London's not falling, I'm just falling down to France ..

Cheers from London, at least for a few more hours as I write this to you. I just finished eating the biggest breakfast I've had in 2006. Eggs, toast, bacon, sausage, a half mushroom, half tomato, baked beans and hash browns and juice. A cappuccino too. Farmhouse breakfast at the Willow Walk. Not much can beat it. Especially when the company at the place includes a guy who says he lives in Notting Hill, has a heavy South African accent, has lived in Boston as well as in Germany, Scotland and France and goes by the name of Brett. Was cool to chat with (or listen to since he kept talking to me, even when I was trying to eat).

Anyway, places in London are, of course, ready to celebrate St. Patrick's Day today. Irish make up Britian's largest minority group so it should be a good time here. Too bad when the party gets going, I'll be landing in Paris.

I decided to fly easyjet again, instead of train travel (Eurail doesn't work in Britian and the flight was cheaper and faster than the train so that's two good reasons right there). Hey Barbra, I know you won't be able to read this until Monday but I just wanted to let you know I'll see what easyjet folks do. Maybe they speak French as soon as we get into their country.

London was a nice time for me, even if the weather really got nasty at times. Winds got stronger as the day went on, especially yesterday. My trip here included visits to St. Paul's Cathedral (didn't go inside, just lounged around and saw the people go by), went on the London Eye (very cool thing to do. I recommend it, especially for those with children), Westminster Abbey, saw Buckingham Palace from afar (can't go in), Tower of London, Tower Bridge, London Bridge.

I also took a sporting trip to Wimbledon. I caught the final tour of the day with Paul, a professional tour guide who has a history degree and wants to put it to good use. Nice older fellow. The tour group consisted of myself and a woman from New Zealand. We had a good time. Not much to the tour, especially on a day when the weather was getting worse by the minute. But a tour of the All-England Club was cool. Saw Centre Court, Court No. 1 and there was a lot of construction because the club has a Wimbledon museum opening up near Easter. This place will also have a sliding roof over Centre Court in time for the 2009 tournament (according to Paul) so that means at least a few more tournaments with the threat of rain becoming reality.

In all, a nice, relaxing time in London. Do I need to get on the soapbox about the blues music again? Ain't Nothin But ... was a definite highlight. I even bought a shirt from the place and I have not done that anywhere else on the trip (XL is the largest size in Europe, guess all of those people who eat McDonalds haven't ordered the SUPER SIZE meals enough to enforce the issuing of XXL gear yet!)

Beers and food in London as well as everything else, is expensive, but if you are in London, do visit the Willow Walk where I had breakfast (very, very close to Victoria Station) for that meal or any other time of the day. They understand that prices are expensive here. My breakfast? Under 5 pounds for the entire thing, what a deal!

OK, now I am off to Paris (actually the airport). Going to France means this trip is entering the home stretch as I now have less than a week before I return with a fresh perspective on how the rest of the world lives. I will post again this weekend.

Everyone out there have a fun, safe St. Patrick's Day. I will have a Guinness where I am. I hope you will too.

Cheers!