London calling
![](http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/843/3373/200/Savoy.jpg)
![](http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/843/3373/320/pintatTheSwan.jpg)
Safe and sound in London! Staying at the Rose Court Hotel near the West end. Walking distance from everything important, as far as I can tell. Had the requisite fish and chips and hard cider at a pub nearby. Trying very hard to stay awake until bedtime GMT. The hotel is a little janky but clean sheets and an en suite bathroom are all I need.
(Side note: Palm Beach Gardens, Florida was a nice relaxing respite on the way here. Nothing much notable. Cooked a great dinner, went out for others. Beaches were hot and I still love the humidity. No one was there. I've heard that Floridians head for the Hamptons in the summer.)
I'm actually sitting in a funky basement intertnet cafe with good house music playing and people happily typing away in their post-dinner, pre-dancing hour. Not sure I'll be going out tonight, but it's fun to think about.
I love London so far. The weather is balmy, sunshiny, 75 degrees and a little clouds. Feeling very lucky. Last few weeks here were apparently very hot. Kensington Gardens is a fantastic park. Walked through it to Harrods. A bit wilder than Golden Gate or Central Park. Feels very homey. Not like the middle of a big city. The architecture is beautiful for the most part. Harrods was overpriced as imagined, but I could get lost in the chocolate department. Plan to before I go. The exchange on the £ (pound) is about $1.85 to £1.00 right now, so buying anything is pretty much throwing away money. Ah well, nothing here I can't get in France. Nothing worth having anyway.
Have tickets to Avenue Q tomorrow night and Antony and Cleopatra at the Globe on Thursday. Yes, I'm going to join the groundlings. No joke. Standing for three hours. I'm glad it's not tonight. Don't think I could do it right now. Can't wait for the authentic Shakespearean experience.
More later. That's the update for now.
Cheers!
added photos: Started out with a pint at one of London's oldest bars, The Swan. And a pic in front of London's "Savoy." Just had to...