Mood:
spaceyTopic: Stephen Says
?been meaning to blog for a couple of days now and, as it?s grey & dreary & rainy outside, what?s my excuse? How am I holding up with Elisabeth away? Last night I had a disturbing dream that I was trying to play Mario Bros. (The original, not ?Super?) but he screen kept getting all messed up. This was all taking place in a box in a great big theatre that was being hosted by this Chinese woman who was barking orders to people that I couldn?t see. And, suddenly from the dark there would be these living, gay mannequins dressed in Nazi/S&M style gear doing song and dance routines. Don?t ask me what it means, but I did watch Dirty Harry last night so maybe that?s got something to do with it.
I?ve sort of re-evaluated London, after making a day of it on Friday. My main complaint is that it?s too-damn-crowded. Just, it?s just so crowded that it?s not funny. Try walking down Bond Street during rush hour on a Friday. And the thing is, the center of the city is so packed with tourists (Of which I consider myself one) that the proper inhabitants of the city are squeezed into their own neighborhoods (after all, who wants to associate with tourists) so that everywhere is crowded. Everywhere. It?s just way too crowded.
But really, that?s the only bad thing. It?s impossible to be bored and, since many of the galleries are free, it?s quite easy to not spend any money. Yeah, it?s expensive, but everyone knows that (And if you don?t, you learn it pretty damn quick) so, if you?re smart, you can bring a sandwich to hide park and sit in the park, eat it and read Papillion.
Anyway, Paris is still a prettier city but London?s got it?s own, weird vibe going on. It?s a hodgepodge of architecture, culture and other things that, I?m sure, make no sense in a city planning sense. The London Eye is still the ugliest thing in the world because it?s too modern and doesn?t fit. But then, why is the Giant Gherkin so freakin? cool??? It?s like the city itself dropped acid and, while on a whole, everyone?s having a good trip, certain areas have climbed up a sky scraped and are shouting ?I can fly, I can fly!?
Funnily enough, I also got to experience my first genuinely ?bad neighborhood? in England complete with arson & a mini-riot. I don?t know; it was more ?neat? than ?exciting? but then, I was pretty pissed as, now that I?m no longer inching but galloping my way towards 30, I can no longer party as hard as those young folks. I think I?m going to go out and buy a tweed jacket with leather elbow patches.
Elisabeth has left for the Chinese mainland today after spending yesterday touring around Hong Kong. She is very well and enjoying the trip but has no access to the internet. She is, however, taking lots of pictures and will make up for lost time, I?m sure.