Upon the conclusion of our visit to the Hindu Temple, Emily, Aaron, OJ, Nina and I decided to check out the Indian Restaurant across the parking lot, (placed there by the temple as a way to make more money, by the way.)

The food there was amazing. Because we got there five minutes before it was supposed to close, the manager offered us a great deal - five entrees and drinks for $20! It was so tasty too! We had chicken curry, tofu in a really amazing spicy sauce, chick peas in sauce, bean dip with peas that was sooo good. Even though we had to walk for 20 minutes in the rain after we left, I didn't mind because the experience of eating such good food was worth it!

Jumping back a little further, Jackie, Megan, the Tracies and I decided to take a vist to Liverpool using our BritRail passes. The train ride was amazing. Megan and I were the only two who got to go on the earlier train, as the dumb dumbs who missed it did so because they didn't bring their passports to validate the passes. The whole way there was beautiful. Countryside in England is so rolling and even the clouds have a unique quality about them that is distinctly British.

While we were on the train, I did a sketch of Megan sleeping, which is something I haven't done in a really long time. I enjoy art so much and it is great to be able to be creative once in a while.

Once we got to Liverpool we had a little waiting aroud to do, mostly because the other girls had only been able to catch the train that left about an hour after ours. To kill the time, Megan and I decided to visit a pub across from the station. They wouldn't give me mushy peas, but I did enjoy drinking at 2 in the afternoon. I don't think I'd ever do that at home.

By the time the other girls arrived in town, we were ready to go explore the city. Unfortunately, no sooner had we stepped out did it start to rain. Of course. I swear it rains almost every single day here. I'm practically waterlogged and I've barely been here three weeks!

After walking around in the rain for a while and visiting a few Beatles places, we made our way to Tate Liverpool, another free art museum. This part was my favorite of the Liverpool trip, even though we were only able to visit the first floor before it closed. The reason it was so exciting for me was that I was able to see a Degas sculpture and a room full of Warhols! I never really liked Andy Warhol until I actually had to study his work for a class. Now that I do like him it was really special to be able to be in a room full of Mao prints and the Marilyn Monroe Diptych.

To bring my rambling back to the more recent past, yesterday was another interesting day. I say interesting here because I think if what happened to me would have occured in the U.S. I probably would have had a miserable time, but because it happened in London, it was almost funny.

The day started with me not feeling well at all. I was hung over from our night out in Soho and I needed some food. So, in the spirit of trying something new, I walked up to a pub near where we lived and went in to have a bite to eat. While I was there, I swear it looked like a w****, walked in and started carousing with the local men. She knew them all by name, the ones whose names she couldn't remember she talked to about the last time she encountered them. I can't be sure, but sometimes you just get a feeling. She wasnt' very attractive either. Kind of grungy. But she seemed friendly so I kind of had to laugh at some of the stuff that was going on.

Then, this Egyptian guy started talking to me, asking me all kinds of questions. At first I thought it was ok, that he was just interested in making chit chat with someone new, but then he started telling me about how he was from Egypt. This doesn't sound bad, until he invites me to go there WITH him. He keeps saying "I will take you there someday." At this point, I'm kind of freaked out, so I chugged my beer and got out as fast as I could. Like I said, if it were somewhere else I probably would still be scared, but now I'm chuckling to myself because not only did I eat lunch with a prostitute, I was also invited to accompany a mental patient to Egypt. London really is a melting pot of all different sorts.

A good portion of the day passed with the usual business until dinner. Then Tracy and I decided to do a little bit of local exploration. She hadn't been to Abbey Road yet and I offered to take her since I'd gone the first week we were here. The fun idea, we thought, would be to take a double decker there. So we got on, and it turned off course! Tracy was so scared we would get lost and for a minute I was too.

But, fortunately, I'm apparently a whiz with directions. While we were on the bus, I counted each turn we made and where about I thought we were in relation to Abbey Road. When we got off the bus Tracy was positive we were lost, while I simply said "Follow me, I think I can still get us there." So we walked for about 20 minutes, all the while Tracy continuing to tell me I had no idea what we were doing. I said "Tracy, what time is it? 8:20? We'll be there at 8:30." So we turn onto St. John's Wood Road and there it is. Abbey Road right down the street with the famous interesection and all. "What time is it Tracy?"

"8:29." Thank you, I knew I wasn't crazy and we'd get there!! So we did and it was another end to another great day in London. Tonight we're going to see the Merry Wives of Windsor at the Globe Theater. I'll be reporting back on that tomorrow!