London Town

My last trip of spring break was to visit my friend Albert, who is studying abroad in London. I only found this out when he posted a status about traveling Europe! He later came to visit me in Verona, traveling Northern Italy.
I arrived in Stanstead, and was immediately overwhelmed by a. Signs in English, and English alone b. People understanding what I’m saying and c. The security of Britain. After months of having the top language be something I barely understand, and the bottom being English, having straight English on sign was quite disconcerting. When I started speaking to people, I didn’t trust them to know what I was saying. I didn’t trust my language skills, and I didn’t want to speak in a complicated manner. I just thought everyone would say what, or I’d muddle my words: It was great to gain some self-confidence back!!!
Throughout my travels of Europe, security has been fast, quick, and relatively painless. I do have to get my passport approved since I’m not a citizen, but that doesn’t really bother me. England, however, does not mess around. It is part of the EU (which makes traveling between EU states super easy and painless), but because it’s rich, it has its own rules. You MUST fill out a card, saying where you are staying, describing your purpose in the country, and pretty much be scrutinized. Even British citizens have to do it!! Its pretty much immigration, and it sums up Britain pretty well: suspicious, Big Brother, lots of lines, lots of red tape.
But did I care? No!! I was in London!!!!!!! I’ve done plays set there, I know all the streets, I love Dr Who and candy: I was ready to be a Londoner. I took the Tube (metro with COUCHES for seats) to meet Albert. It’d been about 2 years since we’d last seen each other! We went to Hyde Park to catch up, looked at statues of Achilles, listened to English accents, investigated the rose garden and geese, and made fun of the obligatory couples making out on the grass. He explained Oyster cards to me: like a metro card that gives you a discount, and is much less painful than constantly “queuing” for tickets. I love the word queue. Also Mind the gap, mind the step, all the minding. Albert took me to a grocery store, and I gawked at how much it reminded me of an American store. We eat all the same food. With the exception of Cadbury products and all the strange flavors of chips (Prawns, Roast Chicken, Steak). British people eat worse than we do. Same brands, so much overlap: what a taste of home! We went back to Albert’s place and caught up, and I got to sleep in an actual bed, so that was quite a luxury.
My second day I took a walking tour with Ted and Erica who were also in town. We had an adorable Irish guy. We walked past Buckingham palace, and saw guards process by. The changing of the guard is only in the summer, sadly L We walked past Canada gate, and a park where one of her majesties faced 3 different assassination attempts, but the gun jammed each time. We walked into Traflagar Square, which is a beautiful place with fountains, a free museum (they’re all free, actually, but the CHURCHES charge fees. So does the tower of London), and huge lions made from melted cannons. Our guide told us about Admiral Nelson, which is a story you should google! We walked past Big Ben (Which is a bell, not the tower!) and Westminster and its abbey, hearing the story of Guy Fawkes. The gothic architecture was so intimidating, yet sophisticated. London Town, indeed.
After our tour, our guide took us for fish and chips and cider in a restaurant, and we learned that Central London is well explored by tourists, and thus, everything is horribly expensive. The pound is dropping: 1.68 dollars to a pound. For contrast, the Euro was 1.33, and is now1.48 dollars. Even so, 9 pounds for fish and chips is 15 dollars, and broke the bank for me. As a result, post tour, Erica and I didn’t get to do all the things we wanted. Westminster Abbey? 12 pounds. Tower of London? A disgusting 17. To see half the sights of London I’d be paying 200 dollars, easy. Dreadful. So instead Erica and I took pictures with the enormous lions, and London Bridge. The Tower of London is just as good from the outside, right? I ran into the tour group of Italians I’d met on the plane to London--what are the chances! They remembered me and laughed. Albert and I went out to dinner for curry--the national food of Britain!! It was delicious. I have no idea why Britains like it, besides the fact that it has actual flavor. British food has a bad rep for being fatty, sugary, or lacking flavor. Can’t win J
On my last full day in England, Alberts friends took me with on a picnic outside central London, to the end of “Zone 2” on the Tube. It was beautiful, and we had a lovely time eating hummus and drinking overpriced British wine (poor souls). I took off once more to the Globe, which looked very nice from the outside, haha. Play season hadn’t started yet (NOTHING FUN HAPPENS UNTIL TOURIST SEASON, AGH! Arena, why wont you let me see Aidaaaaa), so I went on my merry way. On the way to the Globe, I stumbled onto a market (can’t remember the name, sorry Ellen darling). It specialized in food, and I strolled the booths, buying a traditional English pie from a recommended place (Steak and Guinness), an Iced Tea (only tea I had in London, whoops), and some fudge J It was full of cheese and all sorts of goodies.
Post food and theatre time, I went to St Pauls Cathedral, which again, looked great from the outside. Nearby was Mark and Spencers, renowned for their great foods!! Picked up some Cadbury bars, and tried so hard to find clotted cream L No luck. I never did get a good tea fix. Near St Pauls was also Fleet St (lacking in Demon Barbers) and an old fashioned touristy candy shop that felt like part of Willy Wonka. I got some treacle toffee there, which turned out to be disgusting :P I barely missed the closing of the British Museum; ce la vie! I decided to search for Dr Who memorabilia instead; apparently the britains arent big fans, because I found NIENTE! As it was my final night in London, Albert and some friends took me to a pub, which had a fun Victorian feel. They had black currant syrup, so I had some in my cider (best girl drink EVER!).
I took off the next morning. Britain was pretty much America with a silly, silly, and sometimes difficult to understand accent. There are plenty of immigrants who speak English poorly, the same food, the same stores, the same language. All the stores take credit cards, even for purchases under 5 lbs (thank you starbuckssss)They don’t dress well(compared to the rest of Europe), they’re very organized, and pretty much have the same attitude towards life. Although I feel like British folk are a bit more downtrodden: they’re used to waiting in line, staying on the right for the escalator, not exercising enough. The government felt VERY oppressive: they described homeless people on signs as nuisances equivalent to pigeons. Security cameras everywhere. I don’t know, I feel like most Americans wouldn’t take it sitting down.
All in all, I had a great time. Cheerio, old bean!