With today being grey, wet, windy, and down to the bone cold, I felt pretty blah. I played a Nordic puzzle game called Munin, and also watched Scrubs. I left the flat at 2 to go out for a walk. My chest was still tender from yesterday. Not because of the tattoos, but because of the rough shave the artist gave me. I got back at around 5 and began the the first phase of packing. I’m heading out for Edinburgh tomorrow!
January 5th, 2015.
While eating breakfast, I was searching the net for the best place to get my new tattoo. Adding to the mountain avens and the maple leaf I already have, I’ll be getting the rose and the daffodil. England’s nation flower and Wales’ national flower. I ultimately decided on a place called Attitude. They had many location throughout Manchester. The one I wanted to go to was downtown. I gave them a call to see if they could fit me in today or tomorrow and they said to come on in and they’ll squeeze me in. Getting ready, I left the flat at 2.
A half hour walk later, I arrive at the location. Going in and picking up their mail off of the floor, I’m greeted by one of the artists. I respond with ‘Mail call!’ Talking with him, I find out that I’ve actually gone to the wrong location. Not completely convinced, I look at my phone at the address to where I was supposed to go to and tell him ‘Yup. I done goofed. Sorry about that.’ I said my goodbyes, left, then looked at me phone. I had walked in the completely wrong direction! It was going to be a hour walk now. Oh well. Part of the adventure!
Twenty minutes later, I came up to a crazy intersection where three highways met. Trying to figure out where to go in order to get to the other side, I spend a good ten minutes in doing so. Fed up once I got across, I said screw it and jumped on the tram and rode it downtown.
Getting into the parlour, I walk up the three flights of stairs. Going in and talking with a guy in there, he tells me that this is indeed the place. Relieved, I tell him what I’m looking for and we go over pictures on the internet. Finally deciding on what I want, he said come on back for half-four and he’ll ink me up. After watching years of British television shows, I knew exactly what he meant. I said see ya later and went out for coffee.
At half-four, or 4:30, I went back, took off my shirt, laid down on the table, and he went to town. We chatted, cracked jokes (half of them were about Canada and Canadians [we’re good at making fun of ourselves]), jokingly ripped into his girlfriend for not bringing us coffee too, then shut up what she said that she has never pierced eyeballs before and that she was looking for an excuse to do so.
After a hour and a bit, I put my shirt back on, shook his hand, and left. My chest was super sore and tender, my walk back to the flat felt like it took longer than normal. I didn’t want to move my arms when I walked because that moved my shirt thus rubbed against my chest. It hurt partly because of the tattoos, but mostly because he was pretty rough shaving my chest.
I picked up another pizza at the grocery store near the flat, cooked it up when I got back, watched Scrubs, and figured out what I wanted to send back home.
January 4th, 2015.
Last night I turned on the space heater in my room. When I woke up, I was all toasty and comfy like a cinnamon bun. Not wanting to get out of bed, I looked at my phone. Almost 11. Huh. How about that.
Getting up, having my breakfast, I get out of the house for 1 o’clock and made my way back downtown to go see the Science and Innovation Museum. Just like the National Museum in Cardiff, admission was free. It spanned over 5 buildings. Cotton and clothing history, engines, power generators, there even was an air and space travel section! That was cool. For some reason there were old cars and motorcycles in there. Oh well, they still looked cool.
Taking it all in, I left there by 5. I killed more time by travelling around Manchester. I picked up my train ticket for Scotland. A four and a half hour trip for 40 quid. Not too shabby. It was either that or a hour flight for 90. I didn’t really want to deal with airport security this time.
On the way back to the apartment, I picked up some chicken shawarma for dinner. I didn’t really want to wait for something to get cooked in the oven. Sitting down in front of my laptop, I booked my plane ticket for France, then picked out locations on where I will be staying during my time there.
To finish off this post, I gave this a lot of thought, I’m going to be cutting my trip short. I’m planning on coming home around January 23rd. After Manchester, I’m going to Edinburgh, then Paris, back to London, then back over to Iceland for a few days then grabbing a plane back to Canada.
January 3rd, 2015.
The morning was like waking up in the country in a farmhouse. A little chill in the air, but with jammies, you can fend it off. Turning on the heater and making breakfast, I then sit down to watch some more Scrubs. At 11 I left to go see Manchester.
I decided to walk to the city centre instead of taking the tram. After a 45-minute walk through the subdivisions, I make it downtown. A very quaint and slightly busy city. Much like Barrie.
Walking around, popping into random shops, I find a movie theatre that was showing Interstellar at 4:30. I’ve always wanted to see that movie, I was just too busy in the past to go see it in Barrie. Looking at my watch, I had a hour and a half to kill. Go inside to buy my tickets, I then take a stroll along the riverside. There were houseboats everywhere! During my travels I happen to find a Science and Innovation museum. Gonna have to check that out tomorrow.
With enough time killed, I go back to the theatre, get my popcorn and sodie pop, I sit down. As soon as I sat, I remembered that there are half a hour of commercials at the supposed movie start time. Oh well. Part of the experience, right?
Three hours pass.
WHY HAVEN’T I SEEN THIS BEFORE?! Interstellar was a beautiful movie and made my head pop with all of the science in the film. I really should have seen this in IMAX.
Leaving the AMC shortly after 8, I began my trek back to the flat. A very crisp and lightly cloudy night. Very pleasant.
Getting back for 9, I cook up a pizza that I bought last night, then watch some Scrubs until midnight.
January 2nd, 2015.
Breakfast, shower, packed, and checked out of the hotel by noon. I had a train to catch at 12:50. A long train ride. Four and a half hour trip to Manchester. Boarding the train, I find a nice table seat that was completely open. It stayed that way for the better part of the trip. Two people sat down with my three stops away from Manchester. Not too shabby of a trip.
Getting off the train and jumping onto the Manchester tram, I start my journey to the new place. I didn’t get to the front doors until 6pm. My host and hostess are great people! And such a beautiful flat! It’s an old building, so the floor’s a bit chilly, but it looks amazing! I wish my apartment looked like this. Very spacious but tiny shower stall. Oh well, still better than the shower in the murder-apartment when I first arrived in England.
After giving me a tour around, and telling me of places nearby, they gave me the keys and left. I unpacked, organized, then left for the grocery store to get food and laundry detergent. I’m wearing my last set of clean clothes so I really need to do laundry.
A hour later I was making dinner (ribs and Indian hors d’oeuvre) and doing the laundry. Nothing overly exciting today. Laundry, eating, watching Scrubs, then passed out while chatting with my roomie.
January 1st, 2015.
Happy New Year’s Day everyone!
Today was a late start. I did wake up in time for breakfast but after that I rested a bit more. My day didn’t really start until 1pm.
I decided to go back to the Doctor Who Experience to get a few more things from the gift shop. After getting my new swag, I took a different way back to the hotel. Well, I thought I was going back to the hotel. After a hour and a half of walking, I looked on my phone to see where I was. I had been walking in the complete wrong direction this whole time! Righting myself out, I planned a different route and began my trek to fix my mistake. I was on the road for another hour and forty-five minutes before getting back.
I went upstairs, dropped off my bag, and went to the Subway nearby for a late lunch/early supper. A lupper some people call it. While I was there, it started to rain pretty hard. Sandwich eaten, it was either wait out the rain or brunt it and get back to the hotel. I went for the latter. Good thing I got back to this area when I did.
Soaking wet when I got back to my room, I changed into my long johns. The rest of the night was just me and doing a Scrubs marathon. First time watching it and I love it!
December 31st, 2014.
Happy New Year’s Eve morning!
After my morning rituals, I left the hotel at 11 and made my way to the National Museum. The concierge told me that I had to give it a visit.
Picking up a coffee along the way, the distance to the museum was roughly a medium-Timmies coffee walk away. Rather a magnificent building. Going inside, I found out that it was a free admission. Score! The museum covered from the creating of the earth, to the formation of the contents, life of the planet, and even the geological history of Wales. A very pleasant trip. There was a ticker showing how far North America has travelled from Europe since noon of the 15th of October, 1993. Each tick was a millionth of a millimetre.
After getting my learning on, I walk back outside to see that the sun has almost set. I spent over three hours in there. I walked back to the shopping centre to pick out my clothing for the night. Shopping for the right clothes is hard! Went to seven different places and only bought things from three of them. I got a pair of black dress pants, white dress shirt, suspenders, a bowtie, a blue sweater, and some black shoe polish for my boots. That there took another three hours.
I went back to the hotel, showered, got dressed, and made two videos of me wishing a happy new years to everyone. One was for my friend Bobby so he could take it to a party back home and show it to everyone. The other was posted to Facebook.
I left the hotel at 10 to go to the castle nearby for the fireworks. Or so I was led to believe. Apparently they weren’t doing them this year but there were going to be some down at the harbour. That’s a half-hour walk away. Good thing I left early.
While at the Doctor Who Experience yesterday, I met some fellow Whovians. After hanging out for a bit, we decided to spend New Years together. We swapped numbers and went our own ways. After the castle, I blasted them a text saying that there were no fireworks there but there are some down at the harbour. I never heard back from them.
Stopping at a few pubs along the way, I make it to the pier by 11:30. With a half hour left before the fiery explosions in the sky, I make my way to a nearby pub for one more pint of 2014. In my path to the front doors, some well dressed and fairly intoxicated fellows were walking towards me. One of them was shinning his right palm, the non-verbal way of saying that he wanted a high-five. We made eye contact and I started shinning mine and picked up my pace. He kept his hand low so I jumped into the air when we got near. Hand held high, my hand comes crashing down upon his. The noise that we made echoed the streets. We turned heads of everyone nearby, some saying ‘What was that?!’ He was jumping up and down in pain, holding his hand. I stood there. While pointing, I shouted ‘From Canada with love!’ Fortunately enough they were going to the same pub as I was. For the last half-hour I was telling them my story so far of the past month and about life in Canada.
With 5-minutes left, I said my goodbyes and happy new years and went out to the fireworks location. No countdown, just ten-minutes of nonstop explosions. After the celebration I started back for the hotel, stopping in two more pubs, then got pulled into a club because the people loved my accent.
I didn’t get to my bed until 4.
HAPPY NEW YEARS!!!
December 30th, 214.
With breakfast at the hotel ending at 10:30, I woke up at 9:45. Scrambling for my pants, I book it downstairs for my fill of free food. Sausages, bacon, and beans, all Canadianed up (maple syrup poured on top), fruit salad, a few glasses of juice, and two cups of coffee. After that scrumptious meal, I go back upstairs to my room and look into this Doctor Who Experience. I saw an ad for it in the tourist guide in my room. There was a whole Museum dedicated to the Doctor! Cardiff has already beaten London at Doctor Who content. I came across two convince stores in London with Doctor Who items, where Cardiff has this massive museum of the Doctor Who universe. Online, I booked an upgraded ticket for the 12:30 tour. It’s only 11:00, and a 20-minute walk away, so I had time. Got cleaned up and left at 11:30.
Travelling South, the museum was located along the pier in Cardiff, so I did a bit of sightseeing along the way. Little detours here and there before I entered the building. Would’ve done more but the Doctor was calling.
Getting inside, I was instantly greeted by a Dalek, the Tardis, and a Gallifreyan soldier. Throughout the museum, nearly every villain of the Doctor was here. Daleks, Cybermen, Ice Soldiers, Sontarans, Weeping Angels, the Ood, The Silence, androids, snow monsters, even the Vashta Nerada was there. Every outfit that each Doctor wore, every companion costume, and all the sonic screwdrivers! Handles was there too! I even went on a trip through time and space with the Doctor to try and find three energy crystals to save the Tardis. I was safe from time distortions, spacial anomalies, and multi-dimensional hazards as long as I wore my Time Crystal, that glowed and vibrated throughout the tour.
After my adventures with the Doctor, I was given my merchandise bag that came with my upgraded ticket. In it was a t-shirt, a Doctor Who Experience book, a special entry ticket, and a certificate stating that I’m an Official Companion to the Doctor from 1963-Present Day. I also bought a new journal because mine only has 25-pages left.
After all of that, I toured around the harbour. Taking in the sights and sounds, also listening to Great Big Sea, it was a very beautiful place. It was such a nice day too, not a single cloud in the sky. By the time I got back to the hotel, it was 3:30. I finish updating my site then go out again.
In the shopping centre there was a stand that was selling hot mulled wine. I’ve never had any so I got myself a cup and continued walking around. Mulled wine smelled and tasted like Merlot, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Very delicious! Walking through the shopping area with my warm beverage, I start going into different clothing shops. I’m going to dress up a bit for tomorrow. Heck! It’s New Year’s Eve! Why not? It only happens once a year. Twice in you’re on a time zone line. Three times if you cross the international date line. With some help from my roomie Laura, I figured out what I’m going to get. Tomorrow. Just window shopping today.
7 o’clock rolls around, I grab some stir-fry and head back to the hotel. After my meal and some Netflix, I pop out for a quick pint then go off to bed.
December 29th, 2014.
I ran to the post office in the morning to send three bags of things, a combination of presents and things I don’t need, back home.
I pack my belongings and leave my 10-day home behind. Meital was an amazing host. If anybody is visiting London, you should stay here if you don’t want to stay in a hotel. I jump on the subway in Old Street Station for the last time and make my way to the Paddington Station so I can grab the train out to Cardiff.
Getting to Paddington, I had some time to kill so I got a burrito for lunch and watched pigeons weaving around my feet to get to food that was under my boots. I board my train and head out. The ride was smooth and would have been enjoyable but for some reason I kept passing right out for ten minutes, up for a few seconds, then right out again. Did that for about a hour and a half. By the end of the trip I had a massive headache. It quickly went away as soon as I got some fresh air and was walking around. Looking for my hotel on my phone, I find it’s only a few minutes of a walk away. I decided to stay in a hotel this time around because I found a room rate that was $50 cheaper than any AirBnb location nearby.
Checking in at the hotel at 5, I toss my bag in my sweet room, I go out again touring the shopping centre that was across the road. I’d say it’s about the size of three city blocks, there must be over 200 stores here, outside and in. Spending a hour just roaming the area, I grab a Big Mac for dinner, back to the hotel to update my website, then out once more for a water run. I called it a night at 11, trying to plan out my day for tomorrow.
December 28th, 2014.
Feeling like a million bucks in the morning, I remember that my mom reminded me on Christmas about the Buckingham Palace. Looking at the subway map on how to get there, I saw a station called ‘Baker.’ I wonder if it’s near 221B Baker St. Did a bit of research and find out that it was and there was also a Sherlock museum there. I’ll pay it a visit after the palace!
After breakfast and getting clean, I head out the door at 11. Taking the subway to a station about halfway there, I find out out that this is the last stop due to planned maintenance on the tracks. Well, crap. Time to backtrack the 20-minute journey that I have already invested and go a different route. All in all, it took me a hour and forty minutes to get to the palace. Once arriving, I find it was well worth the extra time. Seeing the palace, the guards, the parks surrounding the area, and finding a war memorial dedicated to Canadian soldiers from the two World Wars (it was made out of stone from the Canadian Shield). Spent a good hour in the area before making my way towards Baker Station.
Inside the Baker Station, there was Sherlock Holmes art everywhere. I make my way towards the museum and find that there was thirty-plus people waiting inline to get inside. Nope! I’m not waiting that long. Instead I go into the gift shop and pickup a few things. A new pen because my old one just ran out of ink. An enigma book, a Zippo lighter for a friend, and a handful of Sherlock business cards that were free for the taking.
After, I go back to the palace to buy some souvenirs then went back to the apartment. By the time I got through the door, it was 6 o’clock and I had two loads of laundry to do. Today is my last day here so might as well clean all my clothes before I leave.
Off to Cardiff tomorrow. The capital of Wales!
December 27th, 2014.
Been looking forward to today. My friend Colin told me about a fun little pub crawl called the Bermondsey Beer Mile. Well, not so much as a pub crawl, more like a brewery crawl. It’s only available on Saturdays and it is apparently pretty popular.
After a breakfast that should have been bigger, I go out at 11 and travel to the starting point. It took about a hour to get there, but once there I went towards the first brewery. After some turns down some streets in an industrial section of London, I find the first brewery but it’s closed. Darn. It’s just the first place, the others should be open. Along the way I came across a Norwegian group doing the same that as I was. They told me that the next two places in the opposite direction that I’m going were closed. I told them that the brewery that I just came from was closed as well. Travelling together to the same destination, we all find out that this one, just like the others, was closed too. They admitted defeat and went off to the pub. I’m too stubborn for that. I’m seeing this to the end. There must be a place open!
I checked out the next two, just to see if they opened later than usual but that was not the case. I continue down the trail and to my surprise number five was open! This one isn’t so much a brewery but more of a multiple brewery retail. They have over 20 different breweries, their beers in bottles and cans, they also have two kegs on tap. I have a pint, a bottle, and a can of beer while there. Not very wise of me with such little food, but I’m living by ‘Screw it, let’s see what happens’ mentality right now. Chatting with the staff, I find out that two of them are from London and the third is from Tennessee. After my drinks and chats I continued on with my crawl. Stop number 6 was open as well! A small little brewery, three tanks in total (two fermenters and one bright beer). I have a pint (two half-pints because they had two different ones on tap) then went on my merry way. Went to the final stop and that one was closed as well. Probably for the best. Out of all the beers I’ve had, they averaged out to 7% and I only had a bowel of granola for breakfast. Out of seven, only two were open. With that finished, I decided to head back to the apartment.
Stopping in a chicken joint for a couple of burgers, I walk in the front door at 4:30. Sitting down to watch Netflix and to ‘rest up,’ I go back out to the pub at 7 for some food and another pint, then called it an early night.
December 26th, 2014.
I really should write in my journal at the end of every night. I can’t quite remember what I did this day. I can’t quite remember what I did this day. Had pizza for breakfast, jumped on the subway to go on another horror tour called The London Dungeons. It’s about Sweeney Todd, Jack the Ripper, Guy Fawkes, and even about King Henry VIII and his crazy rule. There even was a boat ride! Picked up a shaving holster that I really needed for at home. All I need now are some shaving oils and to find my straight edge razor then I’m all set!
Taking the subway there took a bit longer than it should have. I jumped on the wrong train twice. One in the wrong direction, the other on the wrong line but when further down the same stations as the other line. Certainly learned my lesson.
After the dungeon, I toured the waterfront some more. Saw the London Eye (the giant ferris wheel), went amongst the Christmas shacks again and got myself some roasted chestnuts, just loitered around the area.
After that, I don’t exactly remember what that night held for me.
December 25th, 2014.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
Woke up at 7, made some coffee, say down in front of my computer, and watched Die Hard. THE greatest Christmas movie of all time! It’s a ritual of mine to watch this movie on Christmas. Yippee ki yay!
After watching the ever so festive movie, I had to do something to kill the next few hours. It’s 9 and my family isn’t getting up for a few more. The transit system wasn’t running today so I go out and walk around with my headphones on. Not really paying attention to surroundings I come up to Tower Bridge. Finally, I get to cross it. It was pretty spiffy and a neat experience. Such a massive and beautiful bridge, great view of London, I soak it all in. Once across, I walk over to London Bridge and look at my watch. I’ve already been out for two hours. I had better get back before everyone wakes up and starts opening presents. Crossing the bridge and heading back, somewhere along my travels I hurt my ankle. More than likely with all of my walking. In the end of it all, I was out for a little over 3-hours and, my guess, walked almost 30 kilometres.
Getting back in and making some coffee, I start Skyping with my family back in Ontario and down in Texas. Skype was having a deal where you can Skype multiple people at once for free. Lindy caught that one just in time before she hung up with me. I watched my niece open all of her gifts, then I talked with my family (Mom, Lindy, Bryan, Trish, and Rian). We were talking for hours! When we said out goodbyes, it was 4:20. I reluctantly put on my boots because my ankle still hurt, but I needed food. Ran out and getting some chicken, I get back in time for the Doctor Who Christmas special. This year’s wasn’t too bad. Still trying to figure out if I like this one more or last year’s.
After Doctor Who, I just rested, trying to stay off my foot as much as possible. It should be fine by tomorrow.
December 24th, 2014.
Up at 8 in the morning, had breakfast while watching Regular Show. A cartoon about a racoon and a blue jay that work as groundskeepers at a park and their boss is a gumball machine. Each episode starts off pretty normal, what you’d expect working at a park, but halfway through it turns towards the weird (zombies, robots, aliens, etc.). After a few episodes I went and got ready for my day. Left at 10 to go check Big Ben.
Getting to the Westminster Station, the first thing I see upon getting to street level was Big Ben. It’s…something. What I have seen in movies, on TV, and in pictures, all of it doesn’t do it justice. Walking around it, around the area, taking pictures, I come across the Supreme Court. It was open for visitors and you could walk in and watch a hearing. None were going on today for some reason. I think it’s because of this thing called ‘Christmas’ that I keep hearing about. Going inside, I had to go through a security checkpoint. I had to take all metal off of me and walk through a metal detector. After putting my belt back on, I ask them to wave the wand over my wrist because there’s metal in me. They wave it and nothing comes up. Darn. After, they ask me what happened. I tell them my story of the incident. They were dumbfounded that I was still alive. I just laughed it off and told them that bike helmets save lives, and I’m not going to let a thing like a car take me out while there was still lots of food and beer to try in this world. They had a good laugh at that.
Touring around the three courtrooms, I come across a security guard that asks me if I’m excited for the new movie. Confused, he points at my shirt. I had forgotten that I was wearing my Star Wars shirt. We talked for a good fifteen-minutes about Star Wars and about Marvel comic books. Who knew I was going to find a geeky security guard in England’s Supreme Court!
After that I left and went down to the riverside. Eventually I came across dozens of wooden shack-shops that were selling festive foods, drinks, ales and wines, and goods. This was so cool! I would have stayed to look at them all but I really had to go to the washroom. I come across the Millennium Bridge, a pedestrian bridge across the river, and I knew of a cafe on the other side. Crossed over, went to the washroom, and got myself a coffee.
3:00 was rolling around and my knee was starting to hurt. I make my way towards the subway, but first I pop into a pub. I tell the bartender that I need to use the washroom first (fluids are flying through me today!) but I’ll be back and get a pint. Running there and back, I order a pint. He asks me where I’m from and I respond with Canada, near Toronto.
‘Toronto?’ He says. ‘In that case, the pint’s on the house. I love Toronto!’ We talk for a while about Toronto and London, and where I’m from. Once finished my pint, I say my goodbyes and thank-yous, I jump onto the subway and head back to the apartment.
Getting in, I sit down in front of my laptop and Skype with Lindy and Emma, my older sister and niece from Texas. Then with my mom afterwards. A few hours go by while talking with them, and after I’m done I go out for pizza. Coming back with some ‘za, I watch some more Regular Show then head to bed for 11.
December 23rd, 2014.
I couldn’t sleep all that well last night. Woke up at every hour from 4 to 8. Finding it useless in trying to sleep, I got up and had breakfast. Just occupying myself until 10, I get ready and leave to go to the pickup location for the Stonehenge tour. I had to be there for 11:30, bus leaving at 11:45. Arriving at 11, I had some time to kill so I went and got a cup of coffee and toured the area. Found the Canadian Embassy!
Getting on the bus, we drive down the road towards the highway, we pass by Buckingham Palace. I still need to go there. It took us 2.5 hours to get out to the parking lot of Stonehenge. England has a very nice country side. Too bad trees prevented me from getting any good pictures.
Upon getting there, we’re all given our entry tickets and little do-hickies that give us an audio tour. I B-line it for the washrooms then grab a bite to eat afterwards. Out behind the buildings, they have a big stone with a rope coming out of the end. When you pull on it, a light tells you how many of ya it will take to drag one stone for Stonehenge. There was a gauge with x99, x95, x85, x80, and x0. Pulling on the rope, I got it to x85.
I then jump on another bus to take me to Stonehenge. The bus I rode on to come here could only go so far, about a mile away from the site. This one takes you the rest of the way. They’re just trying to keep traffic to a minimum. Getting there, it was a pretty cool experience. Listening to the audio tour, I took in the history of Stonehenge and the magic of the area. The biggest thing I took away from the entire trip was that it’s a lot smaller than I had thought. Roughly the size of a two story house!
Taking the mini-bus back, I go into the gift shop and buy a sweet looking journal. Going back outside I try the rope again. Tossing all of my strength into it, and feeling more limber than before, I managed to get it to x80. Feeling proud of myself, I board the coach bus to head back. All in all, a 5-hour ride for a 2-hour visit. It was worth it for the experience but I don’t think I’ll be doing it again.
Getting back into London for 7:30, I take the subway back to the apartment and rest. Buses take a lot out of me.
Tomorrow, I’m going to Big Ben!
December 22nd, 2014.
Getting up at 8, taking my time with breakfast and getting ready, I plan out my day. Start off with the Tower of London, then Big Ben, then off to shooting locations from Shaun of the Dead. Camera all charged up, glasses on, I leave the apartment at 10. Jump onto the train at Old Street Station and rode it to Tower Hill.
Upon getting there, I see that all the lines to buy tickets were full with 20+ people in each. Not too sure if I wanted to go in because it was going to be very busy, I walk around the corner to get some water and coffee, I come back to see that they’re all nearly empty. Screw it, let’s go. I pay for my entry, buy a tour guide book, and go in.
I start off by going into the place where the Royal Mint was located. Seeing all the tools and old coins, I start playing a game that they setup to see if I can become the next Mint Master. A touch-screen game, having me finding the proper weight of a coin, choosing what bone to use to encompass the metal, try to keep the furnace at the proper temperature, the entire process in making coins. Nearing the end of the game, it crashed. I guess I was too good for the game. It rebooted and restarted at the beginning. After the Mint, I began walking the wall, going from church to bedroom, to armoury, to a fireplace lounge looking area. There was also a room with previous Kings’ and Queens’ crowns. It wasn’t the Crown Jewels display, that was in a different room. While in this room, I couldn’t take any pictures.
After the wall, the Regimental Headquarters Museum was in my path, with the Royal Guard across the courtyard. After a few pictures, and watching him through the process of changing rifle position from right shoulder to left, I decided to go see the Crown Jewels first, since it was right there behind the Royal Guard. I couldn’t take any pictures in here either. In here there was a lot of the colour purple. Purple signifying royalty of course. The amount of gold, diamonds, ivory, and jewels in this room, if sold on the black market, I do believe the money could buy everyone in Barrie a cup of coffee, every day, for the next twenty-years.
After being around more majesty than what Trogor has, I moved into the Regimental HQ. In there they had all sorts of medals on display, filling cabinets and drawers, also the entire history of the English military. On the outside were also big canons and gun turrets, from the 18th century to 1949. I know of a few friends who would love this part of the Tower.
After looking at all the weaponry, I turn around to see the changing of the guards. I must have looked like a goof, running like a crazy person to get over there in time. Once there, I began recording. About 3/4 of the way through my camera turns off and tells me that my card is full. NO!!! I must have taken more pictures than I had thought! Nearly crushing my camera into pieces, I watch the rest of the changing ceremony.
Touring around the last few nooks and crannies here, I look at my watch and find out that it’s almost 4! I have been here for much longer than I had thought and had planned! With the sun almost set and my tummy telling me that it’s empty, Big Ben and Shaun of the Dead would have to wait. I went back to the apartment and Meital was there. We talked about how our day went, and how jealous she was of me to be seeing London from a tourist’s point of view. After a bit, she headed out. I charged my phone, unloaded my camera, then went out for dinner. I chose poorly on where to eat. The place looked decent enough on the outside, pretty nifty on the inside, but smelt like a dirty public washroom. Got a bite to eat and went back to the apartment for 7:30. Wrote in my journal for a bit, bought tickets for Stonehenge for tomorrow, and decided to go to bed at 10.
Time to check out the Druids’ digs and see all the hubbub about Stonehenge.
December 21st, 2014.
Time to see London! Up, eat, get ready, and out the door by 10. The first thing on my list of things to see is the London Bridge. Taking the DLR to the London Bridge station, the first thing I see out of the station is the London Bridge Experience and the London Tombs. Sure! Why not! It looks pretty fun! I go up to the kiosk and out it’s all about the gruesome history of the London Bridge, and the London Tombs is a horror maze that has won ‘Best Scary Tourist Attraction’ four years in a row.
I leave the lineup with tickets in hand, I’m asked to wait from a couple of other people because they don’t know where they’re going. I don’t either but I don’t want them to get lost on their own. I wait for them then my party becomes three. We find the entrance not too far from where we bought our tickets. Talking with another, I find out that they’re from Taiwan. The guy is here studying history at the University of London and the lady has flown in to spend Christmas with him.
Going through the London Bridge Experience, I learned about its construction during the Roman days, that London was originally a Roman settlement, the destruction of the bridge by Olaf the Viking King, the great fire of 1666, and the reopening of the bridge by Queen Elizabeth II. After the tour of the London Bridge came the London Tombs. It started off with us walking into a rickety mine shaft elevator and then it ‘going down.’ Once at the ‘bottom’ of the shaft, it was definitely creepy. Dark area, dimly lit pathway, voices coming out of the darkness saying ‘Help’ and ‘Stay out of the shadows.’ So far so great! And it’s only the beginning! I won’t spoil too much. The entire experience reminded me of a bunch of horror video games (Metro 2033 for one) and a bunch of horror movies (Friday the 13th for one). If you visit London, DO THIS!!!
After all of that, I walk across the London Bridge. I always thought this was the bridge with the two towers and all the cables. Nope. That one is the Tower Bridge, the next one to the East. Once across, I was getting pretty hungry so I popped into a pub and got a burger and fries with a Christmas pint. Then another pint.
Belly happy, I come across the monument dedicated to the 1666 first that burned for 3-days and destroyed a good part of London. After taking a few pictures, I walk around to the other side and see that there is a way inside. I can go in and climb to the top. How hard can 202-feet worth of stairs in a tight circling staircase be? Quite the challenge foe an out-of-shape guy actually! I wasn’t going to let the tower beat me so I climbed the whole way with no stops. At the top, it was quite the view of the city. After taking a few pictures and a bit of a breather, I make my way down. At the bottom, I’m given a card stating that I have climbed the 311 steps to the top of the Monument. I tell them thanks and not to do the climb after lunch and two pints. They chuckle and say that I’ve worked off lunch now.
Right near the Monument is the London Tower. Contrary to the name, it’s more like a castle than a tower. Since it was 3:30 and the tower closes at 4:30, I decided that this will be a tomorrow adventure. Also the hike up and down the Monument did a number to my knee and hip, yet my hour hike in Iceland with my backpack on did not. So I just walk along the waterfront, get a cup of beer nuts, cross the bridge, checkout a shopping centre, tour the city some more, then make my way back to the apartment.
Getting in at 7, I decided to wash all the rest of my clothes. The sulphur smell from Iceland’s water was still in them. That took me until 9:30. Played some video games afterwards, I called it a night at 11.
December 20th, 2014.
Didn’t do too much today. Got up at 10:30, sauntered down to AMPM and got myself a Full English Breakfast. Exactly what I needed. Did some grocery shopping afterwards, then went back to the apartment. At 7 o’clock I decided to go out for a walk, to get some exercise in and see more of the city. Got back through the front door by 9, played a bit of Deponia, and crashed at 11.
Yup. Day-after-drinking activities. : P
December 19th, 2014.
For being a Queen sized bed split into two mattress, it was a pretty comfy sleep! I thought I was going to fall in-between them. Went downstairs for an okay breakfast and coffee, I ultimately left at 11 and started making my way to my new place.
Navigating the subway system was a lot easier than I had thought. Once you find your Point A and Point B that is. At the station near the hotel, I stood in front of the map for a good five-minutes before I found my points and how to get there. I left from Heron Quays, transferred at Bank, and rode the subway until Old Street Station. I was told that her place was only a 15-minute walk away. Okay, in what direction now. I somewhat knew the direction, did some research on where to go before I left the hotel, and I didn’t want to use my phone for directions. After being turned around many times, because I didn’t know which way was North (cloudy day). Oh well, I’m learning my new neighbourhood! It was 12:30 when I finally found her apartment. She had asked me to come by for 2, so I went over to a cafe nearby, called AMPM.
I went in and the baristas commented that I had a pretty big backpack. I told them that right now my life is in my bag and told them my story. Awestruck, they asked me so many questions that it was ten-minutes later when I finally ordered my coffee. Sitting down, I began typing out m journal until 2 o’clock rolled around.
Knocking on her door, my new hostess (Meital) opens the door and invites me in. The main hallways was pretty cramped but that’s because I was wearing a backpack that was bigger than my torso. Getting inside and taking off my bag and sweater. Sitting down, we chatted for half a hour, then she had to run off to work. Handing me the keys, she went out the door. I unpacked, organized, and looked at my map for what was nearby in terms of shooting locations. Pub number 5, the Good Companions, from The World’s End was just a couple of blocks away. I grabbed my sweater and started making my way there.
My memory served me well this time around! I didn’t get lost or turned around once! On the outside of the pub it didn’t look like The Good Companions. On the inside though, it was just like the movie. Smaller than I had thought though, but still nice. I sat down, ordered a pint, and soaked in the atmosphere. After my second pint, I took to the streets and adventured around the area. Pretty much every road around it, besides the one I took to get there, was either a dead end or circled around on itself. So I decided to go back to my apartment.
Getting back for 5, I took a quick shower because I was meeting up with some friends for dinner and drinks at 7. We were meeting at Charing Cross Station. I didn’t know how long it would take me to get there so I left at 6:15. Clean, teeth brushed, taming my facial hair with some beard wax, I went out the door.
Jumping from one station to another, I luck out that there was a train at every stop when I arrived at the platform. In the end, I got there in 35-minutes.
Walking around the station (it’s a lot bigger than I had thought), four different entrances, two of which were on street level, and I was down below. Walking to each one, I decide to wait in the biggest entrance. I’m waiting there for about 30-seconds when I see my friends Kat and Colin. Kat and I give each other big hugs, but Colin and I pretty much jump into each others arms and bear hug each other. Man! It felt great! It’s been just over a month since I’ve seen someone that I knew! I also haven’t seen these two since August. Before that….the previous August?
Hitting the road, us three and four other friends that they brought, we make our way to a nifty burger joint a few roads over. Before getting there, Colin and I share a beer to kick things off. There, we meet up with another friend of mine/our, Borna. More bear hugs to give out! Ordering our burgers, they call our names out over a HAM radio when they were ready, we begin eating and I tell them of my adventures so far. The burger I got, without looking at what’s on it, was the Dead Hippie. Then I went up again and looked at the ingredients. Beef burger, onions, cheese, tomato, lettuce, and Dead Hippie sauce. Who knew dead hippies would taste so good!
Food in our stomachs, we make our way over to a Canadian bar. They really played up on that! Canadian flags everywhere, cottage-like atmosphere, Canadian sports teams jerseys hanging on the wall, they even had Canadian beer. Molson Canadian, three different kinds of Moose Head, and Sleemans. After a crazy expensive drink (about $9 for a bottle), we make our way to the next bar. Kat and Colin were raving about this place because they make their own beer and have live music.
Once in, I see that this place is a 3-floor pub/club. Music downstairs, standing pub on the main floor, and a sit-down area upstairs. We go up and order our drinks. Colin and I got a session beer while Kat got one called the All Day Pale Ale. She hands over her pint for me to try and I can see why it’s called All Day. I could drink this all day and it not effecting my taste buds nor get sick of it! We drift around the floors, trying to find a good spot. It took us three pints and a shot before we found one. We must have spent two and a half hours there, singing like obnoxious drinking Canadian, having a great time. We even got some other people to join us in the singing. After four more pints and three more shots, we decided to call it a night. Getting back to the station, we give each other big hugs, I give them a bottle of Icelandic schnapps to take back with them to AGWH (pronounced ‘Aag-Wah’), a Christmas party the my Torontonian friends have. They left through the main entrance to the station and I went downstairs. I turn the corner to find that the gates have closed. Huh, how about that. Not beaten, I look at my phone to see how far away my place was. A good hour walk away. My drunken brain thinks ‘Bah. I can do that in 40.’ And off I go.
Along the way I stop in two McDonald's. The first one because I was hungry and needed energy (and a washroom). The second one because the McDonald's here is tastier than ones at home and I wanted more.
Making the trip in 55-minutes (would have been 40 if it wasn’t for the stupid McDonald's), I get through the door by 2 in the morning. Wearing my last pair of clean clothes, I do a load of laundry. Started up Netflix and fell asleep to Astrix, wake up to the machine signalling that it was done, hang my clothes, and collapse on the bed.
December 18th, 2014.
I was woken up a few times during the night because someone was snoring quite loud in the apartment next to mine. Ultimately I got out of bed at 7. I pack my things, taking my time doing so, and I leave this place for good by noon. The next place I’m going to be staying at for the next eleven days, the hostess said she’d love to have me but if I could come over the next day because she’s moving some things and wasn’t prepared to have someone over. That was okay with me. I looked on hotels.ca and found a nice room, originally $250 but going for $88. Grabbing the train, I make my way into London.
I get to the hotel by 2:30, check in, and run out again. Travelling the area, I find a lovely looking pub. I go in and buy a Guinness Extra Cold and start chatting with the bartender and a patron. I tell them that is weather is so weird to me because I’m used to -15 with two feet of snow this time of year. They ask where I’m from. When I tell them from Canada, someone else asks me from where. A hour North of Toronto.
‘Newmarket?” He replies.
Surprised that he knew about Newmarket, I say ‘No. Barrie.’ Turns out he’s originally from Toronto and actually lived in Barrie for a few years. He was in London to spend Christmas with a friend here. We start talking about Canada, how messed winter is this year from what our friends have told us, and explain the differences between Canada to England , and between the two of us we had all denominations of the Canadian currency and showed them off.
After that amazing time, I say my goodbyes and begin walking around again. I happen to walk by a movie theatre and they’re showing the new Hobbit movie at 4:40. I look at my watch and that’s only in 30-minutes. I walk in, buy my ticket, popcorn and pop, and go into the theatre. It said that the movie ‘started’ at 4:40. After commercials and only two movie previews, it started at 5:10! It was a pretty fun movie, spiffy fight scenes. It’s called ‘The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.’ During the entire time I could only think of four armies, trying to figure out the fifth one. Then I see them enter the fray and figuratively smack myself in the forehead. How could I forget about them?!
The movie done and hitting the streets once again, I get lost in trying to find my hotel. I find the water front, see some tall buildings in the distance, and then orientate myself to where I saw them the first time which was near the hotel. Once getting back, I run up to my room, grab my journal, and go back downstairs to the bar. Ordered myself a bourbon, a beer, and a pizza, and I being catching up on the days that I have missed.
Once completed, I whisk away back up to my room, take a bath in the Jacuzzi-tub, and get ready for bed. Big day tomorrow. Going to my new place for the next ten days.