A late update...
So a number of you, most notably my dad, have been harassing me for a blog update. It's late here, and I'm exhausted, but here you go. Things have been exceedingly busy for the last week. Most of my time in Vancouver was spent doing last-minute odds-and-ends work on packing, lightening my pack (I ditched most of my cold-weather gear, contact lens solution, and DVD's, but cut down almost 20 pounds) and the like. Got on the plane with no problem at all, even though my checked baggage was STILL overweight at 23kg, and my carry-on must have been 20 lbs at least, well over the 5lb maximum... Regardless, I got on OK. Had all my gear serial numbers recorded by Canada Customs so I can get back into the country without being charged tax on my own gear. When I offered to unpack my bag and let the customs officer check the numbers she just told me it "looked like it was all old" and not to worry about it... Go figure. (Above: St. Paul's Cathedral at Sunset, as seen from Shakespeare's Globe, across the river Thames.)
Arrived in London with relatively few complications, was treated to a WONDERFUL dinner by Robyn's new in-laws who are, quite possibly, the nicest people I've ever met. Have spent my first few days in London exploring the Fleet Street area of town, in particular a "small" church called St. Bride's, (There's a half-decent Wikipedia article here as well.) which calls itself "...the spiritual home of printing & the media." It's a wonderful place that was designed by Christopher Wren, in the late 1600's, though parts of the crypt and foundations date back to the first century and earlier. They've actually created a small chapel in the crypt, so that services can be held in the same place they were 2000 years ago. Pretty neat if you ask me.
I'm PRETTY sure this is the place Matt Lambert told me about several months ago, with a spiral stair-case up the spire and a great view of St. Paul's, but they wouldn't let me go up it without having arranged something well before-hand. Perhaps next time I visit...
(Below: St. Bride's is the tall steeple on the left. Fleet street can be seen on the right-hand side.)
Other highlights while I've been here have included climbing the great fire Monument, and getting all the way to the top of St. Paul's Cathedral (600-and-something steps... Yeesh...), having beer in a pub called Seven Stars that's been around since 1602, and seeing The Merchant of Venice at Shakespeare's Globe...
(Below: Seven Stars. Note the "A.D. 1602" at the top of the sign.)
Plan on heading to the War Museum and the London Eye tomorrow, have also booked my tickets to Bletchley Park on Wednesday, my Othello groundling ticket for Thursday, and my train tickets to Budapest (with a half-day in Paris, and a transfer in Munich) as well.
That's all for now, It's 1:30 here and I need to be up in 6 hours. My apologies if I'm slightly less than coherent in this post, it's been a long, long week...
====
Nic's Current Location: Robyn Goodman's House; Sevenoaks, Kent. UK.
+51° 16' 42.64", +0° 10' 43.69"
