Awoken at 07:00 by Michael. I had managed to sleep through my alarm. Threw on my clothes and got my stuff organized for a three day trip to London to meet up with Kristen, Duane and Katie. Out the door at 07:25. Had a quick stop at a gas station to put some air in one of the tires on Michael's Tofaş. It started to rain as soon as we got on the expressway. In Los Angeles that would have meant instant gridlock. Here everyone continued on their way, cautiously a slight bit, but still moving along at a good speed.
Had a couple of slow ups along the way at bottlenecks caused by local transport busses called dolmuş'. The airport seemed almost deserted when we arrived at 08:10. Got to the first security screening and realized that I still had my pocketknife in my pocket. I threw it in my bag and was surprised that it made it through without any trouble. Found the empty British Airways counter and got checked in. Headed down to the gate at the other end of the terminal. Got into the queue at a second security screening. Michael called just as it was my turn to go through the check. Got back in line after the call was complete. For the first time I had to take off my shoes because they triggered the metal detector. Was again surprised that my pocketknife went through.
Got set up in my seat in the last row. The plane pushed off at 09:10, fifteen minutes late. Dug into some of Pascal's Max patches, looking to see how he was implementing Audio and Midi control of parameters for 3D models. I understood what needed to be put together, but it was a little too cramped in my middle seat to really work effectively. Closed up my laptop and dozed a bit before the in-flight meal was served. Had delicious lentil balls covered with sesame seeds along with some mushrooms and tomatoes. A roll and some fruit rounded out the meal. Dozed off again after the meal. Puttered around with the computer again for the last hour and half of the flight.
Landed at Heathrow just before 11:00. Hiked through a large portion of the airport before emerging at the passport control station. Got through and on my way without incident. Took the Heathrow Express into Paddington Station. Got a day pass for the Underground and headed down to Glouster Street to find the Abcone Hotel that Kristen and Duane were staying at. They were just off my map and I got a bit turned around at first. Headed back to the station and got myself reoriented and went off in the right direction. Found the Hotel and Kristen and Duane still both in it just after noon. Got caught up a bit and made plans for the beginning of the days adventures.
We would head over to Covent Gardens to get something to eat and then meet Katie at St. Martins in the Fields church on Trafalgar Square. It took us longer than anticipated to get some money changed and to take several Underground lines to our destination. We decided to skip Covent Gardens and see if we could get something at Trafalgar Square. We found the Café in the Crypt right beneath St. Martins in the Fields. Had some delicious split pea soup, a sandwich and a slice of apple pie. Duane went out to see look for Katie at 14:00. Duane's mission was a success and Katie joined us for some tea.
With Katie, Kristen and Duane in the Café in the Crypt at St. Martins in the Fields. Everyone had their cameras out and ready.
Katie wanted to look at some design bookstores. I knew of three that were close by, so we headed over to Zwimmer first and then on to Magma. Picked up a couple of DVD magazines. Took the Underground up to Camden Town to look around at the shops up there. Popped into numerous record and clothing shops. Kristen found some scarves and jewelry, but not much else that caught our fancy. Katie bid us goodbye and we headed to a nearby pub that Duane knew from when he had gone to school in London. We had some beer and cider at the Dublin Castle while Kristen scoped out the alterna-rocker boys. Had to try a pint of John Smith beer that Duane recommended and a pint of Strongbow cider that Kristen liked. They were both good. Stopped at a Thai restaurant called Galangal for some delicious spicy tofu and green beans.
Duane and Kristen looking introspective at the Dublin Castle. Had a delicious dinner at Galangal, a Thai restaurant in Camden Town.
Headed back to the hotel to drop off our things and then back out to see what the evening would bring. Stopped at a little Internet café to check email. Sadly, nothing new. Hiked over to the Thames and then from the Albert Bridge up to the Chelsea Bridge. Duane had remembered a pub in the area, but it was no longer there. Stopped at the Pig's Ear just before last call. Had a pint of Guinness. Kristen ordered a Bailey's on the rocks and was a bit surprised to see an ounce of liquor looking very shallow in the bottom of her glass. I started to nod off a bit, having not had much sleep the previous night and getting up at the equivalent of 05:00. We finished our drinks and headed out into rain. After scampering down to the main street, we got a taxi back to the hotel. The night clerk was doing a head count and I had to pay £25 to stay. Settled in an watched a bit of Dead Ringers before dozing off completely.
Had a couple of slow ups along the way at bottlenecks caused by local transport busses called dolmuş'. The airport seemed almost deserted when we arrived at 08:10. Got to the first security screening and realized that I still had my pocketknife in my pocket. I threw it in my bag and was surprised that it made it through without any trouble. Found the empty British Airways counter and got checked in. Headed down to the gate at the other end of the terminal. Got into the queue at a second security screening. Michael called just as it was my turn to go through the check. Got back in line after the call was complete. For the first time I had to take off my shoes because they triggered the metal detector. Was again surprised that my pocketknife went through.
Got set up in my seat in the last row. The plane pushed off at 09:10, fifteen minutes late. Dug into some of Pascal's Max patches, looking to see how he was implementing Audio and Midi control of parameters for 3D models. I understood what needed to be put together, but it was a little too cramped in my middle seat to really work effectively. Closed up my laptop and dozed a bit before the in-flight meal was served. Had delicious lentil balls covered with sesame seeds along with some mushrooms and tomatoes. A roll and some fruit rounded out the meal. Dozed off again after the meal. Puttered around with the computer again for the last hour and half of the flight.
Landed at Heathrow just before 11:00. Hiked through a large portion of the airport before emerging at the passport control station. Got through and on my way without incident. Took the Heathrow Express into Paddington Station. Got a day pass for the Underground and headed down to Glouster Street to find the Abcone Hotel that Kristen and Duane were staying at. They were just off my map and I got a bit turned around at first. Headed back to the station and got myself reoriented and went off in the right direction. Found the Hotel and Kristen and Duane still both in it just after noon. Got caught up a bit and made plans for the beginning of the days adventures.
We would head over to Covent Gardens to get something to eat and then meet Katie at St. Martins in the Fields church on Trafalgar Square. It took us longer than anticipated to get some money changed and to take several Underground lines to our destination. We decided to skip Covent Gardens and see if we could get something at Trafalgar Square. We found the Café in the Crypt right beneath St. Martins in the Fields. Had some delicious split pea soup, a sandwich and a slice of apple pie. Duane went out to see look for Katie at 14:00. Duane's mission was a success and Katie joined us for some tea.
With Katie, Kristen and Duane in the Café in the Crypt at St. Martins in the Fields. Everyone had their cameras out and ready.
Katie wanted to look at some design bookstores. I knew of three that were close by, so we headed over to Zwimmer first and then on to Magma. Picked up a couple of DVD magazines. Took the Underground up to Camden Town to look around at the shops up there. Popped into numerous record and clothing shops. Kristen found some scarves and jewelry, but not much else that caught our fancy. Katie bid us goodbye and we headed to a nearby pub that Duane knew from when he had gone to school in London. We had some beer and cider at the Dublin Castle while Kristen scoped out the alterna-rocker boys. Had to try a pint of John Smith beer that Duane recommended and a pint of Strongbow cider that Kristen liked. They were both good. Stopped at a Thai restaurant called Galangal for some delicious spicy tofu and green beans.
Duane and Kristen looking introspective at the Dublin Castle. Had a delicious dinner at Galangal, a Thai restaurant in Camden Town.
Headed back to the hotel to drop off our things and then back out to see what the evening would bring. Stopped at a little Internet café to check email. Sadly, nothing new. Hiked over to the Thames and then from the Albert Bridge up to the Chelsea Bridge. Duane had remembered a pub in the area, but it was no longer there. Stopped at the Pig's Ear just before last call. Had a pint of Guinness. Kristen ordered a Bailey's on the rocks and was a bit surprised to see an ounce of liquor looking very shallow in the bottom of her glass. I started to nod off a bit, having not had much sleep the previous night and getting up at the equivalent of 05:00. We finished our drinks and headed out into rain. After scampering down to the main street, we got a taxi back to the hotel. The night clerk was doing a head count and I had to pay £25 to stay. Settled in an watched a bit of Dead Ringers before dozing off completely.
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