Europe Trip Journal Part 2

12/27/08

Rode London Eye, which was not disappointing - got a little vertigo from the height (over 400 ft.) and glass-podiness. Was pretty cool.

Walked down South Bank, went to Tate Modern to see a favorite painting of Jorge's by Yves Klein. I think it's called Blue:

Unfortunately, the guy at the info desk informed us that this painting was currently in Liverpool. Walked across Millennium Bridge, built in 2000 for the Olympic games:


to St Paul's Cathedral (in background above). Beautiful mosaics, gold and marble. Walked up 376 tightly winding steps to Whispering Gallery (balcony high above sanctuary, just below dome - vertigo) and Stone Gallery (higher up outside balcony - more vertigo). Drinks and dinner w/ Shoaib and friends at a candlelit Asian/Indian bar and Moroccan restaurant. Took a weak stab at belly dancing.

12/28/08

Camden Market w/ Shoaib - huge indoor/outdoor market with lots of great crafts from all over. Spent 3 hrs there.


Then to Harrod's dept store, which was MOBBED - was not expecting the crowds. Jason bought a smashing Barbour coat (in all photos of him from here on) and we got a couple of xmas ornaments as souvenirs. I liked how the staff was all in black suits with gold nametags. Dinner at a pub near the hotel - Yorkshire pudding, which was totally not what I thought it was.

(Photo from google images.) It's like a phyllo pastry shaped into a bowl. It came with meat and veggies on the side.

More to come.

In current news, I baked molasses cookies and they were really easy and turned out fabulous!!! They are chewy with a lovely sugar crunch on the outside. So here is the recipe. Only thing I would change is to use about 1/3 less salt.

Also, yesterday I did something I've never done before in my life. I cut my own hair. It was at first frightening, then liberating and exhilarating. I wanted long layers (instead of all one length like it was) so I went on the internet and read various DIY instructions and followed a combination of the ones that contained punctuation and didn't sound like they were written by unintelligent nine-year-olds. Then I picked up the scissors and never looked back. Hmm...do I have a before picture...Yes.

And here is the After photo, but keep in mind that it looks different all the time and I'm still trying to figure it out.

Okay well there is no After photo today because all the pictures I just tried to take look kind of creepy. And maybe it is creepy to post a photo of yourself for the sole purpose of showing people how you currently appear. So inevitably there will be a photo of my new hairdo somewhere. Oh here we go. Here is exactly how I currently look.