I next made my way to the tube to head to my hotel....and again, why is it that in an international train terminal they have so many stairs? I realize they're cheaper then escalators, but I'm getting old and as my luggage donkey was lounging in the Sarthe a girl is forced to lug her many rain outfits up/down/up/down...you get the picture...and I don't glisten folks, I sweat! After paying the extortionist tube fare to get to my destination (did our salaries jump 30%?)....I happily offloaded my things and quickly set out into the city to do what I do best in London....people watch and atmosphere soak!! I don't mean to sound so negative, I absolutely adore London, thus why I love to get away there.
It provides me entertainment people watching....that's not to say that people watching in France isn't interesting or fun, but for some reason it's not entertaining. I love to listen and look at the variety in London. Take this for example (see photo on the right), I had such a chuckle at M&S that I had to take a photo...it's juvenile yes, but I can't even imagine some cheeky french jokester hiking the boxers up to geek levels on a mannequin in a store in Paris....chuckle chuckle. Or, sometimes the brit formality just makes me smile....again, I was walking down a neighbourhood street near my hotel and saw this polite way to say...pick up your dog's poop...in France it's just a sign with a line through it of a hunched over dog pooping with a turd coming out the bum ....
So, I happily munched creative food (yes, France is my mecca of gourmet, but a change of pace and creativity is nice), drank my cider, ate a salt & vinegar crisp or two...had scones, jam & cream (even the fast food version is unbelievably delicious)....even enjoyed a glimmer or two of sun--are the weatherpeople right in any country?....as I wandered through Selfridge's food hall I came upon the 'American' isle and thought to myself as I viewed the symetrically pleasing rows..."good God, is this really what they think is American food?"....I ate Fluff and peanut butter sandwiches one summer when I was ten, but don't know a single other person who has it in their pantry...and ok, I'll give you the pancake mix/syrup & popcorn...but otherwise we are apparently a nation of ridiculous sugar consumption....with some beans & weaners thrown in (has anyone ever seen weiners in a jar in the U.S.?) for salt....ah well, we all have our stereotypes!
I rounded out my London sojourn with a meeting of my friends Nika & Brett's little chub of love--baby S--born last Halloween (is she going to have cool parties or what?) and finally got my wish to pinch those adorably rosy cheeks in person :)...and her Grandmother N is great company! Moving on to Haslemere to visit my friend Janet in her oh, so UK surroundings I finally ate my obligatory fish 'n chips at a fantastic pub...meet Mr. Fox from above the fireplace--> (see what I mean about humour?)...we zipped around in her sporty Audi (I won't show you my face as the passenger....just kidding J!) to visit the beautiful West Dean estates & gardens (see scenery photo on left) and grilled out hubby caught trout on the terrace...all in all a very civilized journey.
A tired L arrived home after travelling all day...the train to a tube to train to a metro to a train home was a bit much, but worth the change in scenery, humour and seeing friends....already planning a return trip, this time with T--there are musicals to be seen and showtunes to be sung! Cheerio! (that's me and my tasty fancy drink at a great thai restaurant Janet & I went to in London...woohoo...hot and spicy baby...and delicious!)
It provides me entertainment people watching....that's not to say that people watching in France isn't interesting or fun, but for some reason it's not entertaining. I love to listen and look at the variety in London. Take this for example (see photo on the right), I had such a chuckle at M&S that I had to take a photo...it's juvenile yes, but I can't even imagine some cheeky french jokester hiking the boxers up to geek levels on a mannequin in a store in Paris....chuckle chuckle. Or, sometimes the brit formality just makes me smile....again, I was walking down a neighbourhood street near my hotel and saw this polite way to say...pick up your dog's poop...in France it's just a sign with a line through it of a hunched over dog pooping with a turd coming out the bum ....
So, I happily munched creative food (yes, France is my mecca of gourmet, but a change of pace and creativity is nice), drank my cider, ate a salt & vinegar crisp or two...had scones, jam & cream (even the fast food version is unbelievably delicious)....even enjoyed a glimmer or two of sun--are the weatherpeople right in any country?....as I wandered through Selfridge's food hall I came upon the 'American' isle and thought to myself as I viewed the symetrically pleasing rows..."good God, is this really what they think is American food?"....I ate Fluff and peanut butter sandwiches one summer when I was ten, but don't know a single other person who has it in their pantry...and ok, I'll give you the pancake mix/syrup & popcorn...but otherwise we are apparently a nation of ridiculous sugar consumption....with some beans & weaners thrown in (has anyone ever seen weiners in a jar in the U.S.?) for salt....ah well, we all have our stereotypes!
I rounded out my London sojourn with a meeting of my friends Nika & Brett's little chub of love--baby S--born last Halloween (is she going to have cool parties or what?) and finally got my wish to pinch those adorably rosy cheeks in person :)...and her Grandmother N is great company! Moving on to Haslemere to visit my friend Janet in her oh, so UK surroundings I finally ate my obligatory fish 'n chips at a fantastic pub...meet Mr. Fox from above the fireplace--> (see what I mean about humour?)...we zipped around in her sporty Audi (I won't show you my face as the passenger....just kidding J!) to visit the beautiful West Dean estates & gardens (see scenery photo on left) and grilled out hubby caught trout on the terrace...all in all a very civilized journey.
A tired L arrived home after travelling all day...the train to a tube to train to a metro to a train home was a bit much, but worth the change in scenery, humour and seeing friends....already planning a return trip, this time with T--there are musicals to be seen and showtunes to be sung! Cheerio! (that's me and my tasty fancy drink at a great thai restaurant Janet & I went to in London...woohoo...hot and spicy baby...and delicious!)
2 comments:
I like the phrase 'foul the footpath'. Very British. Your har looks so cute!
Love the cut too! But, I would like you to look in my pantry-fluff and peanut butter! However, I would prefer it on graham crackers, but the sandwich is delish! see you soon! Mom J
Post a Comment