What the heck building even is this?
Left Liverpool early on Thursday morning, after spending the final night on the boat, and arrived in London around 3pm or so. Got myself oriented, and made my way to my Cousin's house - she be hosting me - which is a little southwest of the city. Just stayed in that night, met some of Cousin's friends, who were visiting her for her birthday, and that was that.
Friday, after subtitling an episode of Melrose Place, I aimlessly went into the city, following signs, people and possibly Earth's magnetic field, much like a migrating goose. Apparently, when consciousness kicked back in, I was in Westminster. I walked past what I could only assume was Buckingham Palace, and a nice park. Saw some trees that looked like they'd be fun to climb, but what with London's obsession with reporting suspicious behaviour, and my shyness in front of a strange city, I opted against it for now. Saw Big Ben - quite extravagent architecture there, though my camera battery crapped out, so I was pictureless for the rest of the day.
Was hoping to hear from two friends who I'd contacted in the city, so I made it a goal to find a wifi spot. Starbucks wanted to charge 4 pounds for an hour. I should really learn to ask about free wifi before buying a coffee from these places. I passed by a "Canada Shop," which was a nice coincidence, since I'd forgotten to buy a little Canada flag patch before leaving. I figure I'd want that in Europe, lest I be mistaken for someone from a country where they talk like me, but are involved in more unpopular wars than I am. Is such an image concern petty of me?
Walked through St. James Park, where the birds in the pond were quite exotic to my Canadian eye. I stayed there watching them for maybe an hour, quite fascinated by the way the geese and swans use their neck and head as a full-body grooming tool.
Oh, yeah, London.
The sun was going down. I popped into a bookstore, since I'm currently out of reading material, but nothing really stood out as being worth its price. On my way to the subway to go home, I noticed a strange pyramidal pillar off the sidewalk, in an alley. It had four "booths" - one on each of its faces - with a bucket-shaped opening, apparently designed for catching liquids. And a man was standing at one of them. What you've got there is a public outdoor urinal. That would never fly in Toronto. I'm used to there being solid walls, impenetrable to visible light, between my business and the public eye.
That was pretty much that day.
Saturday, Aunt and Uncle came down for lunch, then Cousin's roommates gathered round for the England v. Kazakhstan football match. We went out immediately following for Cousin's birthday celebration, about which I already somewhat wrote.
Today, Sunday, we went down to Sussex (I think I saw a sign that read Sussex) to visit Other Cousin. As we approached, OC's husband, who I'd not previously met, was in the process of "storming out," so to speak, over being left too long on his own with their crying baby. He did not return until after our departure a few hours later. Had a pleasant lunch there, came back and started my search for CouchSurfer's in Scandinavia (my first post-Britain point of arrival), and am now calling it a night.
Ahh...
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