Pomp and Portabello

We took a trip to Buckingham Palace yesterday to see the Changing of the Guard. We took a jaunt through Green Park to line up early to get a spot, since it's such a huge event. It was quite the pompous display of red coats, brass instruments, and English pride. I was impressed by how serious the guards were during the entire ceremony, even though it happens every day. It definitely felt like they had national pride. I think I'm beginning to understand why!

Later on, we took a trip to Portabello Road. It's a famous road that stretches for a kilometer or so. It's home to probably a thousand shops or various sorts - antiques, souveniers, artifacts, horribly unhealthy but fantastic eats, and the like. There, Dad got his shoes fixed for free by a cobbler, we ate some London style steak sandwhiches, and Mom bought some fresh blackberries to her liking. There was something there for everyone, including pickpocketers.

There were also a mass of street artists playing all sorts of folky string music - entertaining stuff. Like everywhere else in London, a sardine type feeling would be an accurate description of Portabello Road!

As If London Had Little More To Offer, Along Comes...

I've been trying to keep a running list of 'to-dos' and 'have-dones' in a small, blue hardbound notebook. As soon as we jump on 'the Tube', I'll jot down a few of them. Every time I go to do this, however, the list 'runneth over'. In any case, today included:

• First time double decker experience. I grabbed a complete works of Shakespeare book the other day and got started reading 'Much ado about nothing' on the red monstrosity of a bus. I felt like a proper englishman. I might as well have read the entire book - the traffic would have allowed for it. Now I understand the why the area we were driving in in downtown London is 'Piccadilly Circus'
• From there, we took the tube to Waterloo station. I felt like a sardine in a very unforgiving can - but the experience was much more delicious. After coming out of the station, we happened upon an energetic bunch of youths playing some great energetic Jazz. It was a free, open-air type setup. It only took a couple minutes before a large group was assembled and enjoying themselves for some free Friday festivities. The setup complete with a long, curly haired Napoleon Dynamite type on the synthesizer, a red-personality type on the sax, and some giddy trombones that just looked happy to be there. Neal, Owen, Grant, and I were along for the concert-of-sorts as Mom and Dad went to the Tower of London.

V&A is Very Amazing

Just got finished with a tour in the Victoria and Albert (V&A) museum on Cromwell Road in London. We were guided by a well spoken English woman in light pink. She had a spice for the arts! Among other things, she showed and explained:

• "The Ardabil Carpet"
• Tipu Tiger
• "The Raphael Cartoons"
• Facade from Sir Paul Pinders
• Trajan Column
• The Great Bed of Ware

I was completely taken by the V&A logo. Simple, elegant. Pure class. The Museum was breathtaking, to say the least. There was a dizzying array of displays and exhibitions. I had thought it was an exaggeration when people said that you could 'spend days in that place'. I'm beginning to think that months might be a more accurate term.