Monday, Tuesay & Wednesday in England

Where was I? I think we stopped the London tails with Sunday afternoon.

Monday Marc & I woke up early and Marc made me an amazing breakfast of sausage in a toasted beigel. Not long after we were bundled up and on a morning train to London. The ability to get around with ease via public transportation in England is such a blessing, albeit costly. We started on the National Rail and then changed to the Victoria Line and popped up above ground at Green Park.

Our first stop was the Starbucks where we paid an inane amount of money for our standard order... my double, non-fat, no-whip, tall peppermint mocha and Marc's decaf non-fat, no-whip, 5 pump grande. Could you get more annoying than that order? Not sure - but I was floored that they charge the same in pounds as they do in dollars. Yikes! But we had our fix and were on our way to Buckingham Palace. Or kinda not... we got a bit turned around and took the long way to the Palace, with a plesant peek into Hyde Park and then a stroll down Constitution Hill.

The Palace was the Palace and there were guards so we made our way to The Natual History Museum where there was a non-controversal Darwin exhibition. I say non-controversal, as I expect that such an exhibit in Tulsa might generate some controversy. Nevermind it simply being a chonicle of Darwin's life and how he reached his discoveries, I'm sure some wacky Church Elder would ignore the exhibit and demand some ode to Creationism be included.

That said, we enjoyed our educational hour and took to Hyde Park. As I walked, I imagined all the people who've passed there before. I think there was a scene in some Oscar Wilde film and I want to say that Minnie Driver on a horse with a parade of fashionalble Londoners all riding almost like a parade. Not sure if it was Hyde Park...

Anyway, we made it through Hyde Park, saw the Marble Arch, braved the crowds on our walk down Oxford Street, turned on New Bond and went down to fashionable Jermyn. We stopped at a Chinese Restaurant for our late afternoon lunch before a dusk roundabout walk to Covent Garden. I drank it all in, the scenes, the company, the energy of it all. Just delightful.

Back at home we had the obligatory tea & cookies while fussing about until Marc's mother got home.

Tuesday morning was task focused with a run to Marks & Spencers to change some money. We were then home and ready for Roy to pick us up. We were going for a long day of socializing with Marc's wider circle of friends on various pubs off Liverpool Street. We drank and ate from 2 pm to midnight when we had to make a mad dash for the last train back to North London.

Wednesday, the last day of the year - we started off sleeping in and then enjoying a large English breakfast with bacon and sausage and toast and eggs and PM sauce. I didn't finish mine. After breakfast we took a nap in prepartion for the evening's enjoyment. We were off to Jeungalur's - a comedy club in Watford. We were at the front table and were thuroughly taunted by the 1st & 3rd comedians. I got to meet Tam, Rob's wife for the first time. She and I both might have had a few too many drinks. I think her liver was stronger than mine, however. But after the comedians, we danced and welcomed the new year. Much joy was had by all.