days out in london

It's starting to get cold here. It's the kind of weather where stepping inside is not only a relief but a pleasure. That delicious thawing sensation that starts at the tip of my ears and nose thrills me every time I walk through a heated doorway. I always scarf up before heading out. Englishmen keep chuckling and telling me it's not gloves weather yet. 

I have all kinds of real-life things happening (like a job and a maybe-house and a for-realz British bank account) so here's just a brief representation of a day spent exploring home. It's mainly photographic. You're welcome.

It was a Tuesday when I first saw Big Ben up close. The big red buses teetered past against the grey sky backdrop and everything was as British as could be.

 The passenger seats on the Eye look like those liquid capsules for medication, glued to white painted barbeque skewers. It seems flimsy in the distance, but I've decided that one day when I'm a millionaire I'll have a go at rolling in that quiet circle above peasants like now-me on the streets below.

The Monument to the Great Fire of London is basically a set of stairs with a view. If ever you make it to the top of the spiral staircase and back down again, you'll be presented with an A4 certificate stating the fact you did, on which you can fill in your own name. I didn't get one of these for the Eiffel Tower, which had far more stairs and was exposed to the elements, and for that reason I believe the Monument's tourism manager should get a Good Work stamp.

My first British pub lunch included a jacket potato and a huge quantity of condiments arranged in colour order. I don't have a photo of the potato because I was too busy smothering it in condiments.

And here's the grey and blue extravagance of Tower Bridge.

I haven't yet been to Hyde Park but St James's did a good job on a sunny afternoon (the weather changed - I'm starting to accept that happens).

And Southwark Park was the site of my first official British squirrel sighting. A thing I've learnt about squirrels is they are fast. Real fast. See below for photos of things like big trees that stay really still when you look at them.

Stay tuned for more away-from-home fun and if you're bored read Ella's blog.