So I never did get the hang of...

...which way to look while crossing the street. Solution? Always look both ways.

I'm flying to Pula, Croatia tomorrow morning! I am soooooooo excited. From there I will journey to Zadar, and then spend a majority of my time in Split (well, these things CAN change...but that's the idea).

Today has been very nice, warm and sunny in fact! We went to the Notting Hill Carnival, which was INSANE. Just sooooo many people. About 6 million I was told? Wild. Jerk chicken and Red Stripe and loud music. Yey! Marc and I had a yummy Vietnemese dinner out last night too. And now to organize for tomorrow...until next time! xo

This little piggy went to market...

Everyone has been telling me to go to Borough Market, so that's what I've done! (Three times in fact!) I made the short tube ride there Friday around lunch time, and boy was it bustling! (Marc likes to tell me that that was nothing and that Saturdays are WAY worse. I can believe it!) I took my sweet time looking at all the delicious food vendors, the sights and smells quite satisfying in themselves! I wasn't overly hungry so I settled on some dried fruits and nuts and a couple truffles, just to taste. The choices were overwhelming! After that I walked around the area, and made my way to the path along the Thames. The odd sun-shower interrupted the day, but it always made for chit chat with strangers as we found cover under awnings or flower planters...etc. I stopped to admire the Globe Theatre, then made my way to Tate Modern. I spent a good couple hours in there...

Some of my favourites at Tate:
Black Virtue - by Matta
Three Dancers - by Picasso
Ithaca Mirror Trail - by Smithson
Untitled (oil on canvas 1971) - by Kounellis
The Window; Nude in the Bath - by Bonnard
Figure - by Cordell
Waterlillies - by Monet
Summertime: Number 9A - by Pollock
Marilyn Diptych - by Warhol
Ed Ruscha, in general!
I was able to find some postcards of a few of these, so I can decorate my new digs once I get to Poland!

After my captivation there, I crossed the Millenium Bridge to walk along the Thames on the other side, towards Tower Bridge. I made it home by 7pm. Big day out! Then a couple of Marc's friends came over, so we hung out and then headed to a pub for the evening!

Saturday Marc and I got up early to return to Borough Market to beat the crowd...well, we left at 9:30am. We shared the most AMAZING raclette toasty....mmm. I also had a wild boar sausage, and we got some fruit and Turkish delights to enjoy in the park. We took our treats to St Jame's Park, near Buckingham Palace, and we read and just enjoyed the sun. Then we walked back along the Thames, to meet up with Marc's friend Hannah, we got some groceries (at Burough Market!), then we tubed it to Hamstead. There we went (a VERY round-about) way to Hamstead Heath for a picnic! We met up with Nancy and Rahim too (friends of Marc's that I've met by now). Our spread was impressive - sausage, baguette, cheeses, olives, dolmades, crepes, peaches, plums, cherries, leiche nuts, rasperries, wine....it was delightful. There was a carnival nearby that we checked out after. My tummy was too full to ride anything, but I think I had just as much fun watching a few of the others go for a ride. We then walked some more and ended up on Parliament hill with a most fantastic view of the city. We eventually rolled back to Marc's around 9:30 last night. The small group of us made tea and listened to some music (Sliimy!). Another big day!

Today will be a quieter day. I just have some things to organize. I may check out the Columbia Road Flower Market too. I'm going to take Marc out for dinner this evening....and tomorrow's plan is the Notting Hill Carnival!

Hope everyone is peachy. xo

Broke in my new runners

Correction: trainers is the term the English use. Not that I need to sound like I fit in. My accent (or lack of one?) is a giveaway. Yesterday Marc and I went running along Regent's Canal, and I did the same route this morning while he is at work.

Good flight back from Faro. I slept the whole time. Another good night's sleep afterwards. Travelling is not the time to try and be on any sort of regular sleep schedule!

After running yesterday, Marc had a haircut so I wandered some, on New Oxford Street. Then we came back to Marc's and some of his friends came over (all such lovely people!). We made pancakes. Yey! It was so silly and fun. Then the group of us went to see Coco Before Chanel. I adored it. Romance, set in France, early 1900s. Beautiful.

Yesterday I FINALLY washed the salt water from my hair. It was getting rather dread-like. I had rinsed it in Portugal, but never gave it a good wash. Ah, soft hair again...so foreign to me.

Now I can say it: last Monday I had dinner in London with Jenna!!! It was like a blind friendship...we both knew so much about each other but had yet to meet. It was really wonderful, and I hope to see more of her when we're closer in location! I just couldn't say anything because she was going home early and it was a surprise.

Meeting up with Chris today, and making plans for Greece. I am strongly considering going to Croatia first....

Now back to getting my luggage sorted out!

Not-so-foggy London

Since Jodi and I have arrived in London, it's been sunny and hot! Weird, eh? So it's not like we need to escape to Portugal for the heat and sunshine (although it's supposed to get cooler and rainy here once we leave), but why not?

Last night I could not fall asleep, thinking about Lagos (that's where we'll be going in Portugal). This is in the Algarve region, at the south end. All I could concentrate on was surfing. And then I started panicking that I shouldn't have booked a round-trip flight back to London, because WHAT IF I MEET THE LOVE OF MY LIFE WHILE SURFING??? (Are you surprised?) He'll just have to come back with me, or meet me elsewhere. I'll just deal with it once I'm there. haha And I feel so spoiled because all I have to bring is my backpack. The rest of my luggage I will leave with Marc. Yey!

We haven't done too many touristy things here so far. We spent today in Hyde Park (again) with a friend of a friend of Jodi's, and two of her friends. The three girls we met are all teachers here: one from Winnipeg, one from Sarnia, and one from Kitchener! The two Ontario girls went to Lakehead, so we had lots to talk about. We did see Buckingham Palace. Yesterday we wandered around Covent Gardens - we ventured through Picadilly Circus and Soho. Lots of neat little shops. We visited Marc at his work too; a really edgy, funky underground bar called Freud. We're still not over our jetlag, so our days are a little wonky, time-wise.

Well, that's all for now. Not sure what my internet access will be like in small-town Portugal, so until next time, this tube-expert is signing off! (Be back in London late Tuesday!) xo

Read the fine print

Sooooo beyond exhausted. About to get a GOOD night's sleep!

I flew out of Hamilton last evening. Yesterday morning was a bit of a panic. I realized that I had to prepay for my excess baggage, otherwise anything over 20kg would cost $35/kg at the airport. I decided to buy an extra 30kg...my luggage totalled 48kg. *phew!* That was close. The lady at the service counter was pleased that I had purchased it in advance, noting how much money I saved that way. Everything's coming up, Leah!

My flight was fine. I slept as soon as I was able to use the bathrooms after take-off. I think it was the most tired I've ever been. I woke up here and there to notice that the in-flight movies were "Duplicity" and "Pirates of the Caribbean". We landed in Belfast around 7:30am and most people left the plane at this point. It was between Belfast and London that I really slept the best.

Met up with Jodi at Gatwick airport no problem. Then we made our way via train and tube to Marc's flat. I'm so proud of how smooth it went! We are having no trouble with the tube maps here. Marc had some work to do on his dissertation so us gals wandered around the neighbourhood a little (we checked out a Bikram studio, of course), then headed to South Kensington, to walk around Hyde Park. Very gorgeous. Reminded me of New York, as the neighbourhood was posh, so it felt a little like Central park and 5th Avenue. We went to a little pub for dinner, and now we're ready for sleep!

I should mention that the weather here today was GORGEOUS! Not too hot, very sunny, and blue skies. We still don't have any concrete plans. Ireland, or Portugal, maybe! Marc is very willing to put us up and show us around so we are totally appreciating that.

Our waiter at the pub this evening was Polish, from Krakow. Very cute I might add...!

That's all to report for now, as my eyes are starting to close. xo