the boys in london

We rolled in to London town Wednesday morning, and were collapsed on my dorm bed by 11 a.m. We lazed around, did a bit of grocery shopping, wrote some postcards, and then got ourselves ready to go out for sushi off Piccadilly Circus around eight. I had been to the sushi place before with friends, and brought Cam and Bret there to try and recreate our 'Tako' sushi love in Berkeley. Ironically this place is named 'Taro sushi'.

After sushi we stayed near Piccadilly, and wandered around Soho, in and out of a few bars until we found one that was just right and stayed just long enough to catch the last bus home.

On Thursday I woke up with a headache. And a paper to write. So I sent the boys out with my trusty miniature street map of London (complete with landmarks) and powered through nine pages of literary analysis. The boys saw the Thames, Westminster Abbey, Parliament and Big Ben, Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace, St. James' Park and MI6 (where James Bond 'works'.) By the time they got home I had (almost) finished my paper, but it was too stormy to go outside. We ran behind my building to the mew with my favourite pub on it - The Queen's Arms - for some drinks and edamame.

By now you've probably realized I don't have any accompanying pictures. I must have used up my photographic energy in Scotland because I didn't bring my camera with me on any of our London adventures.

On Friday I woke up early and trudged to class. I got out at 1 pm and came home to find the boys still in bed watching Smallville. We finished the episode, then wandered through Kensington Gardens across to Notting Hill. I took them to Churchill Arms (I've been there before...) and we got Thai food for lunch. (Green curry for Cam, fried rice for me, and pad thai for Bret). After lunch we hopped on the tube to Tower Hill, where we saw the Tower of London, walked across the Tower Bridge, and then wandered along the Southbank to Borough Market. I finished my Christmas shopping, and indulged in some Turkish Delight. After the market we continued our trek along the Thames, past Sir Francis Drake's Golden Hinde, past the Globe theatre and then over the water on the Millenium footbridge to St. Paul's Cathedral.

We hadn't had enough of London yet, so we stopped off at Winter Wonderland before heading home. Just as magical as the first time I went. I felt like such a native, navigating us around the city, spouting out the few facts that have managed to stick with me from our orientation lectures and field trips.

The boys left before the sun came up on Saturday, and made it safely home to Granada. Thank you guys, for a great vacation!!

To see Cam's version of their stay in London (and Scotland too!), look at his blog El Americano Perdido (the lost american).

portobello road

Today we took a walk through the park to Notting Hill, to wander around the infamous Saturday market on Portobello Road. The trees in the park are turning every shade of yellow and orange and red.

 After buying some fruit and veg, we happened upon a stall selling mini churros with chocolate. Lauryn Kelly and I split a cup full, covered in sugar and cinnamon. Sooo yummy!

(Yes we resorted to sticking our finger in the chocolate and sugar when we ran out of churros...)

 On the way home I spotted this little sign: George Orwell, novelist & political essayist lived here. How crazy is that?! In this little pastel blue house, just one in a row of colored houses, lived George Orwell! We stopped to gawk and awe, and wonder what lucky people get to live in the house now.

I laid out my market purchases on our kitchen table when we got back. I'm particularly excited about the artichoke and butternut squash. The view out the kitchen window, which sits above our sink, was so autumnal I thought I'd take a picture. The sky isn't really visible, but at the time it was pink and purple, and the tree is covered in golden leaves. 

As I write this, we have artichokes steaming in the kitchen. And who says college kids can't cook?