Weekend Number Five

Thursday was kind of a funky day for a variety of reasons, but it definitely ended well. After work I took the tube home because it was pouring down rain; as I was eating dinner, the weather cleared up and symbolically, there was a rainbow right outside our balcony! So after dinner Laura, Liz, Billy, Gareth, Jenna and her boyfriend Alex and I went to the Arc for 2-for-1 drink night! We had a lot of fun and it definitely improved my mood.

Friday morning, Laura and I went to the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. It was pretty cool, and it was my second time seeing it! Around noon we walked to Victoria Station to eat some lunch and pick up Liz’s friend Katie. We had pizza and beer at a place at the station, which was really good. I like to think that since I couldn’t be in America for the 4th, that having pizza and beer for lunch was one way of paying tribute. I suppose all that was missing was a football game. And I do mean FOOTBALL, not soccer! Ah, I can’t wait until football season.

Anyway, after lunch we went back to the apartment and hung out for a few hours, then started getting ready for the boat cruise that night. BUNAC, the company that handles our work cards, put together what was essentially a booze cruise on the Thames for the 4th of July. Yes, we used England’s river to celebrate our independence from them. It’s just too good. We should have thrown tea overboard too. Taxation without representation, whaaaaat!? So anyway, we definitely had a lot of fun as you can see from the pictures on Flickr. Also, nobody here had seen me dance yet, and honestly, they were a little taken aback. Haha :-P Anyway, it was a good time, but I was definitely craving bbq, beer, and fireworks!

Saturday morning I took a quick shower and threw on a skirt (because I think sunny days deserve skirts) and went to Knotting Hill/Portobello Road and Market with Traci, Jenna and Laura. We walked around a few stores, and leisurely made our way down the road and ended up at a crepe stand for lunch. Laura and I got ham and cheese, Traci got chocolate and strawberries, and Jenna got nutella and banana. They were quite good. We continued walking, and stumbled upon a few stands full of pastries; needless to say, Jenna and I split a donut. Not as good as the one I had from Camden Market, but that’s alright. The afternoon was really nice and perfect for walking around outdoors, so that’s just what we did! Looking at all the produce, flowers, antiques, clothing, allll that good stuff. On our way back Jenna bought some sweet corn and strawberries, and Laura and I bought some cherries. They are perfect.

We came home to catch the last bit of the Williams/Williams Women’s Wimbledon (ha, alliteration) final, and then I took a nap for about an hour and a half. I was planning to go out to O’Neill’s with Liz, Laura, Jenna and Katie, but I backed out at the last second like the McSketcherton that I am. I think I just needed a break. Two nights in a row of partying is enough for me. I talked to the ‘rents and just had a quiet night.

This morning Liz, Katie and I went on the London Eye, and then walked around Harrod’s. I watched a few episodes of the Office on my computer since our internet wasn't working, and then we've spent pretty much the whole rest of the day watching the men’s final at Wimbledon. Super intense!!!!! By the end of it we had like 10 people in our apartment shouting at the TV, it was fun. I’m glad I’m expanding my horizons in terms of sports that I watch – I have tended to be strictly football – since I’ve been here I’ve been watching the Euro Cup (though watching soccer isn’t that much of a stretch for me) and then tennis, which I don’t think I’ve ever watched before. I’m growing as a person, you guys.