Random Notes and Observations from Friday

I fondled a $1000 scarf today.  Now I like scarves -- I've got 4 or 5 because I feel better when I keep my neck warm.  But, I've never felt, let alone had aspirations to buy, a scarf like that.  70% wool, 30% silk.  Looked great.  But, not worth it!

I've been on a bit of an expedition, checking stores like Harrods, Marks & Spencer, John Lewis, Liberty, and House of Fraser to buy a scarf as a souvenir.  The utility scarf I'd brought with me I'd actually bought here in London nearly 30 years ago.  But, it's mid April.  And, as I've been told by several sales clerks, it is effectively summer (or spring) here so they're not selling scarves.  Spring?  Summer?  Today I was dressed more warmly, with a polo shirt, a wool sweater, a windbreaker, and that old wool scarf all on as I went through the day.  Summer.  Sure!

Last night at 11:40pm we met the police!  Our landlords are apparently in town.  Their car was stolen and left running outside a pub.  Police found the car, checked the records and discovered it registered to this address so they came to say hi.  We felt bad for the landlords.  Not only are they having to spend the time staying at a friend's place (rather than theirs -- ours), but their car gets stolen.  Still, from our standpoint, the novelty of the door ringing to get us out of bed and 2 police being outside...

People call you sir here all the time.

There are tons and tons of pubs in London that look picture book. 

I'm sitting here drinking Cuban rum.  Bought it at the local grocery store tonight.

Walked past Harrods this afternoon.  At least 30 drivers waiting for their passengers.  Not Beverly Hills but affluence visible in a different way.

London is 3+ times the size of Paris.  That's coloring how we compare the cities.  I'm avoiding too many comments, but the net is that we prefer Paris even though we hardly speak the language and they don't make it easy to be there (in contrast, in London obviously we do speak the language and they do try hard to make it easy to be there).

British food has been extremely unimpressive so far.  Best meal we've had in over a week was French.   Maxine is getting discouraged in her role of restaurant deciderer (not a typo, but a joke...)

Who called Britain a country of shopkeepers?  Seems that way, but again it might be the relative population.  However, we're in a nice area of London, as we were in Paris.  And the shopkeepers here don't try nearly as hard, not nearly, to have attractive and seductive shops.  It just isn't as pretty...

What did we do today?  Tate Modern (together).  Lunch at the Tate Modern (view from the 7th floor restaurant over the Thames River was fabulous!  I walked and (mostly) randomly rode buses for a couple hours.  Sort of a cheap, random way to see sights of London.  Down Fleet street.  Past Scotland Yard.  Across from Southwark.  Up to Liverpool station.  Past Westminster Abbey/Parliament.  Hopped out and checked out Westminster Cathedral.  Ended my bus ride at Sloan Square and walked home, window shopping.  Dinner was at home, they we went to Sainsbury, now I'm writing this and then some reading before bed.