Random London Moments
With all the things to do in London, there are lots of random moments. Luckily in this day & age our cell phones (or as they say here mobiles) have cameras in them. Unfortunately, mine doesn't take the best pictures, but none the less it still does capture the moment.
Chinese New Year around Trafalgar Square.
Gez & Susie in the Absolut Ice Bar. Yes the entire bar is made of ice and is minus 5 degrees. The best vodka drinks I have ever had...our glasses were made of blocks of ice! Perhaps Saskatchewan should have one of these in the winter!
This scares me a bit...still working on convincing Casey to get his haircut here.
The Prime Meridian Meter (left) and a sit in Grenwich park overlooking Canary Wharf after.
Nicola & Shari enjoying a drink along the river as we try to catch a glimpse of the Cambridge vs. Oxford Rowing competition (right).
London Marathon
A lovely Sunday morning/afternoon activity as long as you are watching and not running that is. Yes, how lucky are we that the route of the marathon goes right past our balcony? Even more fun was that Casey knew 4 people that were actually running in it and we were actually able to pick them out and cheer them on...while we were drinking our PIMMS and lemonade on the balcony!!! Hope they didn't find that too insulting.
Anyways, here is a picture of Casey & Tanis.
...and here is a picture of the marathon itself. Can you imagine running in a costume? Can't imagine how hard that would be. It was an unusually hot day out (23 degrees) and one person even died. Not a good Sunday for that person.
Winchester (England)
Pictures & stories to come....
We may speak the same language, but...
that doesn't mean we can understand eachother. I mean really some of the words these people use, combined with the accent and the quick pace of talk and you would think they are speaking a different language! Really I think Canadians are very good at pronouncing their words where as the English just seem to ram them all together.
Here are some of the words I've learned
boot = trunk
wellies = boots
flapjacks = sweet cookies / squares (it certainly doesn't mean pancakes)
cakes = anything from donuts to candies, its all cakes to the English
English muffins = English muffins (you would think they'd just call them muffins)
muff diver = a very dirty drink that I don't want to explain
fanny = another word I don't want to explain, but whatever you do, never use the word fanny when in England, but if you are brave enough, say Fannypack. It will get roars of laughter, especially if you're in the pub. The word Jackass will also spur hysterical bouts of laughter, but it isn't a dirty word, they just think its funny because nobody uses that word in England except for apparently Canadians.
bollocks = damn, unless you say something is bollocks, then it means something else.
winger = whiner
thongs = underwear, otherwise you should use the word flip flops.
And for all you accountants out there.... STRGL (struggle) = Statement of Comprehensive Income.
Stay tuned for more language lessons.
London Calling
Well I am FINALLY here. I won't go into all of the messy details, as many of you know them already, but needless to say we had a A LOT of workpermit issues. And we're not done. Unfortunately I was admitted to the UK, but Wade was not. So to make a very long story short, Wade has gone back to Cayman temporarily and is transferring to Dublin in July. Plan is to commute between London & Dublin for the next year. At least things aren't complicated!!!!
So I ended up flying to London on my own on January 24, 2007 and crashed in with a couple of our Cayman friends that are now living in London. Actually, lucky for me there is quite a large crowd of ex-Cayman people here who have welcomed me in as the newest Cayman import!
I'm living with Tanis & Casey in Canary Wharf (how suiting as it was designed by two Canadians) and slowly but surely settling into London life. The pubs accross the street from our flat certainly don't hurt! How quaint and English is that? Ah, a couple of old historic riverside pubs handily accross the street. Just had to include a picture.
Oh, and there is a wizard on our block. How cool is that? Seriously, Ian McKellen (Gandolf from Lord of the Rings) lives accross the street, conveniently between the two pubs. Tanis and I followed him into the local convenience store one day. I pretended to look at a yoghurt label while getting a better look at him, but I think I was found out as when I looked up again he was looking right back at me. Felt a little sheepish then. So much for a picture...although I did get this one of him walking down the street (you may have to enlarge it to actually see him way down the street). Honest it really is Gandolf...he's actually a lot shorter in real life without that pointy hat.
As for work, I have been hired at Goldman Sachs. Ah to be back into the ratrace again...actually feels good!!! And as for the location, couldn't be better. My office is right accross the street from St. Paul's Cathedral where I can watch the hoards of tourists load off the double decker bus each day to go on their tours. Ah, just like Cayman but now its buses instead of cruise ships. On nice days I eat my lunch in the courtyard at St. Pauls with the fountain, flowers and tons of tourists.
As for transportation, I have gotten quite used to the tube (don't dare call it a subway in London) and better yet I can take a riverboat from Canary Wharf to work. Not a bad view huh?
