Trafalgar Square / Big Ben

On Friday, I went with Peter to a meeting about a project we’re working on. This meeting was in a building close to the St. Paul’s tube station. This didn’t really click in my mind until we strolled into the square while we were looking for the building the meeting was in – then the large dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral came around the corner and looked down on us. I’ve never had a job where I can work and sightsee in one of the largest cities in the world before, so I thought that was kinda neat. The building also had a really good view of the cathedral and the square below.

That night I had planned to get a beer with a few of the guys from the other company (Buro Happold), but by the time I’d caught the tube and finished up at work, I got there too late and didn’t find them. So I went to Oxford Street, but on my way, some creepy guy asked me to “come here a sec”. He looked really sketchy, so I said “no, sorry” and kept walking. I was only about 40 metres away from Oxford Street, so I knew if I could get there, I would be safe in case the creepo wanted to stab me or something. He said “HEY you, come here a sec” and I replied again “no, sorry” and sped up without looking back at him. I made it to Oxford Street, and went into the Curry’s (Futureshop sorta) and looked around in there to make sure he wasn’t following me or anything. He wasn’t, and that was the last I saw of him.

On Saturday, I went to the library and got a few e-mails and stole some more internet til mine gets set up at home. Then, I took the tube to Waterloo station, where Mr. John Sime will arrive on Friday. I wanted to make sure I knew where I was going before he arrives. Once I got there, I really needed to use the loo, but the only bathrooms there cost 20p to use, and I had only brought some bills and put them in my Oyster Card pouch thing (Oyster card is essentially a tube pass that you wave in front of sensors on the way in and out). So I went back to the tube. I had planned on going to Marble Arch and Hyde Park that day, so my next stop was going to be Marble Arch. However, when we got to the Charing Cross stop, it said “This is Charing Cross, alight for Trafalgar Square,” so I decided to go there instead. Upon exiting the station and getting my bearings, it turned out I was IN Trafalgar Square. And it was HUGE. Big fountains, hundreds of people, a huge spire, and the National Gallery. Everyone was taking pictures, so I followed suit (not like I wasn’t going to anyway though). After taking some pictures, I decided to go see the Gallery (which is free, like a lot of places in London). People seem to really like drawing Jesus – I probably saw 100 paintings with Jesus or Mary or someone holy in them. In addition, I saw some Van Gogh, Picasso, Degas, Monet, etc. It was pretty neat, but unfortunately I was not allowed to take pictures inside.

After that, I figured I’d go to Marble Arch, but then I saw something out of the corner of my eye on the way back to the station entrance – Big Ben was just down the street. So I figured I’d check that one off my list too, and ventured down the street. I took a bunch of pictures of the tower, and by that time I was getting very hungry, so I decided to stroll on back home. One tube ride, and I was home. That’s the best part of London – the tube makes it seem very small, and on top of that, every time I arrive at the station it seems the train is just getting there (thus far I’ve never had to wait more than 4 or 5 mins for a train). Actually, that’s a lie – the morning after the “HUGE” snowstorm (2 cm or so probably, the most snow London has received since 2003, which is ridiculous) I had to wait for the 3^rd train because I couldn’t jam into any of them before other people did.

So all in all, Friday and Saturday were quite eventful days as far as sightseeing goes! Oh and all the time in between has been filled with X-files watching, I’m on season 4 now.

Last but not least, I am still waiting for my internet to get “set-up” on the provider end. That will be a glorious day. Stan out.

ps. pictures to come, blogger is just being really annoying at the moment. see my facebook in the meantime, the pics are all there.