London Trip -- The Film Version

This is what you do when your jetlagged and wake up at 4 AM every day ... you make bad movies.

The only way is Essex

This is AWESOME ... and no, I have no clue what they are saying ...

What a long strange trip its been ...

"Sometimes the lights are all shining on me ... Other times I can barely see ... Lately, it occurs to me, what a long strange trip its been" - Truckin'

I guess that would be a great summation of 2010, but I also think its a good description for my whirlwind tour to London. Amazing trip, great to see everyone and blessed with some beautiful snow / scenery. Some things from the trip:

• Snow in London is beautiful. Never really had much when I lived there but got to experience a ton of it on this trip.
• Reindeer is really good -- yeah, sorry Rudolph. Maybe Santa should start selling off his Reindeer and upgrade to a G5.
• Crunchie bars are a gift from God. So are Gellato Sundae's at Harrods.
• No matter how many times I do it, a walk across London on a cold weekday morning is still an amazing and educational experience.
• If your in a great mood and just appreciate everything around you, its not cold or hot outside -- its perfect. That's pretty much the best way to sum up the trip -- Everything that I needed.
• The London / English Countryside is the place to be. I'd move there, but let's be honest, without College Football, Best Buy and a few other modern conveniences, I'd go crazy again.
• I've fallen for overland trains and really wish we had them in Atlanta. Not having to worry about a designated driver is a very nice thing.
• English dinner parties are a wonderful time. Maybe it's because I only understand every third word, but they are a great way to spend an evening.
• It's great to have friends from another part of the world -- they open your eyes to new things and keep you grounded. If you don't have one, go get a pen pal ...

There aren't enough words to thank my European friends for the last week. It was an amazing time and I'm blessed to have such great friends who will give you a hard time and provide you with the tough love that we all need. While I'm not sure I'll move back any time soon, I'm happy to know I have a second family that I get to see a few times a year.

Thanks again and Happy Holidays you Muppets!

Days 4 and 5 and maybe 6 ... I've lost track

The whirlwind trip continues and having an incredible time ... so much so, I'm questioning coming home. If only they could figure out a way to bring College Football here.

The days are running together so a few updates and some pictures. It is still very cold, but I'm having such a good time, I've barely noticed.

• Jamie Oliver's restaurant -- went to Jamie Oliver's in Kingston. I've been before but this time was a different experience and the food was phenomenal. Unfortunately, Jamie didn't cook at our table which gives me another reason to come back and play.
• English TV -- its very bizarre and highly entertaining. Watching some show last night that the City / Hills, but based in Essex. Half of the show, I had no idea what people were saying, but the actresses and their outfits made up for it.
• Hand and Spear -- name of the pub we went to the other night. Love British pub names ... oh and I love the Cider. Regardless that its below freezing, its all state of mind and the Cider is awesome. Also went to a few other entertaining pubs with Wanna Be American Kate where I'm pretty sure we solved all of the world's problems
• Saw Santa (Father Christmas) and some sort of dancing bear exhibit that reminded me of Usher / Rockabilly Explosion and Showbiz Pizza ... I think the kids were scared
• Met up with Frenchy and people watched on the King's Road. Few pints and Kebabs with Frenchy is always a good time
• New art exhibit at The National Gallery and a new sculpture / art of a giant ship in a bottle. Love love love the national gallery and the opportunity to see Monet, Manet, Renoir, etc ... Too bad the High Museum doesn't have an exhibit like the NG. Then again, we didn't pilfer Germany after the War ... of art.
• Christmas Tree in Trafalgar Square looked about 100 feet tall and was a gift from Nowary. Apparently, they left their weather here too.
• Made my yearly trip to Harrods to pick up a few essentials and eat the worlds greatest Hot Fudge Sundae. I think its justified for the seven mile walk I took in the AM.
• Windows at Harrods and Harvey Nicks have some very interesting takes on Christmas. I love em but they aren't something you'd see in the States.
• Saw the changing of the guard -- seen it many times but never on Dec. 7. They played a piece of the Star Spangled Banner in tribute to Pearl Harbor.

Day 2 and 3

Well, the first thing that I ran into today is the fact that the English keyboards are different ... how could I forget something like that ... anywhoo, sorry for the typos.

Day 2 and 3 were amazing and ended up seeing old friends in London and then heading to the Cotswolds for the weekend. Lots more updates to come when I'm home but here are some updates:

• Borough market at Christmas = amazing. Had a Reindeer burger and hummed Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer as I devoured the burger. Everyone should try Reindeer ... really good.
  
• Wandered around East London with Pippen and went to the Dovetail to drink some Belgian beers. Nothing warms you up in the snow like some Kwak and Duvel.
  
• The Christmas tree in front of St. Paul's is impressive ... so are the little people dressed as elves standing around it. I figured the church might have an issue with that until I saw a picture of "Father Christmas" who looked like the pope with a beard.
  
• Caught up with the Frenchman at the Sloney Pony in Parsons Green. Always great to see Frenchy - he is in great form and really knows how to put life in perspective. I only saw him for 1.5 hours and it was a giant ! mark on the trip.
  
• Drove to the Cotswolds -- unfortunately Nems and Pippen wouldn't let me drive ... so unfortunately. As we pulled into Gloucester County, the snow was pouring down. It was really beautiful. Highly recommend everyone spend a weekend in the Costwolds just to say you've been there ... done that.
  
• Went to Bath for the Christmas festival. Ended up on a one car train that was highly entertaining. All I have to say is I regret that I didn't live in England as a teenager. They have a A LOT more fun than American teens.
  
• Bath Abbey -- we went in for the shopper holiday service and sang Christmas Carols with a couple thousand people. Very pretty and got us all ready for the holidays.
• Wandered around Bath and drank the famous Bath water ... pretty sure I have a tapeworm now. Most God Awful beverage ever. I had to drink 5 pints and two hot chocolates and Bailey's to get it out of my system.
  
• Enjoyed a night by the fireplace in the Cotswolds eating fine cheese and drinking Belgian beer. Pretty sure Nems should go ahead and call her house in the Cotswolds a Bed and Breakfast ... great place.
  
• Went to the Christmas market on the South bank and had one of the greatest crepes of all time -- chocolate, nutella and bailey's ... common theme here. Anything with Bailey's is phenomenal. Can you make a Bailey's steak sauce?
  

More to come ... couple of pictures:

Day 1.5 in snowy London

I'll have some more time to update later, but here are a few quick points about my first 1.5 days in the UK (pics to follow):

• Flight was an adventure - sat next to a very giant guy who had tourettes. Not kidding, every couple of minutes he would yell f*ck, sh*t ... it was odd. When he lost his iPod at the 3 hour mark, I thought the stewardess was going to re-route the flight due to his outburts. I dealt with it by the mighty power of sleeping pills
• Landed to tons of snow and 1/2 the highways closed ... No wanna be american kate at the airport so I set off on an adventure to get to the countryside
• Journey was amazing -- took one tube, three trains, a cab and a wandered across some open areas in the snow ... it was beautiful and incredible. The city is covered in 8 - 12 inches of snow and its amazing
  
• Found my way to Kate, immediately went to a pub, had a few pints and then went out to the farm to take care of the horses.
  
• Drove around in the snow and realized that London deals with snow much like Atlanta ... they don't so well
  
• Slept for 12 hours -- most sleep I've had in months
  

Lots of pictures and updates to come later ... off to find some trouble. If the roads open, we are off to Bath and the Cotswolds tomorrow ... if not, pubs and playing in the snow. Woo Hoo.

Grumpy won't like this link

But its an interesting read from today's New York Times. I'm not the world's biggest fan of the NYTimes, generally, b/c I think people say its great b/c its the popular thing to do, but anywhoo ... Check out the link here From WikiChina

Gotta go find something to do ... being way too productive for being on vacation.