Tuesday, December 11, 2007

London 101

One of the first things I was trying to work out when I first came to the UK was how on earth I can get myself to London. And the answer came in the form of blogpal Jen! Like a true jetsetter, she came to UK for a visit after a job-connected training in France and asked if I wanted to come over and stay with her in her friend's place in Essex and go around with her in London. So, what else would be a better motivation to finish three 4,500-word essays, I ask you?

So here's the state of my room pre-London...

Anyway, Jen and I had a lovely (so Brit of me, ey?) Friday of walking around Central London. We took turns taking photos, enjoying the architecture of the Natural History Museum...
...enjoying clear blue skies (for a change, no rain, at least for that Friday anyway...),

...feeding a squirrel with skyflakes crackers (and yes he/she loved it and came back for seconds!),

...enjoying the scene at dusk at Kensington Park...

until Jen's hands turned numb from the chill...and mine, too a few minutes later. So a mug each of Starbucks' Eggnog Latte (yum!) to hold helped defrost our hands nicely.


It was great to have Jen as tourist guide since the London underground system looked scary...

...and her expert guidance gave me more of a handle on it--so actually being with Jen was like taking a course on London 101, which was a great help!

Hey, Jen--come back again when I'm still around, okey?

14 comments:

vernaloo said...

ahh! thank God for Jen :) I don't want you to study and study and study and do schoolworks all the time...

I'm glad you had a great time mare...sheesh squirrel....di pa ako nakakita ng totoong squirrel hehe

carlotta1924 said...

that eggnog latte sounds good. too bad wala nyan dito sa pinas.

at ang galing no? you can feed cute furry animals sa city. kung dito yan mga askal, pusakal at... eep! daga ang makikita...

=)

atto aryo said...

Galing talaga ng Pinoy no? Always ready to lend a helping hand. Lalo na yung pagpapasyal sa mga bisita.

Unknown said...

Skyflakes? Don't tell me na nagbaon ka ng isang lata ng crackers na yon? :-D

Oh btw, did you get to witness the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace? And were you able to get a picture of you beside one of those palace guards with the funny-looking hat? :-D

Anonymous said...

london's subway system is considered one of the best, but somehow it still drives me nuts whenever i go there - even with a map.

Gypsy said...

Verns,yeah--actually I finished all my essays and I am so bored now....maybe I should go and feed some more squirrels. Hehe.

Carlotta, actually we followed the squirrel when it ran off and so something move in a pile of leaves, we called it and guess what, isang super laking daga ang lumabas, ayan napatili tuloy, hehe.

Aryo, you are so right, buti na lang kahit saan tayo mapadpad, may pinoy. Hehe.

Rudy, hindi naman, lunch baon namin yon, hehe. Nope didnt see the change of guards but I did have my photo taken with a similarly-dressed guard at the Parliament House. :)

ipanema said...

i hope the first one got through. bigla na lang nag close ang comment box.

it's nice to read that you're having a break from you studies.

thanks for sharing the photos. you have beautiful ones over there.

enjoy! :)

niceheart said...

Isn't it nice to have someone like Jen, giving you the tips on how to get around London? You sound so British na nga. Pati kaya accent? :)

Ngek! three 4500-word essays. I don't think I've ever written at least one essay that long.

Lovely pictures, btw.

niceheart

Leah said...

How lovely indeed to have a friend to take you around and then treat you for coffee?

http://mga-munimuni.com/

Rey said...

Just be careful for some bloody rubbish blokes there Londoners. They can be arse sometimes.

zherwin said...

me 2008 planner din ba ang starbucks sa london? hehehe

and i like how you angled the picture you took in the museum.

Forever59er said...

I can imagine how chilly London is now. But with friends like Jen, you can keep warm, right. Have you gone to west end for theatre yet?

Alternati said...

Oohh.. I didn't know you're in London already! Exciting! How long have you been there na? Missed alot since I went AWOL. hehe Hope you've gone sightseeing already, Hope you're not too busy with studies.

I know what you mean about the subway system, never been to London, but I've been to similar ones in Germany and France... Scary at first but like riding a Philippine jeepney when you get used to it. hehe

Gypsy said...

Ipanema, thanks-inspiring din naman kasi yong mga sites. :)

Niceheart, nope no British accent--i dont think i can manage that, hehe.

Leah, yes Jen's real blessing. :)

Rey, hehe--you sound more like a Brit than me!!

Zherwin, planner? Nope didnt see any, but who knows--anyway, Jen was looking for a LONDON starbucks mug--imagine, wala!

Anna, is soho the west end? if so, then I've been there, just looking longingly at the Les Miserables marquee from the outside...sigh!

Alternati, yeah, been in Gloucester for almost three months na--first time ko mag London last weekend. ope to go there again! :)