changing gears

[back in LA now, but wrote this recap of the last day in London on the plane...]

My last day in London being a rainy one seemed somehow appropriate. It gave me a taste of London's famous rainy weather, and walking around all sopping wet also reminded me of my last trip to Europe, where I spent my last day sopping wet walking through Rome. A changed my plans even after I was already out and about. I started with some lunch at a Fish n Chips joint that my friend Andrew had recommended: The Rock and Sole Plaice. Easily the best I've ever had (not that I'm any connoisseur or anything. Afterward I inadvertently ended up wandering down through some clearly old and very cool government and business districts and by Scotland Yard, which was less than impressive. Not far away was Westminster Abbey, which I found unexpectedly impressive. Along the way I stumbled into some on London's many parks, which were both beautiful and a nice counter to the hectic pace of the rest of London. One Memorial I particularly liked was to Canada's soldiers who fought for Britain in the World Wars. It featured embedded maple leaves carved into the marble with water running over them, but on this rainy day, they were intermingled with real ones from overhead. I loved that. I was also surprised how many people were in the parks even on a rainy and cold day. I kept wandering well past dark and well past sopping, so finally called it a night. Of course, I couldn't leave London without a last beer in a pub. I had worn myself out pretty well, and I have to say I was ready to come home.