Yes, that is a Hummer Limo, and that’s how I got to the airport this morning. Sure I may have put more of a carbon footprint on the earth than I needed to this morning, but once in my life
won't hurt.
Thursday, at the Bang Staff Christmas party, I was told I’d have a limo at my disposal. Throughout the day yesterday, I kept trying to call Peter, our advert director, to see if that was actually going to happen. However, with each call, I couldn’t get a hold of him. So towards the late afternoon, I was giving up hope.
Then just was we were finishing up our shisha (hookah), I got a call from Peter. He told me I’d be getting a call from the limo service shortly and that we’d work out the details.
So after a call at 6:00pm the previous day, this limo picked up Rachel and I at 3:00am right outside MTH on York Terrace East.
Despite the heat not exactly working and the driver almost getting in an accident, that was the best free limo ride in London that I’ve ever had.... and I have Peter Terry to thank for it!
As mentioned two posts ago, time is running out. So tonight I had to take in a London site I can’t find anywhere else: The Absolute Ice Bar. After visiting it though, I came to find out that these bars exist in large cities all over the world. But I wanted to see the London one.
Basically, the ice bar is just what it sounds like, a bar made entirely of ice. The floor, pillars, walls, sculptures, tables, seats, chandelier, the bar itself, and yes, the glasses were all made of the purest ice imported from Sweden. Apparently, it lasts 6 months before they have to import more ice. In order to keep people comfortable and buying Absolute Vodka mixes for their entire 45 minute time slot, they supply each visitor with a parka / overcoat, making everyone at the bar look like Eskimos.
£12.50 entrée fee and that includes your first drink. Was the price worth it? Well, when am I ever going to be able to drink in a bar made entirely of ice again? Kimberly and I had an icy blast. I snuck my ice glass out and licked it the whole walk home up Regent’s street. The glass even lasted me as long as the ISH bar, where I ordered a shot of Sambukah in it before it completely melted.
In my preparations for this London excursion, I was given a book called 1000 Things to Do in London. It’s published by a fun-living magazine called Time Out, a weekly magazine that has everything, and I mean everything, that there is to do in London. From the off beat to the popular. The greatest thing I’ve gotten out of the book happened today: The Great Gorilla Run.
This 6km run through London is like many of the races I’ve run back home: hundreds of people all crammed into narrow streets, stretching and warm-ups at the finish line, fruit served after the race for the runners. Except at this race, the only fruit served after the race were bananas,and everyone ran the race in a Gorilla suit.
It was a beautiful sight, 700 plus gorillas running through the streets of London. The race is organized in large cities across the world to help raise money to protect African gorillas in the wild.When I first heard of the race, I was online as soon as I could to register. However, one of the stipulations of the race is that you must raise £400 for the gorillas, and I wasn’t about to spend all my time in London soliciting for gorillas. Next time one of these races comes my way, I’ll be sweating in a suit of too much hair.
Oh and the best part about this jungle affair, I got a free giant inflatable banana. I believe my exact words to my flat mates as I walked in the room were, “Don’t worry guys, I got the giant banana for our room.”
Since we were so close, Jenny and I decided the Tower of London would be a splendid way to spend the afternoon. At 14 quid (slang for pound, like the American 'buck'), it was worth the stop.
Probably London’s most famous tourist destination, this heavily fortified castle has been used for just about everything since it’s completed construction in 1100A.D. From being a storehouse for weapons and armor, to a prison for important political inmates, to a hall for holding royal events, to a zoo, to an observatory, this entire complex, with it’s White Tower as the epicenter, has it’s fair share of history. Today it is used to house the Crown Jewels, important political documents, and of course as a tourist destination.
We went on a tour of the place with a Yeoman Warder, or as they are more commonly referred to as, a Beefeater. These highly respected guards live at the Tower of London and are responsible for it’s protection and upkeep. Our particular Beefeater just so happened to be the raven master, the caretaker for the ravens that call the Tower home. Legend has it that Charles II was told that if the ravens left the Tower, the kingdom and the fortress would fall.
At least six must be present at all time. The raven master ensuredus that they are not superstitious. To prove that are not, they keep eight at all times….
Some highlights for me were the armories where they decorated walls and pillars with pistols, the V.I.P. holding cells where prisoners awaited their beheadings and carved graffiti reveling their life views after months of isolation, and the body armor that protected all the right places.
On our way home, we took the walk across Tower Bridge which was quite difficult with tourists stopping every two seconds to take a picture. However, I was one of them, so I can’t really complain. Some knowledge I gained today was that the bridge that is often referred to as London Bridge is actually Tower Bridge, which is the iconic symbol of this city. London Bridge is actually rather mundane-looking.
As if gorillas running and a Tower of history wasn’t enough the city decided to give us another surprise.
Jenny and I were on our way home after our tower experience right around 17:30 – 18:00. It was rush hour and the tubes were packed. We squeezed our way to the center of the car as people continued to push in as the doors were beginning to close. A woman right next to the door didn’t get her handbag out of the way quick enough and the doors slammed in on it. So there’s her bag, caught between the doors. She pulled with all her strength but it wouldn’t budge. We could all hear the train make it’s usual start up sounds. People in the car looked at each other with a slight panic. Then suddenly, from the platform two hands, with Wolverine claws on them, reach through the crack in the door, grip each side, and pull them open. Once the door opens far enough everyone got a good look at the man in a full Wolverine costume from the old cartoon show / comic book. With her bag free from the door’s vise grip, she pulls her bag free. Wolverine gives her a little salute and walks away.
I’m off to a good start with my running schedule as I have a pretty good every-other-day thing going. This morning I ran alongside the London Zoo and saw lamas. Plus, I discovered the ‘off-leash’ area of regents. Most likely I will be running there more often to see the London puppies. However, they are hard to understand because of their thick British accents.
The rest of my morning consisted of blogging / journaling as to catch up on the European tour while it was still fresh. Because no one likes a stale European tour.
My afternoon, however, became much more interesting as Megadeath, Kallie, and I ventured to Camden Town.
The first place we stopped upon venturing from the underground was a quaint little art gallery. The information on the artist, whose name I can’t recall and didn’t write down, ranted and raved about this homeless artist who never had any formal training. After 10 minutes in that gallery, it was obvious he never had any formal training, and sadly, it became apparent that he was homeless as well. I think you can find better art at I'm Better than Your KidsNeedless to say, the poor quality is why I don’t care to recall his name.
A few blocks from there we found what we were looking for, the Camden Market. Shop after shop of amazing clothing and tattoo parlors. I’ll be utilizing the tattoo shops later, but for today I spent £80 on a brand knew European outfit, seeing as how my job requires casual and I brought mostly smart clothes. But that eighty includes a nice heavy hoodie for cooler weather, a new pair of jeans, and a sexy argyle sweater vest, if I do say so myself.Plus, I found a fantastic sepia panoramic of the Thames skyline and some nifty buttons for my satchel.
On my way home from Camden, I took my route to Harlesden for the first time.
From my first walk down High Street Harlesden, I knew I’d love this place. I was one of the only white guys walking down the street. Fresh fruit markets. Ethnic, to me at least, diners with kabobs, gyros, and a plethora or foods I have yet to sample or learn how to pronounce. A block away is the Irish Meat Market with carcasses hanging in the window. I found the offices of Life FM and smiled. Then I made my way back home.
Tomorrow I start work, so tonight will be an early one!
We had a quaint little walking tour of Salzburg today. This pleasant old man took us around, we couldn't hear him half the time. The other half of the time we just sat in awe of the city around us. On the way back, however, a small group of us did a wee bit of window shopping, which eventually lead to real shopping. Now, Meredith, Kallie, Jim and myself are much more European, and hence, much more awesome.
Oh, and while walking we saw a baby. It had a wiener in one hand and a truck in the other. Instead of enjoying the wiener, this child ate the truck. What does this say about this little one's future?
After having this blog since May 2008, I've decided to start this new year with a hits counter now that my life is boring and no one will be reading this site....
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