Wednesday

Weird day today. I passed out last night at 10, and then woke up at 4. Then I was awake until 8 and went back to sleep until 11. I don't like sleeping until 11, but I prefer sleep to not sleeping. Then we left for Victoria so J could catch his flight to Amsterdam. We're having a little separate vacation now while he visits friends in Amsterdam and Sweden. I'd have been going with him, but I left it too late to buy my tickets, and the BA strike has made it impossible. So I saw him off, and am enjoying the extra time in London.

I walked from Victoria to Westminster Abbey and played tourist. I don't think I've ever taken a picture of Westminster Abbey before. I've always felt self-conscious about being an American and never wanted to look like a tourist.

Then a walk through St. James' Park, which is my second-favorite park in London, after the Hampstead Heath. The birds were out playing.

Afterwards I wandered up to Picadilly, and had fun in book heaven at Waterstones - five floors of books...ahhhhh, comfort. Then through Soho, eating a sandwich at Golden Square, and then some shopping. I was blown away by the fact that Borders has closed in the UK. It's made me very sad - I've spent hours and hours in the stores on Oxford Street and Charing Cross road. I had a quiet evening in the flat, took a lovely bath, and then we watched the Tottenham/Fulham match. I should be writing right now, but watching Road Wars (the UK COPS equivalent) is much more appealing.