Noel's Adventure(s): March 19: Parliament and Portobello Road

Erin and me in front of a statue of Richard I
outside of Parliament

We booked tickets online for an 11am tour of Parliament today. It was a lovely day, with no clouds (!) and bright sun. The tour guide wasn't very good at all, but everyone enjoyed being in Westminster. Erin was wide-eyed the whole time. Afterwards, we walked through St. James's Park towards Buckingham Palace. We sat on a bench in front of some daffodils for awhile and ate granola bars for "lunch" and watched the ducks. There was a beautiful white magnolia tree blooming nearby. It was just perfect. We walked past the palace and then Dad split off to go wander and enjoy the city. He really likes London. Mom, Rin and I went to Portobello Road. By the time we got there, we were starving. Since there are no food vendors near the front of the road, we had to walk a long way to find a stall selling brats and schnitzels. It was just what we needed. We backtracked and explored the antiques stalls. Erin got two rings made of shells cut off and drilled with a hole that she loves. I looked at a bunch of Beatrix Potter prints but didn't get any and I'm regretting it so I'll go back sometime. I wanted to buy some of the incredible strawberries for sale in the produce carts in the worst way, but I knew that we were working our way up the road to George's Portobello Fish Bar so I resisted. When we were too hungry and tired to see, we went to George's and got two orders of the cod and chips. I think Mom and Erin finally realized why I won't shut up about it. It really is the best fish and chips in London. Exhausted, we took the tube home and watched American sitcoms while we waited for Dad, who showed up much later after stopping at George's and a few pubs.

Inside Westminster Hall

Some sort of waterfowl in St. James's Park among the squill

I packed up my suitcase with all the clothes and food they had brought me from home. I'm very sad to see them go. Erin had to be a brat and tell me all about Maggie's latest adorable exploits and Trixie's silliness and the Bobo's mischief. Perhaps surprisingly, I'm not at all homesick, but then I was never homesick at Madison either, and now London really does sort of feel like home. I can talk to my parents and my sister through Skype, but I do miss my critters. Maggie has almost no interest in the computer except as something to snuggle with when its warm, though Trixie sometimes will squawk and scream if I call to him on Skype, but he just likes loud noises. I had hoped to travel after my program's over, but now I'm thinking I'll probably be coming home on April 22nd after all. That way, I'll be home for Easter/Mom's birthday and I won't have to lug my huge suitcase around after me. We've also been warned that while getting out of England in late April will be easy, getting back in before early May will be almost impossible because of the congestion for the royal wedding. Europe will still be here when I can come back and tour it properly.

These are pictures Dad took on his wanderings with my camera: