When London's Not Snowy, It's Dreary

The snow has apparently ceased (at least for the moment), and now we are stuck with cold, wet, and dreary. I dare say it's worse than the Pacific North Wet. We, at least, have green trees and mountains to keep things interesting. Sure, London has really old buildings and amazing architecture (and a few interesting birds), but it all just looks bleak and dreary when everything else is cold, wet, gray, and icky.

Despite a dreary and drizzly weekend, yesterday was Valentine's Day and so I went out to do something special. I gathered up Sasha and Annie (just to confuse you, we have two Annies, both from PLU. If Annie is combined with Sasha, then I do not mean Annie Voorhies from work. So here's the tally: three Hannahs [two from PLU], two Emilys [neither from PLU], two Annies [both from PLU], one Liz [not from PLU], and one Lizzi [from PLU]), and we made our way in to Central London with the intention of riding the London Eye.

Now, here's an absolutely adorable thing about the London Tube system: nearly all of our homestays are north of London, located on the Metropolitan Line, and that line only. We must ride the Metropolitan Line until it intersects with the Jubilee Line (fortunately, these lines intersect three times on our journey) in order to get to Central London. However, there are "planned engineering works taking place" every bloody weekend, and that means that most of the Metropolitan Line is closed down. The end of the line is Wembley Station, and that is our one and only option for transferring over to the Jubilee Line. Heavenforbid some other Tube problem causes one line to close down; then we'd all have to learn the bus system!

At any rate, before I ever even made it to Wembley yesterday, I had to get off at Northwick Park in order to meet with Sasha and Annie. As I stepped off the train and on to the platform, I spotted Sasha and Annie waiting for me. Right as I was saying "hi", I heard "SARAH WISE!" and then suddenly I was attacked from the side. Hilary Scarbrough, General Manager of KCCR back at PLU and current international student at the University of Westminster in London happened to be waiting for the exact train that Sasha, Annie and I were planning to board.

It really, truly is a small world after all.

Now, I knew that Hilary was in London, but I hadn't been in touch with her yet (although we planned on getting to it eventually), and here we just happen to run in to each other in a city as large as London. So we four Lutes boarded the train (where we all had to get off at Wembley and transfer over to the Jubilee line) and chatted away about London. Hilary parted at Green Park, and we went our own way at the next stop, Westminster.

We stopped for a bite of lunch at a bagel shop, which boasted "authentic New York deli bagels." Apparently, everything that I like to eat is labeled as "New York style" over here. I must have really American tastes, or something. Anyway, it was tastey and cheap, as far as London prices go. After lunch, we went to buy tickets for the London Eye. Once tickets were purchased, we were instructed to watch the "4D Experience", which is a 5 minute 3D movie about a little girl who can't see the sights in London, so she watches a seagull flying and spots the London Eye. Then your senses get attacked with funky smells, bright lights, bubbles, and water while watching foreign people have a party in the capsules of the London Eye. I don't know, it was a very strange experience. But we did look awful sexy in our giant 3D glasses.

Next, we went to wait in line. Rather, we queued. Susie, my British Novel teacher, says that the Brits love to queue. I believe the ultimate queue is the queue to the London Eye, as the Eye itself takes thirty minutes to go around once. Surprisingly, however, the queue moved rather fast, and within half an hour we were on the London Eye. The London Eye packs in approximately 15 to 20 people in to one 'capsule', and everyone stands there looking out over London as it slooooowly goes around in one circle. Getting on and off is a tad exciting; they don't stop the wheel, so everyone has to kind of rush. It does offer some great views of the city, though, which in turn allow for fun pictures.

By the time we were finished with the London Eye, it was getting to be evening. We headed on over to Picadilly Circus in search of tickets to see The Misanthrope (starring Damian Lewis, AKA Charlie Crews from Life, and Kiera Knightley). That theater was dark, so we went to Cinnabon instead, and then went home. Once home, however, we purchased tickets to see The Misanthrope during it's closing week. We are ridiculously excited, especially as we also plan to leave the day after that for a weekend in Ireland celebrating St. Patrick's Day (hopefully including a trip to the Guiness factory!).

Today it was back to classes, so nothing terribly exciting happened, but I did get an invitation to Spain this weekend, and so Friday morning I will be on my way to Madrid, and then taking the train south towards Granada. I get back to London early on Sunday (at 8:00 AM!), so I might spend the day in York at a Viking celebration.

To see more pictures from London, be sure to check my facebook photo album!