A full day now

Two biscuits and various tube rides later I am sitting at the flat with sore feet still slightly in a fog with jet lag. I woke up this morning at three am and couldn't get back to sleep for a few hours. Jumped out of bed with a crescendo of riveting construction symphony and felt like I had missed school or something. Nichi was up getting ready and I soon followed. We went to go meet her friend Tom, a school mate into Social Work who studied Philosophy. He was as she described it "lovely" and I would agree. He was very funny, everything out of him seemed a joke so I became rather confused when he was being serious. I felt like such a dumb American listening to the two of them talk about history and politics, when I realised that most of the issues of importance back home tend to do with entertainment and gossip. Needless to say I think I should read a bit more while I'm here, so I can appear much more cerebral next time, though I blame the jet lag and culture shock for much of it. Its so interesting to hear people with the slight variations of British accents. It makes me smile that I can tell a difference, though I don't have enough knowledge yet to distinguish regions.
After a brisk walk around Hyde park, dodging mad swans and other unnamed small white birds, we took a gander at the memorial for Princess Diana and then made our way to the V&A. The V and A stands for Victoria as in the queen and Albert her husband, and its a Museum that has a lot of art from around the world. Basically from what I was told, the British just took the stuff. ;p The first floor had loads of busts and sculptures made of marble. My favorite part was the Asian exhibit where there were many a Buddha from varying times and cultures. I read a bit about their enlightened posturing and devotional purposes and then we went for tea and treats. I ended up completely blowing the opportunity for proper afternoon tea and getting a latte. Meanwhile the two Brits (Tom and Nichi) both got tea and scones. I felt very Californian with that and an apricot croissant. Oh well, they minded me anyhow. We talked about everything from Rhubarb to the average wage in London, about a dollar more than in San Francisco, though I must tell you everything here is outrageously expensive, especially the tube. I might have to stick to hanging out in this neighborhood because of the cost. Nichi says its one of if not thee priciest in the world and I believe her. Just a couple stops one way and 7.50 American dollars later! I may as well have walked though I don't really have my bearings at all.

After our snack, Tom left us and we headed up stairs to look at more "stolen" artifacts. There were dresses and samurai swords, old tea pots and jewelery boxes, Turkish rugs and cathedral fixtures. Nichi told me about her Dad and his artistic upbringing at St Martin, this well known prestigious art school in the 60's where Yoko Ono taught. We discussed the fashion world as a functional art form and pre-raphaelite movement an aesthetic movement formed in London in 1848 that took everyday objects like chairs and tables and made them into intricate beautiful art pieces as a way to preserve art and culture after the industrial wave hit. Read more here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-Raphaelite
Apparently they had an exhibit of this work a short time ago but I missed it! Oh well. There was lots to feast my eyes on. ;p

Afterwards we went to Harrods with the sole intent on seeing the pure bred puppies at the shop there. I don't like those places because they totally support the puppy mill and are quite ridiculous really. A english bull dog puppy sold for 4000 quid (the more commonly used word for pounds) I couldn't believe it. They were all very cute. Nichi was sad that there were no sausage dogs, shes funny.

Then she took me to some common British apparel shops and I got to see the fashion that's "in" now which is very eighties, and not my style at all. If you want to wear stonewashed denim and work out clothes then that sort of thing is for you I guess. I couldn't help feeling like I was in a scene of Flashdance acted out by Wilson Philips or something. Aesthetically my style isn't so girly anymore. Id rather wear boys clothes or be semi androgynous. Nichi looked at heels, and I just winced at the idea of wearing them.

Onward and outward, these are probably boring details, I can see that people might stop reading all together after this...(( ok ok so you ate some pastry and shopped you daft dull thing you))... Did I mention I'm picking up way too much British slang already. It hasn't even been a full day out and about! I am starting to think with an English accent, Ive heard so much of it, and Nichi and I have talked so much. Its fun hearing her perspective on things, being that shes this brilliant journalist/feminist. I admire her a lot and find I have a good deal I can learn from her. So to make this entry even more appealing Ill end by saying I went to a Sainsbury which is like a Safeway or a Hyvee or something like that, just a common grocery, and delighted in the differences and packaging and the coveted UK items that Lauren and her family used to rave about. All at my disposal, I got a few essentials and headed back to be a bum and write this.

Interesting Observations of the Day

People park their cars along the street facing whatever way they should like
On the Tube station underground or whats called overground, walking up the stairs you should always go left, since its like driving, everything's on the left side
I saw a fight outside the supermarket and heard a creative though offensive man screaming "Ill fuck you back into the cunt you came out of" (which I found to be rather amusing)
Swans are actually like geese and rather violent
Double Decker buses are not just for tourists, there are buses all around like that.
London is quite green especially off the tube line