Saturday, 1 October:

We went to the National Gallery today. That museum is absolutely gigantic. At one point I went to find a bathroom and it took ten minutes of walking to get to the closest toilet. While using the facilities, I kid you not, a German tourist came in and began using one of the stalls and while taking care of number two (rather noisily) also took care of ordering two tickets for one of tonight's shows on his cell phone. I have to say, I am a bit too bathroom shy to even talk to others while taking care of business. Having a cell phone conversation while on the pot disturbs me on soooo many levels. I also, (luckily) missed an anonymous rendesvous with someone looking for hard action by about twenty minutes according to the graffiti on the bathroom stall.

The best part of the National Gallery in Trafalgar square is by far the Monet cityscapes. I didn't know that he painted anything other than flowers and haystacks. I really liked how he portrayed London through impressionist eyes and getting to see these originals was truly breathtaking. Having said that, I don't think we got through more than a third of the museum before we were done for the day.

Mediocre pub food followed and we walked by the palace and meandered through tourist central. A quick tube ride and we were up in Picadilly looking around. I have to say, Picadilly is a neat trick. Once. After that, the romance ends and it is just another street with shops on it. Even though it is too expensive to actually shop in, Harrods is more fun as a walkthrough.