Around London

Two cool things:

1)You can see the Chelsea Football Club's stadium from my hotel room in London. 

2) You can also see the Marriott I stayed in the first time when I came to London three years ago. 

The first thing we did upon our arrival to London was get fish and chips.  I missed breakfast (because of the fiasco mentioned in the last post), so I thoroughly enjoyed my meal.  Everything in London costs about double what it would in the States.  Regardless, I think I spend my money pretty wisely. 

My friends and I hadn't made any specific plans for that afternoon (Thursday) but we started exploring almost immediately.  Our hotel is about 2 minutes from the Glouschester Road Underground stop, which comes in pretty handy.  The last time I was in London, we never rode in the tube because of the bombings that had occurred the previous day (see  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7_July_2005_London_bombings ).  I have to say it is very convenient for getting around London. (Although...you don't have to go through any security to get on.) We have probably already got our money's worth in just 24 hours.

So we walked around and saw all the touristy sites: Tralfager Square, St. James Park, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Parliament & Big Ben.  It's been overcast both days so far, but the walking wasn't too bad.  However, your feet get to a point where they are just tired of supporting your weight for so long.

This morning was our last group outing (Hallelujah!).  We went to Guy's Hospital/King's College where a medical school is located, south of the Thames.  One of the buildings has a pathology specimen museum.  This place was fantastic.  I was on the top floor for the majority of the time.  Up there, I saw/read about objects involved in medico-legal situations.  Poisonings, wounds, homicide re-creations, gunshot wounds, abortions and infanticide were probably the most horrific.  There was also another area dedicated to fetal abnormalities---very odd. 

I won't go into super detail, but I saw a man's preserved head after he shot himself in the mouth to commit suicide.  I saw a 10 week old fetus that was so tiny but looked so human it was amazing.  Amputated limbs, osteosarcomas and various diseased organs made up some other interesting parts. 

I don't know about you, but after I look at oddly grotesque things for several hours, I work up an appetite.  About 10 of us went to this awesome place called Borough Market to eat.  What Borough Market has is anything your heart desires.  Cheese, meat, vegetables, truffles, smoothies, bread, meals...it's all fresh and really good.  I got lamb souvlaki with tzatzki sauce, mixed greens and feta in a pita.  At another place I got a few little diamonds of pistachio baklava.  It was all wonderful and so much fun.  What can I say...I'm a foodie at heart.