Day 3 already?!

Jacqueline is trying her best to get me up to date with technology so even though I thought I could take a break from my computer learning curve for the summer, apparently, I was wrong. So…from the beginning….

The Robert Q from London got us safely to Toronto airport. My bag was not too heavy…4 lbs to spare! At the security check-in, the security guard joyously emptied a confiscated can of Axe while I was trying to check in. (Apparently the smell I associate with hormonal grade 9 boys was going to follow me to Europe!) While waiting for the plane, a student traveling alone managed to throw up all over the carpet in front of me. Thankfully only some of her strawberry milk-coloured vomit hit my barefoot and none of it hit my bags! I really hoped these events weren't a precursor to worse in Europe!

Eric was excited to be able to watch movies for the flight since sleep eluded both of us. We arrived in a daze at Heathrow and happily met Matt after customs. Somehow we managed to make it to the apartment without major incident. Our first day here is mostly a fog of Picadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square and the Tube. We were very happy to be in bed by 8:30 p.m.!

Yesterday, as Jac already said, we did the Tower of London and Tower Bridge. Matt, Eric & I checked out the HMS Belfast on the South Bank. I had no problem getting up close and personal with the sailors on board the ship! (Perhaps wax models are more my type!) I couldn't believe what a maze of nooks and crannies the ship was.

It is amazing to see so much architecture and history crammed cheek by jowl on every block. I've come to think Christopher Wren should be considered one of the Wonders of the New World! I can't wait for today when we see the inside of St. Paul's Cathedral! It's probably a good thing that we did the outside one day and the inside the next!

I think Eric is interested in seeing the inside of a British hospital, but so far he has managed to avoid being hit by a car even though he has had a few close calls! We haven't quite figured out exactly how to tell if it is safe to cross the road or not. Londoners have been exceptionally friendly and helpful, since it is obvious that we are tourists. We found that after they had a few rounds at the local pub, they were more than willing to chat us up!

Eric & Sam have slept in this a.m. so we were not up and away at an early hour but instead we've had a leisurely breakfast and are off to a local bakery for some fresh bread to go with our selection of English cheeses we procured yesterday. (Yes, I still plan my vacation around the food we get to eat! I guess Eric gets it honestly.)