get the most out of the weekend. I had no trouble geting to Heathrow, but I was the only person there. I'm not kidding. The gate-terminal wasn't even open, neither were the check-in desks. Have you ever been the only person in a departures Terminal? I have. It's fun, you should try it out sometime.













So, London was great. I'd like to get back there once again in March or April. Obviously, I only scratched the surface of things to see and do in the city. But don't you have to before you can really experience it as it is to the people who live there? Playing tourist has it's place, and I really like that place, but I'd also like to spend more time there, and get to know it for myself. And I want to see Billy Elliot, which is supposedly the greatest musical ever staged in the West End. All in good time.

Next Stop: Cork + Kerry