London

I took a day to just do touristy stuff.

The North-East blackout in the U.S. was big news.	We used to have a joke newspaper in our bathroom that talked all about Carnaby Street...	...and how it was the "hip" placed to be...	...so when I accidentally stumbled across it, I had to explore.
It hasn't been "hip" for 30 years, and is mainly the same Gap stores you can see anywhere.	The U.S. is not very popular, especially Bush, big surprise.	I asked a policeman to direct me to an Internet cafe, and instead he sent me to the Red-Light district, including this "Licensed Sex Shop." I would imagine the unlicensed ones are probably more fun, but I passed on both.	A present from Dianne in Doreen's garden.
More of Doreen's garden.	Doreen in her garden.	Doreen's house, where she's lived all her life.	The actual Charing Cross.
Trafalgar square.	Looking south from Trafalgar square.	The National Gallery on the north side of Trafalgar Square.	The monument in Trafalar Square, with Lord Nelson way up there. One of my pseudo-wide-angle shots with my digital camera.
Looking down the crowded streets I saw Big Ben in the distance, so started walking that way.	Whitehall is the center of England's government.	Number 10 Downing Street is the Prime Minister's residence. You used to be able to walk right by it, but ever since the IRA tried to blow it up they don't let you do that anymore.	Big Ben.
One of my pseudo-wide-angle shots of Big Ben and Westminster.	Big Ben close up is BIG.	On the other side of the river is this big Ferris Wheel thing, a museum, and London Bridge. (The bridge Americans think is London Bridge that is a drawbridge is actually Tower Bridge.)	You can't tell the scale from here, but that thing is HUGE. Each little pod holds about 20 people. It looks just like a giant bicycle tire. I'm not normally afraid of heights, but I passed.
I thought the Tube stations with curving platforms were neat.	It was too late that I discoverd the "No Flash Photography" signs in the Underground stations.	I liked this ad for a bookstore, that implied we'd devolve back into chimps unless we read more books.	I'm webmaster for the Tales of the City websites of author Armistead Maupin. I was pleased to see they highlighted his name on the shelf in London, and he's considered a major author.
When I came out of the Tube station in Tottenham Court Road, this theater had a play called "We Will Rock You" about the life of Queen star Freddy Mercury. A larger-than-life facade for a larger-than-life performer.	I found the idea of a store called "Purves" amusing. I'm sure it would fail Focus Group Testing in the U.S.		To get to my Sunday morning flight on time, I stayed in a microscopic room in a hotel near Paddington station in London. I guess I forgot to request a "no blood-sucking insects infesting the bed" room. I slept uncomfortably in the tub, where I was safer.