8. Walking

London is a very walkable city. I am very glad that I packed my flip flops! Both pairs! Yes. I am, however, regretting that I only packed one pair of pants. Thanks a lot Madelaine. Great advice. It has been all of sixty for the past few days and that is what Amsterdam is supposed to be like when I get there... Today was gorgeous weather. I am actually glad that it is cooler even though others complain about it incessantly. We all know over heated Karen is no fun.

My roomies at the Hostel are super nice. Well...I have been through a few including a French girl who went home and a pair of Chinese girls. These girls are from Asheville. Yes we have extensively discussed Hunger Games. My other Hostel friends include James who works here. He is kind of a jerk but I think he is just British. Katie is a crazy pint sized New Zeelander. Ed who is also Brittish...Russian guy whose name none of us can pronounce let alone spell...and Raoul also coincidetally from New Zeeland. I also met a Canadian who got in my face about America sucking and being ethnocentric so I started singing "O Canada" and he left. We have been watching Euro Cup at night in the common room. I am shocked at how much I know about soccer. Last night during the Poland game the common room was stuffed full of Poles. They were very excited until their team lost. They left quite downtrodden. So downtrodden that they left behind half a bottle of Vodka and almost an entire bottle of Johnny Walker. Long story short, I out drank a Russian going shot for shot with the vodka. He then proposed. I did not outdo James on the Whiskey but I did keep up. I was really sad that it was Red Label and not Black.

I got up this morning at 7 to get ready for 8 am Mass. I really dislike that you are not allowed to take picures in any of the churches here. Very lame. To recap, I have:
Gone to the Harry Potter actual studio tour at WB
Trekked through Kew Gardens
Toured Kensington Palace
Saw the Queen from really far away during her birthday parade which I did not know was happening.
Mastered the Tube
Churchill Cabinet War Rooms
St Paul's Cathedral
Tower of London
Tower Bridge Exhibition
Thames River Cruise
Westminster Abbey
Jewel Tour
Wellington Arch
Apsley House
Viewed the Crown Jewels
Royal Air Force Museum
Imperial War Museum London
And last but not least...The Monument. I am ver proud of myself for my achievement at The Monument. Some of you...John...know how much I loathe using stairs. Especially the spiral type. Do not mistake me: they look awesome. However. My eyes do not like them and I freak out and am generally a basket case. I made it all the way up. In one go. All by myself.

 I am very shocked that the weather has been my friend. It only rained for about ten minutes during the day since I have been here...and that was the cool rain where the sun is still shining. Makes walking that much easier.