London: Day 2

Today started like any other day. Karen woke me up to tell me that she tossed her engagement ring down the bathroom drain. Some of you are thinking that Karen clearly didn't toss it on purpose, and the rest of you are thinking it is about time she came to her senses. At any rate, she called downstairs and the Club Quarters Hotel sent up...a front desk worker in a suit (blue pin stripe, in case you were wondering). Turns out the engineer is out today (UK Bank Holiday and all). Our suited friend did, however, have with him pliers, a towel and bucket. Two minutes later the ring was recovered and he left with the admonition/suggestion that perhaps she might keep the sink trap closed. It would have been rude or condescending except for the British accent, which made it simply endearing.

Showered, wearing all necessary jewelry and with coffee in hand (they have this coffee place over here called Starbucks, I highly recommend it) we headed off to the Underground to begin our day. We walked the three blocks to the Monument Underground stop...

To learn that the District and Circle Lines (read: our stops) were closed for scheduled work. We were not to be deterred and moseyed through some underground tunnels over to the Central Line (the Red Line, which kind of felt like home) and headed a few stops down to Tottenham Court Road.

A few short blocks later we were at the National Gallery (shout out to Rebecca and Beth, among others). We had a lovely guided tour with Elizabeth Allen, a professional volunteer tour guide. We were encouraged to sit in front of the art as she told us about the Magi, King Phillip, a train and bunny and a family with 12 kids (only the boys were pictured so we took Elizabeth's work for the existence of the girls) and other artsy types. A few things we learned. One: Elizabeth the tour guide seems disingenuous at the idea that British artists really belong represented with the Italian masters. Two: When you insert a bunny rabbit on a train track with a steam engine rolling towards it, you are expressing commentary on the relationship between technology and nature. Three: When you are Titian (a master Italian painter), a painting filled with errors and corrections becomes even more masterful (read more about it here: http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/titian-and-workshop-the-vendramin-family)

The National Gallery is in Trafalgar Square, delightful spot for people watching...when it isn't 34 degrees outside. On those days, it is a delightful place to snap a few photos and move on.

From there it was a quick walk to 10 Downing Street (now gated off and not the most impressive structure. Karen says that is because they already have a King.) I choose to see the world as if it was a scene in Love Actually. From there it was off to Big Ben, Parliament and Westminster Abbey. Look kids, Big Ben, Parliament, etc...

All that walking made us hungry and thirsty, so off to the pub for fish and chips and wine and beer.

Sated we headed off to the Churchill War Rooms.

This museum is phenomenal. It is a museum preservation of the War Rooms and underground bunkers used by Churchill's brain-trust and WC himself. We spent two and a half hours underground and it felt like 20 minutes. The interactive displays and actual historic preservation of sites make it a really impressive experience. It also stands out because they don't try and make WC a saint. The guy was a bit of a bastard to his staff, glutenous even in the face of war rations, and even by non-wartime standards drank a ton and smoked even more. He was hard to control, almost went bankrupt and failed at war before WWII and in electoral politics after WWII. (Quick note to the Brits: you voted the guy out of office after he won the war????!!! Really???!!! And the Brits reply: "Two words, George Bush. Two more, two terms. Two more, Sarah Palin", Game, set, match Brits.) At any rate, if you visit London, go see this museum.

We emerged from the underground museum and it was already dark. We took a quick walk over to Buckingham Palace and, how do I say this, it was like other palaces we've seen. It was nice, but for me (Eric) at least, it was less than I expected. Not sure how or why, but it was.

From there we walked up to Piccadilly Circus. Imagine a smaller, more historic Times Square and you've got it about right.

Having had our fill of British tourist cheese (not the good kind from a cheese plate) we meandered back towards the Red Line and stumbled across London's Chinatown. The archway is on a sad little side street and is, if I may restate my prior position, kind of sad.

And as we walked through sad little Chinatown past the Chinese restaurants with ducks and birds hanging in the windows and actual Chinese people eating inside, it occurred to us that this may be small and the arch may be a little lame, but it's hell-of more legit than the Verizon Center, tourist pubs and Matchbox (shout out for the pizza and mini-burgers, however). Humbled at our hubris, we located the Underground and headed back to our neighborhood for an average meal and then back to the Club Quarters. As the temperature is now about 31 degrees and very moist, our day is over and we are headed to the sack in preparation for our last day in London and a 14 hour plane ride to Hong Kong tomorrow evening.