London - 15 - 1 - 06

15 January 2006

Slept in this morning. It was wonderful. Keith wanted to go to Westminster so we all went. We came out of a tube station (Westminster) right next to Parliament. We walked by Westminster Abbey and then over to Buckingham Palace. It was a good walk, certainly one I will enjoy more when I am by myself. Almost went to the free organ recital at St. Paul’s, but I will go another time. Every Sunday night at 5 pm. That is so cool. I need to go. I walk everywhere thinking about what it is going to be like when Kate is beside me. That week will be the best one I have here. The lack of sun isn’t getting to me. If anything about this place ends up bothering me I bet it will be the cost of things, or the downright lack of open space.

It has been three days and I can imitate parts of the British accent decently. I don’t know if I will catch on myself, but every once in a while I can hear myself wanting to say something differently. That doesn’t bother me. I just spoke with Kate and it was lovely. It had been a couple of days, but felt much longer. Tomorrow I get to experience the Tube at rush hour, which I here is significantly different than the Tube at any other time of the week. I am not looking forward to the rush, but I am familiar with the system so that is good. Actually, I am a little familiar with it.

I wonder if I look American to the British. I am pretty sure I do because they all look so European to me. I want to know if when they hear me talk, just a little bit, if they know I am from the US? When I am not wearing my flashy Nikes I think I can pass for British by at least the eye.

The scale of the buildings in central London is absolutely amazing. You would think buildings with such intricate details couldn’t be built on such a grand scale, but they can; London is proof. Parliament, Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey, and St. Paul’s are all great examples.


You will notice that these entries aren't edited. My writing is often poor in a journal like this. I often write incomplete sentences (first sentence of this entry). I wrote quickly, I scribbled, I spewed anything that came to me onto the paper. The goal was to record, and record I did.

Walks around London were always better when I was alone. And alone I was, most of the time. I am pretty sure that a lot of people in the program thought I was an antisocial loser, but I just wanted to go where I wanted to go, I wanted to see what I came for, and if that meant no one else was coming along I was fine with that.

I think I write a lot about getting to St. Paul’s to hear the organ, but I didn’t get there soon enough. It took me a couple of weeks to catch the Sunday night organ recital, but once I did I was a regular.

“The lack of sun” I talk about is the noticeable change in daylight time. I had never lived that far north before.

Some of these earlier journal entries became embarrassing to read even before I left London. Exhibit A: It has been three days and I can imitate parts of the British accent decently. I couldn’t. I can’t. I mean, I can add “Cheers!” to my repertoire in an attempt to sound local, but please. No point forcing it. Exhibit B: I wonder if I look American to the British. Of course I looked American to the British; it was my first week there. As I spent more time in London I acquired some Londoner habits and mannerisms, but I need only wear some ugly article of clothing to let every Londoner know that Americans aren’t as tuned into fashion trends as Londoners are. I didn’t wear my Nikes that much.