Day 2 London Walking

Once you get used to the Tube, its very easy. I thought it was crowded before, today traveling in the tube around 5-6pm, rush hour on a Friday was not as bad as I thought. 

But I noticed more of the train announcements and all I have ringing in my head is "Please Mind the Gap". I looked down and it's like a full foot gap between the platform and the train's edge!

Today I ordered a breakfast baguette. Didn't realize that the little piece of fried potato that tasted like deep fried mash potatoes may just have been the mash to the bangers(sausage) that I had. So that's the traditional breakfast right?

We rode around the tube and if the running up and down the stairs doesn't kill me, the vertigo riding up the escalators will. 

Found Picadilly Circus, it didn't look like one. It was very crowded, but I saw no elephants or clowns, except me clowning around.

We ate at China town-of course, we are Asians. I'm sadly unimpressed with "Chinatowns" in cities not in China. Although there was a the random Peking duck hanging on a window.

Then we asked a woman in the tube who was there to explain things to people how we were to get to Buckingham Palace. She told us to go back up to Regent street and walk towards St James Park and walk up The Mall until we end up at the palace.

The flag was bravely waving in the breeze indicating her Majesty the Queen was there. The guards with the big hats were not there. But we did see some guard going through his paces.

The tourists are all standing in front of the big black gates and a few little girls ran up shrieking "maybe we'll see the Queen!". Their tiny voices full of joy. When it was time to leave, they all began to scream "bye Queen, bye bye Queen!" It was so cute.

We took the tube out to Westminster where as I walked up from the tube you can see from the bottom of the stairs the iconic Parliament building. 

Then as we walked toward Westminster Bridge, where everyone congregated at one corner, I realized we were literally in the shadow of Big Ben! It is an impressive sight! I think of all the movies and TV shows that showed it, when you see any icon of London, it's Big Ben and deservedly so. There is something just magnificent about that clock that I wanted to take pictures of every side!

I learned that it costs 50pence to pee in a public restroom. There's a guy who makes sure you pay it too! It was also a chain flush! 

When it rains in London, it  will rain in buckets then it stops, like someone turned off the spigot.

To do one load of wash took £6 and £3 to dry it at a self laundry place. £9 is equal to $13-14.

I can't afford London.