Another week abroad.  For the first time I left the city and went on a short (extra emphasis on short) trip to London.

Classes were canceled this week because of Bastille (see next post), so I decided it was a perfect time to leave.

A 5 hour bus trip was all it took to get to London for three days/two nights.  A breakdown of what I did:

Day one: arrived at 4:30 in the morning.  Two hours before scheduled.  Dropped off bags at hotel, but couldn’t check in.  Breakfast at McDonalds (only thing open) and walked around until places opened around 10am.  Harrods was first (didn’t buy anything) then smaller stores around there, and then lunch at the Covent Garden area.  Checked into the hotel, showered (a shower where the water doesn’t turn off after 45 seconds!), changed, explored some monuments by twilight, ate fish and chips for dinner.

Day two: woke up and went to Piccadilly Circus, what can only be described as British Times Square.  Went to the London Eye.  Ate lunch at a pub (once again, Fish and Chips).  Did some shopping/looking around/really avoiding the rain.  Back to hotel, ate a snack, showered, changed.  Saw Sweeney Todd (late, but amazing).  Had an after show dinner at an amazing Italian restaurant (seafood pasta).

Day three: woke up early to get the most in before leaving.  Went to the changing of the guard, got lunch and had an awesome cocktail (Pimms and Lemonade (which I will be bringing back to the states)).  Tried to go to the Olympic park, but they wouldn’t let us in.  Instead we found a brand new mall to explore at the same area.  Went to the Tate Modern museum and saw the Damien Hirst exhibit (the man is a genius and a sociopath).  Ate dinner in the cafe.  Back to hotel to pick up our bags from hold, then to the bus station-in the rain.  Met some cool people on the bus.  Got back to Paris at 9:30 (3 hours late).

RANDOM FACTS ABOUT LONDON

  • They speak English-but I still had a hard time understanding them.
  • They call Sprite Lemonade.
  • They drive on the wrong side of the road, and being in a cab zooming through traffic on said wrong sides is slightly unnerving
  • Their peas are totally fucked up.
  • At 4pm every day it rains.
  • It rains on and off.  Everyone has an umbrella to use as a walking stick/to beat people with.
  • Damien Hirst has a messed up mind. Seriously.  Google his work.