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Health & Fitness

19 July, 2013 London

Hannah woke me bright and early 6:00 AM London time, that's 1:00 AM Florida time.  I was able to successfully ignore her pleas for me to get up only for a short while.  Then she was dismayed when I grabbed my computer to email all of you.  I reminded her of the "talk" we had before we left.  "I will email my friends almost every day while we are there..." She stopped nagging.

I don't know if it's me, or if it's Londoners, but I just can't seem to follow any directions anyone gives me.  We stumbled across Ron, the man who showed us to the boat on the first day, the one whom I was sure was going to turn us into fish food.  I asked him to recommend a breakfast place.  These are the directions he gave me, "Go across the bridge, make a left, and it's right there. Oh, stay on our side."  I swear, THAT is what he said.   

I crossed the bridge, made the first left, and... nothing.  Not only was there no breakfast place, but it was a residential neighbourhood.  Then it occurred to me that maybe by "stay on our side" he meant, don't cross the bridge to the other side of the Thames, but rather go from the west side of the bridge to the east side of bridge, staying north of the River.  So... we back-tracked across the Tower Bridge, went down the stairs, walked along the Tower of London, stared a bit at Traitors Gate and pondered what it must have been like for those unfortunate souls who entered through there. 



Despite going the only other way Ron could have meant, we still didn't find the place.  So we approached a group of guards outside the Tower of London and asked them to recommend someplace.  They recommended "The Kitchen" and said it had a Full English Breakfast.  Seeing as how close we were to Traitor's Gate, I refrained from making any disparaging comments about beans and black pudding.  Off we went.         
                  
I really enjoyed The Kitchen.  It's a bright and cheery restaurant where the wait staff (two people) were friendly and helpful.  Hannah ordered the Kitchen Sink, only without the black pudding, tomatoes, beans, and mushrooms.  He said he would charge us a la carte because that made more sense, I ordered the vegetarian full English breakfast. It came with something they called vegetarian sausage, and I expected something like a veggie burger in sausage shape, but it wasn't.  It was more like an egg roll full of veggies closer to their original veggie-form.  I loved it.

Years ago I remodelled my kitchen.  I ordered counter tops that were a burnt-sienna colour, kind of like brick.  After I ordered them, but before the re-modellers ordered them from the manufacturer, they became discontinued.  The owner came back with a bunch of samples for me to choose from and I chose one that was close to my first choice.  This was a valuable lesson.  Don't ever go with "close", just start all over again.  My kitchen counter tops look more like pink than brick.  Sigh.  Fast forward to today, as I sat in that restaurant, contemplating what I would drink.  Should I get the coffee, hoping it's similar to my beloved American coffee?  Or should I forgo any delusions that I will find something like American coffee and order tea?  I went with tea, and really really missed my coffee.

On the way back to the boat I spotted a coffee stand.  Any chance they would have something palatable?  I looked at the sign and there was a long list of things like espresso, cappuccino, Americano, but no plain cup of coffee.  I said, "I just want a flipping cup of coffee!"  He said he could make that for me.  HE LIED!!!!!

After returning to the boat, Hannah played with the little girl next door.  I told her that if she makes some friends here, she could very well go home with an accent.  She's trying.  I responded to my friend Dennis' email. Dennis and his wife Jane are here in London for a few more days and we are hoping to meet up.  They are walking and cycling their way across Europe, and you can read about their journey here.

Then we headed out to Shepherd's Bush, where we stayed last time we were in London.  I had something I needed to get for my husband.  On the way we passed just the store I was looking for.  This was the store I knew I would find the prize for my friend, Dawn, winner of the drawing.  First I considered a gigantic Paddington Bear Mug. Or maybe...Ooh!  I found it, the PERFECT gift for any woman.  Union Jack leggings! Or maybe a selection of war animal figurines? Or maybe a Bard rubber-ducky? Or maybe...OH MY GOSH!!! This is it.  A solar powered waving queen.  Hannah calls it a bobble-hand.  Her hand waves back and forth.

We made it to Shepherd's Bush, stopped in the mall for a little bit, just to use a restroom, sit in the a/c, and relax a little before heading back. Remember I said that Hannah won't sit next to strangers?  She couldn't bring herself to sit in the empty seat, beside the young man in the green shirt.

Keep Calm and Carry On mug with spoon was the gift we finally chose.  It goes in the mail today!
  


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