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enfinblue's Bluey (credit to Fifi for the nickname!) Diaryland Diary

"I am seeking, I am striving, I am in it with all my heart." -Vinc3nt V@n Gogh

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London review, day 1

Hi all,

I'm back to feeling like a million dollars. I had forgotten how much jet lag can take out of you. Anna was very patient with me. We took it steady, as she said.

I forgot to mention how neat it was to not only hear more stories of Anna's wonderful kids, but to meet up with her friend J@ne (and boyfriend), as well as Sam. They were all lovely. And, not to swamp her with more visitors, but she is quite a good cook as well! She thoughtfully added my favourite component to a yummy Anna's paella meal: fagioli (beans).

Brighton, as well, is delightful. We walked along the seashore on Sunday, which I particularly liked. I can't post photos whilst I'm over here, but I took a few that I hope will turn out. We were able to eat lunch on the beach using china teacups and plates, which is MORE than civilized.

For me, the big thing about being in an English town is the layers. I love the detail and the density of cool little shops, pubs and homes. It's difficult to explain, but anyone from North America will understand. Things at home are spaced out. Where I live there are many more large trees than people. Houses are spaced apart quite a bit. People never worry about parking. A block away from me I'm at the canal. I jog up to the canal to a lake and a huge arboretum. It's just different. In Brighton there is so much to look at. I'd never get bored!

Well, I don't much get bored, anyhow, but I do get lonely. Somehow, I don't think I'd be lonely in a place like Brighton.

All that said, as when Anna mentioned when in the US she felt like a European, here in London I feel like a Canadian.

Funny how it is.

I do love London though. It's sunny today, too.

Last night after writing I took myself out for a walk down to Cov3nt Garden. I had asked for a recommendation for a vegetarian restaurant, so I walked down to that. I wouldn't otherwise have gone to Cov3nt Gard3n (a bit touristy), but my walk was FABULOUS. I walked through Blo0msbury! I just love the vibe of that area, although the fact that the loveliest garden in the neighbourhood is private and I ended up pressing my face up against the wrought iron to imagine I was in it was a wee disappointment. :)

Anyhow, if you do make it to London, I highly recommend "Fo0d for Th0ught" in N3al Road (number 31). It was hippie and cool and inexpensive and I had about twenty different veggies on one plate. Loved it. The vitamins perked up a me who was quite tired yesterday.

After my nice walk, I returned to the hostel and read a book. I then proceeded to sleep for ten hours. This morning I had a nice breakfast and...here I am at the Internet cafe. I still have no idea what is going to happen with Paris or Florence tomorrow, and I really need to decide else I'll lose money on the hotel or hostel, but I feel quite good. There are exhibitions of Italian drawings at BOTH the Court�ld (am going to use the pound symbol, since whenever again will I get to use that??) AND the British Mus3um, so I am going to go down and see if I can get in without a reservation (they mentioned reservations on the brochures...not sure). After that I think I'll walk down to the river and the T@te Modern, and then it will be something like the V & A if I can make it there in time. Cool, no??

The only downside about England is that it is flipping cold at the moment! Being a silly me I had assumed it would be mild as it had been when I have been here in April in years past, and so all I have in my bag is impractical floral pencil skirts (and one pair of jeans, which I am incredibly sick of wearing) ! I had been planning to walk bare-legged. As it is I am bundled up in a sweater and I have had to don panty hose. Eek!

Oh well. I shall survive.

I'm running out of things to say. I'm not much of a travel journalist. I suppose the one funny thing I could mention is that one always meets such interesting and diverse people in hostels. I find it all highly amusing. I am staying in an official Youth Host3lling International hostel near the international train station (e.g. Eurost@r) at the moment, so what I find amusing about the clientele is that it is all old. I mean, there are a few typical young travellers there, but mostly the people are older than me. I was a little bit surprised when I looked around the dining room last night only to find that there were plenty of people with grey hair. I rather like this, as as I age I don't want hostels to begin closing their doors to me. In Flore3nce, I have no problem, but I have noticed of late that many hostels in Rome note on their reservation sites that one must be either 35 and under or 40 and under to stay there. I don't know. I think it's pretty cool that older people are travelling the world. Not everyone can afford to spend at least $150 a night to stay in a decent hotel in cities like London. My hostel, including breakfast, is costing me about 20�, which is about $25-30 (US or CAD). It's clean, safe, and quiet (especially with older ladies in my room). I have money left over to spend on things that are more important to me than bed linen and fancy views.

Anyhow. C'est ca. That said, if I do go to Paris I will be staying in a hotel there. Something about going to Paris and staying in a youth hostel seems wrong. Don't you think? I can't explain it. I suppose this is because I expect to feel a little bit distressed there (it's not Florence! And I fear that French people will be rude to me!).

I forgot to mention something amusing. In my room right now are two Aussies, a Spaniard (about my age), and an American from Boston. The American is evidently a born again Christian. I now know everything about her life - born in '43 to German immigrant parents who moved to the US during the war, not Jewish but volunteers with the Isra3li army (she just came from there). Had a child unwed in the 1960s, was heavily into drugs and then decided she needed to seek redemption. She's quite interesting, but she gave me literally a half an hour review of the "prophesies" of Ez3kiel this morning. I politely sat on my bed and listened - I'm quite fascinated by people like this, really, as I want to understand how they've become like this - but eventually managed to extricate myself. Apparently, although I seem like a nice lady, she can see clearly that I am a sinner (hell yeah!) and that I am going to hell. I thought about it in the moment though and frankly I don't really have a problem with going to hell. I suppose that might be because I don't actually believe in the afterlife. I did, however, spare her these observations.

:)

I don't know. People are funny, aren't they? I find that the people I meet at hostels more or less make my trips. I am absolutely fascinated by independent travellers. Everyone, however humble, has his or her story. Some of the coolest adventures I've had were had with people I met whilst backpacking in Asia and Australia. It all reminds me that I have available to me huge adventures in the future, provided I am always willing to put on my backpack and open my eyes and ears to new places and people.

Love from St. P@ncras!!

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9:33 a.m. - 2010-05-11

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