The Tower Bridge

Today was lovely. So far, anyway.

Let me start from the beginning...we didn't end up going to Hastings today - we will be going on Monday because more people can go then. I'm still rather excited.

So I finally got to sleep in. i didn't wake up this morning until eleven thirty! YES! Anyway, I got up and I made some instant coffee. I really miss my coffee pot! I asked Claire who had just gotten up if she wanted to go to the Tea and Tattle. Let me explain - the first week we were here Claire and I saw a sign that said, "Tea and Tattle - now open for business."

The only problem was that we couldn't find the store front. Well, yesterday after I finished walking through Chinatown, I saw that the Tea and Tattle was open underneath a bookshop. There was a sign that pointed down a spindly staircase. I have decided to eat out maybe every other week, and then for day trips because I'm trying to not spend oodles of money.

Well, so this morning I was like let's go eat lunch at the Tea and Tattle. Erin, Claire, and I went. The service was great and the people were really nice which is a plus. I really want to take Mom and Dad here to 'dine in' because they bring you tea on very nice fine china. Anyway I ordered a smoked salmon sandwich with cream fraiche. It was amazing! I also got with my peppermint tea which was very comforting, a raspberry scone and a coffee and walnut cake. Don't worry - I walked it all off today for sure.

We also discovered that they are open at eight every weekday. Since our classes do not start until nine thirty, we could maybe afford their coffee some mornings - which will probably be just as good as everything else. Anyway - after that I had originally planned to walk to a yarn shop called "loop" by myself today. They are having a sale and I thought I could get some cheaper yarn and some needles and knit a scarf. That sounds Becca-ish doesn't it?

Well, Erin got a text from Kate saying that the Tower of London had free admission today. I then remembered that it's Open House London weekend so a lot of buildings are open free to the public. BUT of course, you have to read the fine print. I didn't read the fine print. I just decided I wanted to go but when we got back the group had already left. I still thought this was a great opportunity so I headed off to river. I knew I'd seen the tower bridge from the river and so the tower of london must be close by.

I mean. I'm surprising myself by not using my map - you know how spastic I am about that kind of thing. But I had a nice peaceful walk on the Thames path and it was gorgeously sunny. I was hot of course, because I dressed for the weather we had yesterday when I was freezing and I didn't have enough clothes on. Sheesh I can't get it right. So anyway I made it to the Tower Bridge (you know - the one in the new Sherlock Holmes movie?) and I had to wait. It's a drawbridge you see, so they were, drawing the bridge. I took a bunch of pictures because I think it's gorgeous. Since I was by myself I felt stupid taking pictures of myself...so you'll just have to bear with me.

Anyway - I walked across it and saw the Tower of London. I didn't realize that it was like...a castle museum. Anyway, apparently you had to reserve a place to get in free for the Open House London weekend. I did not reserve a place. I would have gone ahead and paid to go in anyway, but I think Dad will definitely want to go see this. And mom too, you can't go wrong. I figure I'll wait on them.

Now. I did decide that I didn't want to use the tube today so I decided I would walk back to the flat and see St. Paul's again. On the way I ran into the Monument. The monument was built after the great fire of London in the 1600s to remember the event. It has 319 stairs. I climbed all of them and took pictures from the top. Now, before I climbed all the stairs I thought I'd go running - but nope. Not going to happen. I'm sitting here a good hour and a half later and my legs are still shaking. Anywho...

It was neat. I took a picture of the stairs - don't worry Gramner I'm still in one piece. After that I saw St. Paul's off in the distance and I decided to go inside. It cost money to tour it, but I stood in the front entry way probably for fifteen minutes just gawking at the hallway. I will go in there at least once for Church. The weird thing was that I walked in this twisty door and the windows said, "This is a House of God and therefore a Gate to Heaven."

After that, I ended up walking home. It was an uneventful walk but I spent the whole afternoon walking. I left at one and got back at five thirty. I'm exhausted. I'm going to sit here and read some more of Aldous Huxley's book for politics for a little bit. Tonight we are celebrating someone's birthday (can't remember whose at the moment) and so I might go out to one of the pubs on the pub list with the group. I had fun last time.

I'll be safe. I miss you guys!!!