::A Geek in Korea::

Day two! Much improved!

We sorted out our hostel situation by simply paying for one more night on a credit card to keep our things in a room before my parents arrive. They could just owe us for the night, since they promised to treat.

We went out early to get into central London. This was a bit of a timing mishap, as we were riding “to work” with the other commuters. Talk about a legacy environment! The London underground, while extensive, relatively affordable, and whatnot is hell on a day with lots of communters. We were packed in nearly Tokyo tight as we rode into the center of the city. Yeah, where’s the AIR CONDITIONING in these rides?! It’s a hot, smelly subway system, but it does get you there.

We checked out the Tower of London for our first sight. The Yeoman tour was BRILLIANT. He shared the details of executions, had lots of funny jokes, and made history come alive. We saw the crown jewels of the monarchy, which were some serious bling. Diamonds as big as your fist. Gold wine bowls you could swim in. AMAZING.

Next we went to Westminster, saw Big Ben, and then Westminster Abbey. It was a literal who’s-who of dead British people. I really wish I had taken more history lessons. My wife was kicking my ass explaining the Monarchy’s convoluted history. She watched a marathon of “The Tudors” and suddenly she’s the expert. I went out of my way to see four people’s markers. Shakespeare, who isn’t buried there, Winston Churchhill, Charles Darwin (His middle name is Robert. Who knew?) and Sir Isaac Newton. Looking at Sir Isaac Newton’s elaborate marker, and the simple floor adornment for Darwin was really important for me. This is why I’m a huge geek, I know.

We hit the abbey right as it was closing up, which was great timing because afterwards we needed to go back to the hostel to meet my parents! Reunion! They were waiting outside in a garden. We showed them all the art my wife had made for gifts as we chatted about the family for a while. Really nice time to see them again.

We went out to an English pub for dinner. Parent’s treat. I had a bitter British Ale in a pub. I’ve got a few wonderful stories to share about my parent’s latest trip to Africa. After that, we settled up and got back to the hostel for the night.

 This morning we headed to get tickets at Liester’s Square. We were harassed by a homeless crazy person who was also quite possible a heroin addict. He saw us and started yelling “YANKEE 2-0-2!”, whatever that means. We walked a block, realized we needed to turn around after consulting our maps, and ran into him again as he walked up and slapped my mother’s bag. He yelled at us again with his jibberish, and we went the other direction. What’s HIS deal?

We got the tickets for Momma Mia, the ABBA musical in the nicest theater in the area. My wife’s birthday gift from the folks. WOW. I really wanted to see Spam-a-lot, a musical adaptation of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, because I’m a HUGE geek. Wife got her pick. There is always tomorrow if we must.

From there, we got VERY lost in Hyde park. We set out to see a statue of Peter Pan, and a Diana memorial fountain. We didn’t find EITHER of the things because the maps were really a bit off. We did see the outside garden of Kensington Palace, which was really nice! My parents were going around identifying plants like I remember from all our other vacations.

We got to Harrod’s. It’s a gigantic luxury store. I’ve been to huge shopping places in Canada and the US, but this was ULTRA-Luxury shopping. We saw a chair made from an airplane ejection seat for almost $40,000 dollars. My father almost knocked an $18,000 dollar Wolly Mammoth tusk of a table trying to read the price tag. The Hummer Electric (?) Golf Cart that could go 30 miles per hour and was street legal took the cake for the most excessive in my opinion.

After trying not to break anything in Harrod’s, we went back to the hostel. We had a quick snack to recharge. I drank a Czech ORIGINAL Budweiser, which I had no idea about. Seems the Czech’s had a beer called Busweiser before the Americans started using that name, and eventually that caused problems for the American brewer since they couldn’t distribute around Europe. It’s like an Irish guy trying to start a pub called “McDonald’s” in the States.

We’ll go out to the theater tonight, and have plans for tomorrow. I’m trying to work out a compromise after canceling plans with a friend outside the city. We’re having a ton of fun with the folks even with the change in plans, and I hope to run into my friends either in the city, or when they visit Korea in the future. Apologies for the cancellation!

Anyway, traveling with the folks is always wonderful, and we’re really enjoying outselves. We’ll be flying out in two days time, and they’ll be taking a house boat through a series of locks and rivers to Stratford-of-Avon.

I’m hoping for a crazy peron free trip back to Leister Square this evening for the play. Who knows what tomorrow will bring as we tour London some more?