Hello from London!

We left on a plane this morning from Holland. Yesterday was our last day in Amsterdam. We went to the Anne Frank House which was actually really good. It has been so long since I have read that book. I feel like our trip has revolved around many a museum with reference to WWII. We spent most of yesterday wandering around Amsterdam without an itinerary or destination. The canals and the back streets are just lovely and this was my favorite day in the Netherlands. The houses along the canals are so beautiful and it is just so peaceful to wander aimlessly. I really think I could live here, it is so romantic and peaceful and lovely in every possible way.

So I guess I am not very cultural because I just could not bring myself to order french fries with mayo YUCK! (Sorry Ingrid) that's how everyone does it over here. The good news though is that I have found the soul mate to the Baskin & Robbins taster spoon. That is right...here in Amsterdam people eat french fries out of a paper cone with mayo and a tiny blue fork!!!! So I didn't eat it with mayo but you can bet I used that tiny blue fork!

So while we were walking yesterday I was asking Katie if she had seen that man we saw the first day again if she would say something to him and she said she would and I said...look me in the eye and say you would... and she did. But then I ask "what would you have said" and I give her some very good options like: "you wish to kiss me don't you?" (for April's sake) and then I offered "I have come to save you from your lonely solitude" well, just then we are passing this older man outside his front door and he gives me this look and we all start laughing and I say I didn't mean you but I a mean I could have if you need saving... or some such rubbish... I was so embarrassed.

Today we got to London with slightly overcast skys. We are staying over in Waterloo area and we started off with the itinerary Urs and Mike suggested. We had lunch at the top of the Tate overlooking the entire city which is quite a view. Then we looked at some of the exhibits and wandered to St. Paul's, we looked inside but only for a min. Then over to Trafalgar square for some good photos with the lion statues.

THE FOG CAME IN...

When you read the fog came in, it should be followed by DA DA DA in a very deep impending doom kind of voice because the fog was thick and turned kind of into a mist and mist into slight rain. We got a little wet. This did not stop us, oh no...we continued on to see the Thames river and Big Ben and the London eye and Westminster Abby, and Buckingham palace. The palace was actually attractive. My favorite part of all of this though was Green Park or the palace gardens park or whatever. The trees are huge and glorious and the leaves are very large and yellow green and orange. The leaves are all over the ground and the walkways are lined with iron street lamps and benches. Very pretty. I also got an apricot pastry and that just made the whole day even better.

So London... maybe it will be better the second day like many cities are. I have to say although I feel very positive about every place I have been... I mean I am traveling abroad how can it not be fabulous.... but I feel the least enthralled with London. Maybe it is just a little harder coming from the Netherlands (The people there are also so beautiful in general which certainly helps the view). London is a very big city and kind of dirty. It has some neat sights to see but in general the city does not have that romantic feeling other places exude. That being said I would love to spend some more time especially exploring the countryside. Stonehenge tours are just too expensive and we don't have a lot of time here. I hope I haven't given the wrong impression, I still think London is a really fun place to visit, its just not Eastern Europe or Holland. I have not had any bad food yet either which seems to be a general theme I hear about this place. Our lunch was quite good and our dinner was fabulous (Italian) and the pastry well that was really sweet!

They use the pound here which is incredibly unfortunate for us because it is like a 1:2 ratio pound to dollar. I am trying desperately not to think about that though. They have very cool phone booths (red and round)and cute little cars driving on the WRONG side of the road. It is very difficult to get used to people coming from the opposite direction. It gives a whole new meaning to look both ways. I was almost mowed down/smashed to pieces/crushed into oblivion several times today all due to my own bewilderment. I have survived one day in London.

Cheers!