I've Seen Your Flag on the Marble Arch But Love is Not a Victory March

Septemeber 29, 2010

Only slightly more eventful than the day before, and that was just fine with me.

With no real guide book, and having already seen most of the major London sites over the course of the collective months I've spent here, I felt little specific urge to do anything in particular, so instead opting on going for a long walk -- across the border of Kensington Gardens, past the Marble Arch, down to Hyde Park Corner, along Picadilly (fancy people), up Bond Street (fancy people in suits), down Oxford Street (crowded, yuck), up to Regents Park (I saw a real English barrister with a wig), and then down Tottenham Court Road and Charing Cross Road, through Leicester Square to Trafalgar Square, where I met up with Natalia and her friend Grace to visit London's National Gallery where for a class 10 years ago I would visit weekly to learn about 17th and 18th century Dutch, Flemish and English art and where 5 years ago I visited with an Australian hostel mate and joked about the paintings about which I had little real insight to provide.

Along the way, I stopped for lunch at a place called Jet Lag, which featured street foods from around the world, with flags on the menu to designate the country of origin of these street foods. I regretfully passed over the Japanese options, and cautiously passed over the burrito, and chose an Indian curry served in a roll and an Asahi. I liked it, although it could have been spicier. The bar had the feel of an airport bar, but in a good way. The was a loud, older American speaking extremely loudly (even louder than I usually speak), but despite his volume I could not figure out whether he was actually making keen observations on the role of religion in the modern world, or just spouting nonsense. I read through the middle section of Amsterdam, which was getting better and better.

After the museum, the three of us had a snack at Pret a Manger, one of my favorite fast food spots from my study abroad period -- cheap and reasonably good prepackaged sandwiches. I ate a poppyseed pretzel this time, and it had started raining outside.

Tube back to the flat, where Natalia's cousin Mary and friend Catherine were waiting. Chit chatted with them and Joe and later Remy, Natalia made dinner, which I didn't eat until much later.

I finished Amsterdam and at the suggestion of both family and a coworker started Leon Uris' Exodus, which I am told has something to do with the establishment of the state of Israel.

Natalia would be off for Spain the next day, so we each thanked the other for being a great travel companion.

Leonard Cohen -- Hallelujah