16 August, 2011

Monday we headed to the Southbank of the Thames.  There are many bridges to cross the River and that Australian woman who led us to believe that an hour is within walking distance told us to use the pedestrian "wobbly bridge".  It didn't take long for us to learn that it hasn't been wobbly in a very long time.  We stopped some police officers to ask them which was the best way to cross.  It was nice.  There were cute little shacks set up as an art exhibit, each one was decorated differently, by different local artists.  Then we came across a large book sale.  

Bob and Jacob had to be at the mall by 5.  We got Jacob a "flight" on a simulated air plane that he was going to pilot and the appointment was at 5. 

Bob took all three boys plus Hannah, leaving Ariel and I to wander the city.  We decided to just hop on and off some buses, seeing different things.  A police officer saw us looking at the map and walked over to see if we needed some assistance.  I explained that we weren't really looking for anything in particular.  He asked what we had already seen and said (honestly) "Well, you've seen just about everything there is to see."  Really?  How is that possible?  I started laughing and said, "Oh...well then I think we will go home now." 

When we finally decided to head back to the house we found the bus we needed on the map, but had to walk all over various intersections looking for the actual bus stop.  We found it, the bus arrived, we boarded, then a few minutes later I realized that it was headed in the wrong direction.  It really wasn't a big deal because it just meant hopping off, crossing the street, and getting on the next one heading in the opposite direction.  The problem was that we were in an area with lots of traffic circles and there was no such thing as simply crossing the street so we had to wait until we got far enough away from the circles.  Eventually we made it home and Ariel and I had a nice time, just the two of us.

Yesterday was Bob's birthday.  We started the day by having a big breakfast then heading out to the London Eye.  The London Eye is a great big ferris wheel, 443 feet high.  We rode in a "pod" like thing along with about 20 other people and we could walk around inside of it, take pictures, laugh, sing Happy Birthday to Bob and even get the other passengers to join in (Great job, Ariel).  It takes about a half hour to go a full revolution.  Hannah, Jacob, Ariel, Bob and I went.  It was two trains and a ten minute walk from the house. 

Afterwards we went to a department store called John Lewis.  (They have some great yarn and crochet hooks that have been impossible for me to find in Sarasota). 

Then we had to go to another department store called,  Selfridges to replace the coffee I used for the special coffee machine, a Nespresso machine, that our fellow exchangers use.  There are only two stores that sell it, Selfridges and Harrod's.  We walked in the store and there was literally a line of people waiting to get into the Loius Vuitton section.  A security person only allowed a small, limited number of people in at a time.  I didn't have the heart to tell them that sometimes you can find Loius Vuitton at Goodwill in the states.  The coffee section is like its own boutique.  There was another queue (line) and when it was my turn I told the salesperson what kind of coffee I wanted and how many.  He got them for me and put them in their very own Nespresso bag.  It was almost special.

By now everyone was fairly hungry so we found a spot in a train station that had a number of eateries.  Hannah had to go to the bathroom so I took her and approached two men who worked there and asked them where the restroom is.  They said, "There is no restroom here, but if you go out those doors, cross the street, walk down the alley, blah, blah, blah..."  I took her outside with all intentions of crossing the street but there was road construction right outside the doors- it was not possible to cross the street.  We walked a little bit and I saw a Subway, went inside but there was no bathroom.  Then I asked a salesperson who was hanging outside of a store who pointed to a large department store across the street.  We crossed the street, went into the store, where we were nearly asphyxiated but the perfume salespeople, went up three flights of stairs, found the bathroom, washed our hands in the same weird double fauceted sink, went down three flights of stairs, crossed the street, passed the bathroom-less Subway, got into the train station and found our family just the way we left them.  It was time for us to head back.  Bob and I had a VERY important meeting to get to.

Many of you know that every Friday night, come hell or high water (or even holidays if I had my way) I attend Toastmasters.  I couldn't imagine going two whole weeks without a meeting.  There was a meeting only 20 minutes from the house.  We bid the children fair well and off we went.  This club, the London Athenians, is a big club.  They have 70 members.  I was not invited to participate in Table Topics.  It may be the size of the club, but I suspect that one of my fellow TM members tipped them off about my obsessive need to win the ribbon and that I am willing to do almost anything to get it.  The club meets in a pub and after the meeting many of us went downstairs for a drink and to chat.  Not nearly as cosy as meeting at Panera, but there may be something there for us to consider. 

Bob and I laughed most of the way back to the house.  Where we collapsed into bed after a long, long day.