London: Day Three, Part One
I haven't really done anything today yet -- my friend is doing some schoolwork, so I'm killing a half-hour on the Internet and then we'll head into the city somewhere -- so this can't be all I write about today, but I have a few random notes I scrawled down from the rest of yesterday after I posted:
1. There's a subway stop called "Embankment." This seems like a bad idea. I mean in terms of not really making me want to get off there. Like "Flood Plain" or "Tornado Alley," just not inspiring much confidence. You wouldn't name a subway stop "Death Trap," "Cliff's Edge," or "Ebola Virus," would you? "Lightning strike," "Bleach attack," or "Murder"? Is "embankment" so much better?
2. There's an ad on the subway -- and I know I should call it the tube, but let's stick with what I'm used to -- for an anti-fatigue drug that opens with the line, "Knackered?" That's a nice example of onomatopeia -- spelled it wrong I imagine -- words that sound like what they mean. That sounds like it means pretty darn exhausted, and I'm guessing it does. Nice word.
3. Speaking of subways, there's a whole bunch of the American chain restaurant Subway here. But it's not even called a subway. This seems crazy to me. Crazy. Also, TGI Friday's and a shopping mall we passed had 4 Starbucks on the directory. America should not be exporting this stuff. Please stop taking it, London. Please.
4. Lots of fried chicken places. I don't know why. Maybe just this neighborhood my friend lives in, which looks a lot like the neighborhood around Yankee Stadium. Sorry, Yankee Stadium.
5. Went to the National Portrait Gallery. I liked it MUCH more than I like most museums of paintings on walls. Because at least it was of people. They even had a George Washington. My reaction: "Oh! Finally someone who looks familiar!" Because my overall reaction to the whole museum: there are an awful lot of famous people I've never heard of, and I guess England just has this whole set of people whose American equivalents I'd surely know, and just have never, ever heard of at all -- I don't know why it surprises me, but I guess I didn't realize they have their own famous people here. It's neat! Walked through the 1960s-1990s gallery, and all of these people who I bet are pretty famous, but I had no idea -- authors, musicians, cricket stars. No clue. One or two, vaguely. Michael Caine. Otherwise, nope.
6. Stuff's expensive here. Like food. Speaking of food... time for food... more later.
I haven't really done anything today yet -- my friend is doing some schoolwork, so I'm killing a half-hour on the Internet and then we'll head into the city somewhere -- so this can't be all I write about today, but I have a few random notes I scrawled down from the rest of yesterday after I posted:
1. There's a subway stop called "Embankment." This seems like a bad idea. I mean in terms of not really making me want to get off there. Like "Flood Plain" or "Tornado Alley," just not inspiring much confidence. You wouldn't name a subway stop "Death Trap," "Cliff's Edge," or "Ebola Virus," would you? "Lightning strike," "Bleach attack," or "Murder"? Is "embankment" so much better?
2. There's an ad on the subway -- and I know I should call it the tube, but let's stick with what I'm used to -- for an anti-fatigue drug that opens with the line, "Knackered?" That's a nice example of onomatopeia -- spelled it wrong I imagine -- words that sound like what they mean. That sounds like it means pretty darn exhausted, and I'm guessing it does. Nice word.
3. Speaking of subways, there's a whole bunch of the American chain restaurant Subway here. But it's not even called a subway. This seems crazy to me. Crazy. Also, TGI Friday's and a shopping mall we passed had 4 Starbucks on the directory. America should not be exporting this stuff. Please stop taking it, London. Please.
4. Lots of fried chicken places. I don't know why. Maybe just this neighborhood my friend lives in, which looks a lot like the neighborhood around Yankee Stadium. Sorry, Yankee Stadium.
5. Went to the National Portrait Gallery. I liked it MUCH more than I like most museums of paintings on walls. Because at least it was of people. They even had a George Washington. My reaction: "Oh! Finally someone who looks familiar!" Because my overall reaction to the whole museum: there are an awful lot of famous people I've never heard of, and I guess England just has this whole set of people whose American equivalents I'd surely know, and just have never, ever heard of at all -- I don't know why it surprises me, but I guess I didn't realize they have their own famous people here. It's neat! Walked through the 1960s-1990s gallery, and all of these people who I bet are pretty famous, but I had no idea -- authors, musicians, cricket stars. No clue. One or two, vaguely. Michael Caine. Otherwise, nope.
6. Stuff's expensive here. Like food. Speaking of food... time for food... more later.
posted by Anonymous @ 7:40 AM
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