We love Notting Hill, but Camden Market is a close second. The clash of cultures and blaring music had vendors and shoppers alike bouncing and bobbing to the beat of a billion different tunes. Katie and I would catch ourselves dancing along too. It was great. So great that we spent two days hanging out and browsing the endless stalls of jewelry, antiques, and mountains of clothes.
We were so proud to find ideal gifts for our family and friends (we managed to find a little something for ourselves too). The first day we took cheap Chinese food home for dinner. The second day we decided to stay awhile and try more Chinese cuisine Camden had to offer. This time; however, we had some interesting guests join us in the "food court" for lunch. The pidgeons were a bit too friendly, hopping up onto the tables and begging for scraps. They were kind enough to leave tokens of appreciation... Needless to say, I quickly lost my appetite.
But thanks to the pidgeons, we had plenty of room for dessert! I had a Belgian waffle while Katie enjoyed a crepe. If you can't already tell, food and shopping is all that's left on our agenda. We've seen everything else in London. We're making the most of it.
If you don't mind the crowds and dirty pidgeons, you must go to Camden Market for loads of fun, food, and a lot of funk. It was an experience we'll certainly remember.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
We Passed By it Ten Times
Since we've been shopping all the time here, we figured we needed to add some culture to our holiday. That National Gallery we passed so many times on our way to dinner and the theater was just the place to get it too. We were astounded by the artwork we got to see there. Plus, it was FREE!!!
Before our artful afternoon, we saw a street performer do some magic just outside the gallery. He was a regular Houdini, literally. He did the same trick the magician became famous for so many years ago - escaping from a straight jacket and chains. It was pretty cool.
After tipping the street performer for successfully escaping the funny farm, we went inside to see some of the most famous pieces of art known to man. Da Vinci's "Virgin of the Rocks" was my favorite. I now understand why people consider him to be a genius. It was definitely different to see his work in person. But I won't bore you with art stuffiness. However, Katie and I were so happy to have the chance to admire Renoir, Van Gogh, Monet, and more famous works we'd only learned about in art history college courses.
That evening we decided to eat out since the guys were going to the gym. We went to get a healthy order of burgers and fries (all the walking here helps us burn it off anyway). It was the perfect way to end our day. Byron's really knows how to make a "proper" burger. But we can hardly wait for the cheaper version back home...
Before our artful afternoon, we saw a street performer do some magic just outside the gallery. He was a regular Houdini, literally. He did the same trick the magician became famous for so many years ago - escaping from a straight jacket and chains. It was pretty cool.
After tipping the street performer for successfully escaping the funny farm, we went inside to see some of the most famous pieces of art known to man. Da Vinci's "Virgin of the Rocks" was my favorite. I now understand why people consider him to be a genius. It was definitely different to see his work in person. But I won't bore you with art stuffiness. However, Katie and I were so happy to have the chance to admire Renoir, Van Gogh, Monet, and more famous works we'd only learned about in art history college courses.
That evening we decided to eat out since the guys were going to the gym. We went to get a healthy order of burgers and fries (all the walking here helps us burn it off anyway). It was the perfect way to end our day. Byron's really knows how to make a "proper" burger. But we can hardly wait for the cheaper version back home...
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
We Love Notting Hill
Tuesday was considerably more successful than our trip to Spitalfield. Did we mention how much we love Notting Hill? Well, we got our fix today. We started out having lunch at Pret-A-Manger (can't get enough of that place either). Katie and I are considering calling up their corporate offices to see if they'd be interested in expanding their restaurants to Oklahoma. We'll let you know if it's a go or not...
When lunch was over, we hit the stores. I was very happy to find some future niece/nephew, gender neutral gifts. After yesterday, Katie and I were more willing to spend our money. We reminded ourselves that there are only a few days left, and this is the week we've been waiting to splurge on. However, there's only so much we can fit in our suitcases, so we're trying to be mindful of that as well. I think I reached my max weight on luggage today.
Shopping bags in hand, we headed back home to make some dinner and celebrate our successful day. And dinner was an even bigger success. We made our own version of chicken tettrazini - tagliatelle noodles with chicken and peas, in a creamy cheesy sauce. Katie and I both had seconds, it was so good! We might compile a cookbook to remember all the wonderful things we've made while on our trip.
Hoping everyone is staying safe in the snow and ice back home. Katie and I would like to end this blog by saying, "HAPPY STATE OF EMERGENCY DAY!!!!"
When lunch was over, we hit the stores. I was very happy to find some future niece/nephew, gender neutral gifts. After yesterday, Katie and I were more willing to spend our money. We reminded ourselves that there are only a few days left, and this is the week we've been waiting to splurge on. However, there's only so much we can fit in our suitcases, so we're trying to be mindful of that as well. I think I reached my max weight on luggage today.
Shopping bags in hand, we headed back home to make some dinner and celebrate our successful day. And dinner was an even bigger success. We made our own version of chicken tettrazini - tagliatelle noodles with chicken and peas, in a creamy cheesy sauce. Katie and I both had seconds, it was so good! We might compile a cookbook to remember all the wonderful things we've made while on our trip.
Hoping everyone is staying safe in the snow and ice back home. Katie and I would like to end this blog by saying, "HAPPY STATE OF EMERGENCY DAY!!!!"
Monday, January 31, 2011
Spitalfield Market
Paris was a big trip, so Katie and I felt justified for sleeping late on Monday. However, we managed to get up and go see some more places around London. Our first stop on the agenda was Spitalfield Market. It was kind of small compared to Notting Hill, but the cute shops surrounding it were fun to browse. Too bad they were too expensive to buy anything.
We've started to see a pattern at this point. Pretty much all the markets sell the same thing. We've seen the same dresses and clothes at almost every venue. The prices are the same too. When we find something that's out of the ordinary, we're sad to see it's considerably more costly. Katie's pretty good at bargaining though, so she managed to get a good deal on a few items she found.
Spitalfield was fun, but it was cold that day so we were ready to head back where it was warm. I'm getting a little homesick at this point, knowing I'm about to miss all the snow fun that's about to happen in Oklahoma. Katie's ready to move to London :-) Either way, this blog is a shout out to our friends and family. Just one more week to go. We're making the most of it, but we're also looking forward to coming home and sharing our journey with our loved ones.
We've started to see a pattern at this point. Pretty much all the markets sell the same thing. We've seen the same dresses and clothes at almost every venue. The prices are the same too. When we find something that's out of the ordinary, we're sad to see it's considerably more costly. Katie's pretty good at bargaining though, so she managed to get a good deal on a few items she found.
Spitalfield was fun, but it was cold that day so we were ready to head back where it was warm. I'm getting a little homesick at this point, knowing I'm about to miss all the snow fun that's about to happen in Oklahoma. Katie's ready to move to London :-) Either way, this blog is a shout out to our friends and family. Just one more week to go. We're making the most of it, but we're also looking forward to coming home and sharing our journey with our loved ones.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
One Night in Paris
Here's a condensed list of everything we did in Paris. There's a lot, so we thought this would be the best way to tell you about our trip.
(Friday, we mainly packed and got ready. We were both kind of out of it, so it seemed like a good opportunity to rest before our fun-filled weekend...It turned out to be even more than we expected)
Saturday:
(Friday, we mainly packed and got ready. We were both kind of out of it, so it seemed like a good opportunity to rest before our fun-filled weekend...It turned out to be even more than we expected)
Saturday:
- Sleep on train
- Find hotel/hostel
- See the ghetto of Paris (it's everywhere)
- Go see Notre Dame (breathtaking)
- Go to the Louvre Museum
- Get two free museum tickets handed to us from some girl and her winky boyfriend :) (save 20 euros)
- Boys ditch out (they don't like art)
- Find the Mona Lisa (she's still smiling)
- Eat escargot for the first time at a cafe near the Eiffel Tower (definitely a delicious delicacy)
- See the Eiffel Tower really sparkle at night
- Avoid creepy guys selling tiny towers (one euro, one euro, one euro)
- Ignore and avoid creepy guys while holding belongings very close
- Escape the con artists (by running and acting like crazy people)
- Enjoy mulled wine and crepes across the street next to a carousel
- Go back to hostel
- Fire! Fire! Fire! Alarm goes off at 3a.m. (sounded like an air raid was going on)
- Evacuate and grab Katie's camera!
- Never mind, someone was just smoking a cigarette
- Free breakfast! I love cocoa krispies and croissants
- Check out, grab our backpacks, and head to Notre Dame
- Eat at more cafes and see the Eiffel Tower one last time
- Back to train and sleep (our legs and feet are sore from walking)
- Paris was fun, but we're ready to head back to London town
Thursday, January 27, 2011
The Blonde Leading the Blonde
Katie and I discovered a whole different side of London on Thursday. The nightlife! We were very excited about our dinner and theater outing to the Spaghetti House restaurant and to see the musical production of Dreamboats and Petticoats.
We started off the day having lunch with the guys at The Slug. It was very good and they even paid. Thanks again boys! You really know how to spoil us. After lunch we headed back to get ready for our fun night on the town. However, once we got going, the adventure really began...
Katie and I are not so good with directions. When it comes to maps and roads here in London, it gets a little chaotic if we don't have it written down before we leave. We left with plenty of time (or so we thought), but it was our first time dealing with the 5 o'clock traffic. If you're claustrophobic, don't take the subway. At one point we were getting ready to board, and Katie got a bit overwhelmed and stepped out of the crowd. We waited for the next train.
By the time we reached our destination, we ran by the National Gallery twice before finding the restaurant. We were only a few minutes late, but they didn't mind. We enjoyed our meal and were ready for the show. Now, we just have to find the theater...I realized I left my gloves at the restaurant, but it was on our way after getting lost so we picked them up once we started going in the right direction.
Wrong again. We ended up getting a little more exercise running by the National Gallery. Twice. But we finally found it. Thirteen minutes late, but we'd been bumped up to better seats, so I think it all worked in our favor. We enjoyed the show along with a crowd of senior citizens (the story was set in the 1950's). It was so great to see all the hipsters get up and start dancing during the encore songs. Fortunately, nobody broke anything.
It was a night to remember. Even though we got lost a few times, we realized it was the blonde leading the blonde, but we still had lots of fun!
We started off the day having lunch with the guys at The Slug. It was very good and they even paid. Thanks again boys! You really know how to spoil us. After lunch we headed back to get ready for our fun night on the town. However, once we got going, the adventure really began...
Katie and I are not so good with directions. When it comes to maps and roads here in London, it gets a little chaotic if we don't have it written down before we leave. We left with plenty of time (or so we thought), but it was our first time dealing with the 5 o'clock traffic. If you're claustrophobic, don't take the subway. At one point we were getting ready to board, and Katie got a bit overwhelmed and stepped out of the crowd. We waited for the next train.
By the time we reached our destination, we ran by the National Gallery twice before finding the restaurant. We were only a few minutes late, but they didn't mind. We enjoyed our meal and were ready for the show. Now, we just have to find the theater...I realized I left my gloves at the restaurant, but it was on our way after getting lost so we picked them up once we started going in the right direction.
Wrong again. We ended up getting a little more exercise running by the National Gallery. Twice. But we finally found it. Thirteen minutes late, but we'd been bumped up to better seats, so I think it all worked in our favor. We enjoyed the show along with a crowd of senior citizens (the story was set in the 1950's). It was so great to see all the hipsters get up and start dancing during the encore songs. Fortunately, nobody broke anything.
It was a night to remember. Even though we got lost a few times, we realized it was the blonde leading the blonde, but we still had lots of fun!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Do NOT whip your hair back and forth...
After our Notting Hill experience, we made a fantastic meal of homemade mashed potatoes and barbeque pork chops. And to top off the great day, Katie and I had a dance party or disco, right here in the living room. Our theme song for the trip has been the Willow Smith tune, "I Whip My Hair Back and Forth". It's catchy and fun and for some reason we managed to get it stuck in our heads walking around London. Well, we took the song a bit far while dancing and now Katie has a whiplash...
Katie continues to improve every day. We'll continue to keep you updated on her progress.
We took a small tour that afternoon. Not sure how much Katie remembers, but we had lots of fun learning some of the history of London. This was once a very brutal place where they put traitors' heads on the city gates...Gross. We visited St. Paul's Cathedral and marvelled at the great dome and architecture; however, a little creeped out by the famous dead bodies buried everywhere within the church. Katie's great (times eleven) uncle or cousin, the great Duke of Wellington was there.
Next, we went to the Tower of London to see the famous crown jewels. They were sparkly and beautiful...the weather was really cold and rainy that day so all we could think about was getting some hot coffee and food. We went to Starbucks after the tour and headed home so Katie could grab her neck pillow and recuperate. I repeat, do not whip your hair back and forth. Bad things can happen.
Monday, January 24, 2011
The House With the Blue Door
We found our favorite part of London...Notting Hill. Loved the movie and the place. Katie hasn't seen the movie, so it's on her list of flicks to see when we get back (unless Matt sets up a proxy so we can watch it on Netflix) Hint, hint ;) Aside from the movie, the place is really a treasure. I did some reading up on it's history before we went and was surprised to learn that it used to be the slums of London in the 60's, full of rubbish and rats. Now, it's considered a pretty ritzy part of town. I don't know about ritzy, but it was definitely hip and fun.
We enjoyed it so much that we made a two day trip out of it. The first afternoon was fairly short. We took Monday pretty easy after our big holiday in Switzerland, so we only managed to see a few shops and grab some food at Pret (our favorite place to eat here in London). However, the next day was considerably more productive.
On Tuesday, Katie and I got a bit lost before finally finding the heart of Notting Hill - on Portobello Market Road. But when we did, we were extremely happy to see vendors lined all the way down the street selling all sorts of things, from souvenirs and antiques to fresh produce and fish. It was very interesting. We felt at home in this part of London. Something about it was comforting. The hustle and bustle of the city seemed nonexistent, and we were content just walking along and enjoying the less crowded view.
After our delightful afternoon of window shopping and walking, we eventually had to head home and make some dinner for the guys. It's how we earn our keep around here :-) But we plan on going back to Notting Hill soon to hang out in our favorite part of the city.
P.S. I was very happy to finally see the cafe called "The Blue Door". If you're as much a fan as me of the movie Notting Hill, you'll know what I mean. But before we found it, I took lots of pictures of houses with blue front doors.
We enjoyed it so much that we made a two day trip out of it. The first afternoon was fairly short. We took Monday pretty easy after our big holiday in Switzerland, so we only managed to see a few shops and grab some food at Pret (our favorite place to eat here in London). However, the next day was considerably more productive.
On Tuesday, Katie and I got a bit lost before finally finding the heart of Notting Hill - on Portobello Market Road. But when we did, we were extremely happy to see vendors lined all the way down the street selling all sorts of things, from souvenirs and antiques to fresh produce and fish. It was very interesting. We felt at home in this part of London. Something about it was comforting. The hustle and bustle of the city seemed nonexistent, and we were content just walking along and enjoying the less crowded view.
After our delightful afternoon of window shopping and walking, we eventually had to head home and make some dinner for the guys. It's how we earn our keep around here :-) But we plan on going back to Notting Hill soon to hang out in our favorite part of the city.
P.S. I was very happy to finally see the cafe called "The Blue Door". If you're as much a fan as me of the movie Notting Hill, you'll know what I mean. But before we found it, I took lots of pictures of houses with blue front doors.
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| I took this one before we finally found the cafe. |
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| Sewing machines for decoration at an expensive clothing store. |
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| Apparently, they were shooting a food commercial inside this restaurant. We wanted to get in on the action. |
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| The sign says it all! Haha |
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Switzerday and Sunday
Katie and I were very tired after our fun-filled day full of sightseeing and Disney on ice. No sleeping late here, however. On with the show to see Disney on ice part II! We were psyched to see not one, but two performances on our Switzer-excursion. The second time was even more fun because we were busy taking lots of pictures at the previous show. We could sit back, relax, and sing along in French (well, at least try to). We plan on learning all the songs in Finnish before heading to Belgium.
After the show was over, Katie and I decided to go into the city and do some souvenir shopping. Jenn had two more shows to do that day, plus a rehearsal in between. Just another day in the life of an ice skater. After we bought everything we needed, we decided to take the extra time for a much needed afternoon nap back at the hotel.
Now well rested, we went back into town to do some window shopping. Everything is very expensive here, but we were happy to find a few stores with some good sales. Okay, so we're bad at looking without buying. Anyway, just as we were about to head back, Katie spotted a McDonald's and asked if I wanted to get my hamburger fix (she doesn't like Mickey D's). Good thing I wasn't hungry because a few minutes later a swarm of teenagers ran out of the restaurant like a mob, and four police cars arrived at the scene. I think they even locked everyone in at one point. Not sure what happened, but it was interesting to see a Swiss teenage riot. The culture here is very curious...
The rest of the evening was spent catching up with Jenn and hanging out with the Disney crew. We were sad to leave the next day, but are in the process of planning to meet up again with our new Disney family in Belgium. Until then, back to foggy London town we go.
After the show was over, Katie and I decided to go into the city and do some souvenir shopping. Jenn had two more shows to do that day, plus a rehearsal in between. Just another day in the life of an ice skater. After we bought everything we needed, we decided to take the extra time for a much needed afternoon nap back at the hotel.
Now well rested, we went back into town to do some window shopping. Everything is very expensive here, but we were happy to find a few stores with some good sales. Okay, so we're bad at looking without buying. Anyway, just as we were about to head back, Katie spotted a McDonald's and asked if I wanted to get my hamburger fix (she doesn't like Mickey D's). Good thing I wasn't hungry because a few minutes later a swarm of teenagers ran out of the restaurant like a mob, and four police cars arrived at the scene. I think they even locked everyone in at one point. Not sure what happened, but it was interesting to see a Swiss teenage riot. The culture here is very curious...
The rest of the evening was spent catching up with Jenn and hanging out with the Disney crew. We were sad to leave the next day, but are in the process of planning to meet up again with our new Disney family in Belgium. Until then, back to foggy London town we go.
Friday, January 21, 2011
What are you doing at a Disney show in French?
About an hour into our trip of taking pictures of chocolate shops and old buildings, we were so frozen we thought our faces would fall off. We thought Oklahoma wind was bad, but nothing compared to this bitter, brutal icy wind. There was an adorable cafe we finally decided on going to (everything was super expensive, but there weren't really any cheaper options in this part of town). It was the perfect choice for our first Switzerland dining experience.
We were happy to be seated since the place was packed. A guy walked over who fortunately spoke English. He said he was the menu, every day they serve something different, and we could choose between shrimp, chicken, or beef. The food was superb! I ordered the shrimp, while Katie and Jenn had chicken. The soup for starters would have satisfied us, but the main dishes really topped it off. We sat there for at least two hours catching up and enjoying the cuisine.
Jenn and I had to trek over to an ATM to pay for the meal since they don't accept credit cards. Just so you know, the minimum amount you can take out is 200 francs...
Since the winter wind hadn't died down we decided to visit another cafe to warm up with some mulled wine. Katie and I had never tried it before. She really liked it, but it was a bit too sweet for me. Just imagine hot apple cider, but hot spiced wine instead. Another hour passed, and it was time to head back so Jenn could get ready for her show.
Now it was time for DISNEY ON ICE!!!! Katie and I were sooo excited. I'd never seen the show ever before, so I was ecstatic for my first experience to be in Switzerland, in French, and to have one of my friends skating in it! Jenn got us great seats AND free popcorn and cotton candy (or candy floss, as the Brits call it). The show was spectacular. At one point, some lady asked if the seats next to us were available, but we didn't understand her. Katie couldn't stop laughing because I tried telling her I didn't speak French. The look on the lady's face was priceless. We didn't have to speak the same language to know she said, "Why on earth are you at a Disney show in French, when you don't speak FRENCH?!"
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Par les vous frances?
Katie and I felt like cattle on the way to the airport this morning. It was the first time we've been up with the Londoners on their way to work. Everyone was shuffling through the crowded train station, quietly reading newspapers or listening to their iPods. They were so serious, too. I was hoping someone would burst into song to cheer everyone up. It didn't happen though.
We were pleased to reach our destination at Heathrow airport and begin our journey to Geneva, Switzerland. Everyone back home will be surprised to learn that they do not post the actual gate for your flight until 30-45 minutes before it's scheduled to depart. No one was freaking out about it, they just hung out, had a coffee, and relaxed until it was time to check where to go. It was much more relaxed than in the states, which I guess is good and bad.
I've never seen so many people have to go to the bathroom in a less than two-hour flight. One screaming 3-year-old with a pacifier annoyed the entire cabin. Even after we landed, her mother was dragging the spoiled child through customs. Ridiculous. On the bright side, they served us Swiss cheese sandwiches and complimentary chocolates.
We then entered a very foreign zone. They speak French in Geneva. Katie and I do not. We learned how to smile and say "merci" a lot. I think the people really liked us.
Even though our flight was delayed a couple hours, the timing could not have been better. We found the shuttle to our hotel as soon as we walked outside, and thirty minutes later Jennifer and the whole Disney on ice crew arrived. We went to dinner at the Coop Restaurant/grocery store, which sounds different, but was actually very good and expensive. We learned early on that we would have to watch our wallets on this trip.
Overall, it was a great start to a splendid weekend. We were looking forward to a fun-filled adventure full of girl talk and Swiss treats.
We were pleased to reach our destination at Heathrow airport and begin our journey to Geneva, Switzerland. Everyone back home will be surprised to learn that they do not post the actual gate for your flight until 30-45 minutes before it's scheduled to depart. No one was freaking out about it, they just hung out, had a coffee, and relaxed until it was time to check where to go. It was much more relaxed than in the states, which I guess is good and bad.
I've never seen so many people have to go to the bathroom in a less than two-hour flight. One screaming 3-year-old with a pacifier annoyed the entire cabin. Even after we landed, her mother was dragging the spoiled child through customs. Ridiculous. On the bright side, they served us Swiss cheese sandwiches and complimentary chocolates.
We then entered a very foreign zone. They speak French in Geneva. Katie and I do not. We learned how to smile and say "merci" a lot. I think the people really liked us.
Even though our flight was delayed a couple hours, the timing could not have been better. We found the shuttle to our hotel as soon as we walked outside, and thirty minutes later Jennifer and the whole Disney on ice crew arrived. We went to dinner at the Coop Restaurant/grocery store, which sounds different, but was actually very good and expensive. We learned early on that we would have to watch our wallets on this trip.
Overall, it was a great start to a splendid weekend. We were looking forward to a fun-filled adventure full of girl talk and Swiss treats.
Soho, soho, it's off to shop we go!
After our 3 a.m. toast and jam party, we slept in rather late, despite our intentions to get an early start. Oh well, we're on holiday anyway - no deadlines, no schedules, no worries. However, we do want to make the most of our trip and see as much as we possibly can, so we got up and ready to go to...Soho.
Katie really spoiled me today. First, she made me some strong English tea with lots of sugar to wake me up. Then, she fixed my hair for me to have a Katie-do competition. I have to say, that girl can tease hair to HIGH HEAVEN! I looked like a Katie clone. We were officially ready to strut our stuff on the ritzy side of London.
We took the subway today, no more buses if we can help it. Our first stop was the Golden Union Fish Bar on Poland Street, for the traditional English dish of fish and chips. Google was right on with this restaurant pick. We ordered the haddock and chips, and it was plenty. It reminded me of the American version of a greasy cheeseburger and french fries, except they don't cut the fries in thin strips. We stuffed ourselves full and enjoyed lunch with gusto. Our waitress was very nice and even asked where we were from. She said Katie sounded like Britney Spears with her American accent (meaning it as a compliment, of course).
Now in a food coma, we headed off to see the rest of Soho's fashionable stores and Londoners. We didn't cover much ground, due to the greasy food taking it's toll. We went to the phone store and got a sim card to contact Jennifer. After that, we browsed inside a book store and bought a map of Paris. I tried to find a French dictionary, but there were none. I think we'll survive for now.
It was getting dark at this point, so we decided to head on back and see about dinner with the guys. We went to Byron's at Canary Wharf for the best burgers in London (according to Matt and Gary). However, due to the fullness of fish and chips, I ordered a side dish of mac and cheese. Once we had a less unhealthy meal, Katie and I got our second wind and were all excited to pack for the next journey.
We went to bed early, but couldn't really sleep. Switzerland was just around the corner...
Katie really spoiled me today. First, she made me some strong English tea with lots of sugar to wake me up. Then, she fixed my hair for me to have a Katie-do competition. I have to say, that girl can tease hair to HIGH HEAVEN! I looked like a Katie clone. We were officially ready to strut our stuff on the ritzy side of London.
We took the subway today, no more buses if we can help it. Our first stop was the Golden Union Fish Bar on Poland Street, for the traditional English dish of fish and chips. Google was right on with this restaurant pick. We ordered the haddock and chips, and it was plenty. It reminded me of the American version of a greasy cheeseburger and french fries, except they don't cut the fries in thin strips. We stuffed ourselves full and enjoyed lunch with gusto. Our waitress was very nice and even asked where we were from. She said Katie sounded like Britney Spears with her American accent (meaning it as a compliment, of course).
Now in a food coma, we headed off to see the rest of Soho's fashionable stores and Londoners. We didn't cover much ground, due to the greasy food taking it's toll. We went to the phone store and got a sim card to contact Jennifer. After that, we browsed inside a book store and bought a map of Paris. I tried to find a French dictionary, but there were none. I think we'll survive for now.
It was getting dark at this point, so we decided to head on back and see about dinner with the guys. We went to Byron's at Canary Wharf for the best burgers in London (according to Matt and Gary). However, due to the fullness of fish and chips, I ordered a side dish of mac and cheese. Once we had a less unhealthy meal, Katie and I got our second wind and were all excited to pack for the next journey.
We went to bed early, but couldn't really sleep. Switzerland was just around the corner...
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Bottomless Lobster
I don't like alarms. Even if it starts out as a pretty tone, you always end up hating it. If someone has the same ringtone as my alarm, I start to cringe, close my ears, and sing loudly to block it out. Today, I did what I always do when I set my alarm...hit the snooze button multiple times and go back to sleep. Katie was "mom" today and woke me up. She's so nice :)
After rushing to catch up to Katie's pace, we were a bit late in getting around to see Buckingham Palace. We took the bus all the way there. After that very long journey we decided not to take the bus anymore. Both of us were a little out of it. Katie was in the zone and I was still waking up. However, once we saw Buckingham Palace, the golden gate, and the ceremony of the changing of the guards we began to liven up. When the band started playing, Katie got super excited and videoed the whole thing on her Flip over the crowds. It was difficult to see the ceremony take place, but the music made up for it. Next time we go to see the changing of the guards we will stand where the smart people were standing so we can get a better view of the parade!
Even though the sun was shining it was extremely cold and we were both frozen to the bone. So, once we got tired of yelling British guards and the smell of horse poop we decided to find some hot coffee. But first we had to stop at Wellington court to snap a photo of Katie's family name. After finding the Duke of Wellington, we were very pleased to find a lovely cafe not far from our photoshoot. The place was called Patisserie Patch, located in Knightsbridge. We cozied ourselves at a small table for two and ordered lattes and a tuna sandwich to share.
After thawing out from the frigid cold, we gained back our strength to do some shopping! I was extremely happy when we saw a huge sale at the fashionable, yet affordable store, H&M. Most of the shops around here are having their annual holiday sales, which makes the timing of our trip that much better. I ended up with a pair of jeans, casual jacket, and the cutest dress you ever saw, all for a whopping 37pounds. And I must mention that the dress was originally that complete price (but it was on sale for 7pounds). Thank you, Katie for talking me into buying such a bargain!
After a short, yet productive afternoon, our feet were tired and sore from walking so we decided it was time to head home. According to Katie, we walked 20 miles. I agree. We took the bus ALL the way back, which was not a good idea because it ended up taking about an hour and a half to make it home with traffic. Needless to say, we are taking the tube (subway) for the rest of this trip.
Dinner was wonderful! We heated up a frozen margherita pizza from Tesco (the grocery store down the street). Katie finished half the pizza before I finished my first slice. After that, we were done for. The guys kept wondering what was wrong with us, but we were queasy from the bus ride and simply ready to call it a day. However, we stayed up until 3 a.m. just talking about food that Katie ate on her cruise, jobs, and all the other fun stuff girls talk about. At one point Katie even made us toast and jam, even though she wanted steak, bottomless lobster, and escargo. After our 3 a.m. snack, we finally fell asleep.
The next day is a whole other adventure, so stay tuned!
After rushing to catch up to Katie's pace, we were a bit late in getting around to see Buckingham Palace. We took the bus all the way there. After that very long journey we decided not to take the bus anymore. Both of us were a little out of it. Katie was in the zone and I was still waking up. However, once we saw Buckingham Palace, the golden gate, and the ceremony of the changing of the guards we began to liven up. When the band started playing, Katie got super excited and videoed the whole thing on her Flip over the crowds. It was difficult to see the ceremony take place, but the music made up for it. Next time we go to see the changing of the guards we will stand where the smart people were standing so we can get a better view of the parade!
Even though the sun was shining it was extremely cold and we were both frozen to the bone. So, once we got tired of yelling British guards and the smell of horse poop we decided to find some hot coffee. But first we had to stop at Wellington court to snap a photo of Katie's family name. After finding the Duke of Wellington, we were very pleased to find a lovely cafe not far from our photoshoot. The place was called Patisserie Patch, located in Knightsbridge. We cozied ourselves at a small table for two and ordered lattes and a tuna sandwich to share.
After thawing out from the frigid cold, we gained back our strength to do some shopping! I was extremely happy when we saw a huge sale at the fashionable, yet affordable store, H&M. Most of the shops around here are having their annual holiday sales, which makes the timing of our trip that much better. I ended up with a pair of jeans, casual jacket, and the cutest dress you ever saw, all for a whopping 37pounds. And I must mention that the dress was originally that complete price (but it was on sale for 7pounds). Thank you, Katie for talking me into buying such a bargain!
After a short, yet productive afternoon, our feet were tired and sore from walking so we decided it was time to head home. According to Katie, we walked 20 miles. I agree. We took the bus ALL the way back, which was not a good idea because it ended up taking about an hour and a half to make it home with traffic. Needless to say, we are taking the tube (subway) for the rest of this trip.
Dinner was wonderful! We heated up a frozen margherita pizza from Tesco (the grocery store down the street). Katie finished half the pizza before I finished my first slice. After that, we were done for. The guys kept wondering what was wrong with us, but we were queasy from the bus ride and simply ready to call it a day. However, we stayed up until 3 a.m. just talking about food that Katie ate on her cruise, jobs, and all the other fun stuff girls talk about. At one point Katie even made us toast and jam, even though she wanted steak, bottomless lobster, and escargo. After our 3 a.m. snack, we finally fell asleep.
The next day is a whole other adventure, so stay tuned!
Monday, January 17, 2011
The Mad Hatter
Jet lag is no bueno. And since we haven't established a regular routine, it makes it ten times worse. But after this morning we decided it is necessary to start setting an alarm from here on out...
When the curtains are closed in our lovely apartment, it is difficult to know when morning rolls around. And since the sun doesn't shine much, this place really feels like a cave sometimes. So after our busy weekend, we slept in very, very late today. Katie got up around 10-10:30a.m. while I slept in until 1 p.m. I asked her to wake me up sooner; otherwise, I'll sleep like a rock. It was nice to have the rest, but we felt like the day had been wasted. We tried to make up for it by going for a walk and checking out the neighborhood. We saw some really nice shops on the way to church the other day, so it seemed like a great place to go without bothering with the busy traffic on the subway. We were pretty disappointed to find out that those same shops were actually for wholesale only...bummer.
Realizing this after asking the price of a hat in a wholesale shop, the strange owner asked to take a picture of my knitted turquoise earband. He placed it on a mannequin head and snapped a couple pics to send to his distributor. I think I just set the fashion on the East side of London. Because I obliged and let him borrow it, he said I could try on whatever hat I wanted. Katie thought he was going to give me one for free (so did I). Sadly, when I picked one out, he said I could have it for 8 pounds. It wasn't that nice. So we left, hatless and frustrated because it was already beginning to get dark outside. We thought it best to head on home and make the most of our day by making a nice dinner for the guys.
We prepared a hearty meal of grilled chicken, linguine in our specialty alfredo sauce, and the usual side of sauteed asparagus. Everyone was stuffed and sleepy after dinner, so we decided to stay in and hang out watching Friends on TV and making plans for a much more eventful adventure tomorrow...
When the curtains are closed in our lovely apartment, it is difficult to know when morning rolls around. And since the sun doesn't shine much, this place really feels like a cave sometimes. So after our busy weekend, we slept in very, very late today. Katie got up around 10-10:30a.m. while I slept in until 1 p.m. I asked her to wake me up sooner; otherwise, I'll sleep like a rock. It was nice to have the rest, but we felt like the day had been wasted. We tried to make up for it by going for a walk and checking out the neighborhood. We saw some really nice shops on the way to church the other day, so it seemed like a great place to go without bothering with the busy traffic on the subway. We were pretty disappointed to find out that those same shops were actually for wholesale only...bummer.
Realizing this after asking the price of a hat in a wholesale shop, the strange owner asked to take a picture of my knitted turquoise earband. He placed it on a mannequin head and snapped a couple pics to send to his distributor. I think I just set the fashion on the East side of London. Because I obliged and let him borrow it, he said I could try on whatever hat I wanted. Katie thought he was going to give me one for free (so did I). Sadly, when I picked one out, he said I could have it for 8 pounds. It wasn't that nice. So we left, hatless and frustrated because it was already beginning to get dark outside. We thought it best to head on home and make the most of our day by making a nice dinner for the guys.
We prepared a hearty meal of grilled chicken, linguine in our specialty alfredo sauce, and the usual side of sauteed asparagus. Everyone was stuffed and sleepy after dinner, so we decided to stay in and hang out watching Friends on TV and making plans for a much more eventful adventure tomorrow...
Sunday Funday!
On Sunday, we scarfed down some granola bars in a rush to get ready for church. We attended the non-denominational Christ Church. It was interesting because it wasn't exactly in your usual house of worship. It was in a theater, the Mermaid Theater, to be exact. We were right on time to participate in a couple songs before the service actually started. It felt more like a classroom setting, because the preacher would ask the congregation questions every now and then throughout his sermon. Overall, the people were very nice and we were happy we made it on time.
When church was over, we said goodbye to the greeters and left to find some good food. We ended up at the Garfield's/Chili's/Applebee's English equivalent called Garfunkel's. They let us drink tap water for free so we were immediately happy. Katie and I both ordered the chicken, bacon, avocado wrap. It was delicious! Kaite says she would marry avocados because they always leave her satisfied. (This is one of many Katie-ology's we will add to the end of our blog, so stay tuned).
After lunch we walked around a bit and decided to stop at Starbuck's. It was perfect timing too, because the wind and drizzle had picked up some. It was nice to relax and sip my vanilla latte, chat with good friends, and people watch from our front window view.
Once the weather died down, we braved the cold and thought a movie would be a great way to end our restful Sunday afternoon. We saw The King's Speech, starring Colin Firth and Helena Bonham Carter. It seemed like a very fitting movie to see on our holiday here. Katie and I enjoyed it thoroughly. However, we recommend renting it, since it's not necessarily a theater-worthy flick. But still, very good!
When the movie was over, we were ready to head home and have some dinner. Matt volunteered to be the chef for the evening. He made us chicken fajitas that were awesome!!! We were too full to move. The guys have been so nice to us. We will do our best to make more breakfasts and dinners to make up for their hospitality. That being said, this blog is dedicated to our good friends, Gary and Matt, for being super amazing Americans! Thank you for being our security guards and cooks :)
Here are more requested pictures!
When church was over, we said goodbye to the greeters and left to find some good food. We ended up at the Garfield's/Chili's/Applebee's English equivalent called Garfunkel's. They let us drink tap water for free so we were immediately happy. Katie and I both ordered the chicken, bacon, avocado wrap. It was delicious! Kaite says she would marry avocados because they always leave her satisfied. (This is one of many Katie-ology's we will add to the end of our blog, so stay tuned).
After lunch we walked around a bit and decided to stop at Starbuck's. It was perfect timing too, because the wind and drizzle had picked up some. It was nice to relax and sip my vanilla latte, chat with good friends, and people watch from our front window view.
Once the weather died down, we braved the cold and thought a movie would be a great way to end our restful Sunday afternoon. We saw The King's Speech, starring Colin Firth and Helena Bonham Carter. It seemed like a very fitting movie to see on our holiday here. Katie and I enjoyed it thoroughly. However, we recommend renting it, since it's not necessarily a theater-worthy flick. But still, very good!
When the movie was over, we were ready to head home and have some dinner. Matt volunteered to be the chef for the evening. He made us chicken fajitas that were awesome!!! We were too full to move. The guys have been so nice to us. We will do our best to make more breakfasts and dinners to make up for their hospitality. That being said, this blog is dedicated to our good friends, Gary and Matt, for being super amazing Americans! Thank you for being our security guards and cooks :)
Here are more requested pictures!
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| There are pigeons everywhere. |
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| This is the lizard man we saw at the London Eye. |
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| Oh, look! There's Big Ben! |
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| Protestors. |
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| More protestors. |
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| Houses of Parliament. |
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| Strange statues. |
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| Katie recording everything on her fancy Flip video camera :) |
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| Westminster Abbey |
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