Jolly Good Time

Someone told me that if I don't like New York so much, I wouldn't like London because they are very similar...what was that person smoking!!?? London and New York could not be more different in my opinion. London certainly has a big city feel, but the scenery is much more picturesque, the subway is clean, the air is fresh and the daffodils and crocus are already sprouting in the park. Surprise surprise it rained yesterday, but the skies actually cleared by the end of the day and today it was sunny. In short...London is great!

Besides the fact that I was asked on two separate occasions whether I was coming over on a high school program, the flight to Heathrow was uneventful. Taking the tube into town was easy too and after a quick stop at the hotel to drop off my bag, I spent yesterday walking past Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Parliament, Westminster Abbey and Trafalgar Square. I also toured Churchill's War Rooms (the secret bunkers used during WWII,) which I found to be absolutely fascinating. Secret until 1982, many of the rooms had been closed after the war and left almost completely intact, allowing visitors today to see the rooms as they were in the 1940's.

Here are some of my favorite British-isms from the last 24 hours:

- "British women are like British weather, rather unpredictable"- according to my waiter at the restaurant last night

- "Star jumps"- I believe this to be the British term for jumping jacks

- "This is like herding jelly"- my course leader in regard to walking my class around town to meetings.

- a hair gel commercial for guys running on tv at the moment advertises that the gel is so strong your spiky hair style won't be ruined by wearing a hoodie--BRILLIANT:-)

"London Adventures" will continue in a day or two...toodlepip!