Sunday, September 18, 2022

vacation day five

Saturday, August 6

I spent the better part of this day on the train, which was delayed and ultimately cancelled due to lack of staff, but again I had a good book to read and I made it to London on the dot of two hours late so, success. Before boarding I met my grad school friend Martina for breakfast at the "The Famous Willow Tea Rooms & Gift Shop" (touristy, but lovely!). We hadn't seen each other in nearly 20 years and I was nervous about this - would I recognize her? would we have things to talk about? Turns out I had nothing to worry about. Yay for old friends!

After the train odyssey I checked into my customary hotel in London, the Premier Inn across from the British Library, and wandered off in search of dinner. It was a bustling summer evening in the shiny new developments around King's Cross and I was sorely tempted to stop frittering away my life with theology classes and budget travel and rejoin the rat race. 

Here we are, still hoping to change the world. But not, as it turns out, with diagnostic ultrasound.
upstairs at the Willow Tea Rooms
the view (if you lean over a bit) from my hotel room: that's the British Library on the left and St. Pancras on the right
For the second time in two days I ate at a restaurant by myself (!), in this case BAO King's Cross. This Melon Floatini (Midori, Toki whiskey, soda, milk foam) was delicious and I have no regrets.
Canal boats at sunset.
So many cranes, it could almost be Zurich. That's the Google "landscraper" in the background, I think.
Gas tank living
This fountain tick-tick-ticks like a time bomb until eventually all the spouts go off at once, which is delightful and also slightly disturbing?


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