Skoob...Books spelled backward...

This weekend has been a little crazy. It's hard to coordinate fourteen people to do one huge activity.

On Saturday I finally got to sleep late. I completely enjoyed sleeping in till about noon. Claire and I had plans to return to Camden market. I needed to get the final touches of Johnny's birthday present sorted out, and we enjoyed the market so much the first time we didn't mind the second time.

However on Saturday's the market is way busier than on Sunday's. I got what I was looking for. :) Claire and I spent about thirty minutes talking to this one vendor at a booth. She was a little bit older than us and was an art and fashion student. She had all these beautiful necklaces and bracelets with little tiny charms on them. Claire bought a teacup necklace and I made a mental note that I wanted to come back. I am being pretty frugal with my money because I have not planned any trips yet definitely and I want to be able to travel more than anything else.

All in all - even though we had to battle the hoards, we had a great time. We spent about four hours walking around. I am not as frustrated about walking as I was in my last post. I know for a fact that I would rather walk than take the tube for sure. :) (Mass transportation hates me so much!)

Then we all got together and made different dinners at the flat. I tried this interesting walnut and gorganza tortelini that I bought on special at Sainsbury's. It was pretty good - I mean - you can't go wrong with pasta.

After that we all went to the Marlborough Arms, which is a pub that Julia suggested. I loved the atmosphere and the inside of the pub it was so nice compared to the ones we have been frequenting. However, the fourteen of us in that one pub was a mess. We might have to simply start traveling in smaller groups - who knows. After that we went back to the College Arms pub where we sort of already know the bartender and alighted there to celebrate various September birthdays that have already come up.

We came back to the flat but I wasn't able to sleep. I found myself awake until four in the morning - I should really stop this horrible pattern now. I don't want to end up being an insomniac.

But - I did get about eight hours of sleep last night so I should be good as long as I can go to bed at a reasonable hour tonight.

Today I woke up and was hit with a huge wave of homesickness. I didn't quite know what to do - but I knew that sitting in the flat doing homework wasn't going to help. London is great if you get up and move around a bit. My original plan was to go to a cafe and get a coffee and work on some reading that we have to do. Then I had this great idea to google used bookstores in London and the first thing that came up was Skoob. (Which - in my title I say - is B-o-o-k-s spelled backwards.)

I looked at a map and literally this place was a stone's throw away from the flat and open on Sundays. Seeing as I needed to pick up some copies of Shakespeare for class, I asked if Claire and Laura wanted to go with me. They both said yes.

Of course, being me, I didn't write down the address. I just remembered that the street was something like Handel or Leigh or something. (Real specific right?) Anyway we hopped across Russell square and were well on our way to the store. Or so I thought. Once we got about three blocks in, I realized that I didn't remember the name of the street the store was on.

We wandered down the residential area of London - which was a nice quieter move from the busy streets of car horn honking and bustling people in trendy clothes. We accidentally found St. George's Garden which was absolutely tranquilly beautiful. There was not a single soul around and we all sat down on a nice looking bench. After reading the sign we realized that the garden was actually a grave-yard transformed into a public park for the homeless. The graveyard is full of unmarked bodies from the past older centuries. I know that may sound creepy - but I have not been anywhere in London yet that is as peaceful at St. George's. Claire and I agreed that we would come back to study or enjoy nice weather if there is any.

Anyway - after a moment of frolicking in the quiet we heard some beautiful classical music coming out of an open window of a very beautiful building. I loved it. Claire and I are pretty sure it was - Mozart's Rondo Alla Turca. (I don't even think it was a recording.)

After that we went walking a bit more before finally giving up and going back to the flat in defeat. I couldn't figure out why we couldn't find the bookstore it was right in the direction where we were. When we got back Claire and I googled it and figured out that it was in a big complex that we had dismissed because we didn't think a used bookstore would be in the same place as the Gap and Starbucks.

Anyway - Laura wanted to eat so Claire and I ventured back out. I took some pictures in the bookstore because it puts my lovely Rivermarket bookstore to shame. It was so cool. We got both Henry IV part one and two four five pounds all together. I thought that was pretty good. I will definitely go back soon. They didn't have Hamlet but the owner was so nice and said to check back in a couple of days because they are always getting new things in.

They also had a piano with records and sheet music by it. I kind of wanted to tickle the ivory but there were a few people in the store and I didn't want to disturb them. I miss music players - record players - stereos. Haha. Is it weird to miss sound systems?

Anyway we came back and I had a nice salad with a tiny bit of pasta and grapes for desert. I got to talk to Mom and Dad and Jess today to tell them about all my adventures and how I miss them so much!

I'm going to go work on reading that Virginia Woolf novel for now, right after I post my pictures.

I hope you guys are enjoying the blog. Leave me posts they make me smile. :)

Cheers!

Oh I almost forgot to mention - at the market Claire and I found a really nice vendor who was selling scarves for a pound. We were excited so we both bought one. Also - at the place where the bookstore was Claire and I noticed all these neat trinkets stuck in the pavement. AND I tried a snicker's bar over here. They're different, just like the Kit Kats over here are different. Anyway - miss my little familial unit!