Thread Killer..

[Raphael]

You blame us for curling?  I think of curling as a more Scottish invention.

England, though? Cool! Where at in England?  How long?  What plans do you have??  (we're not going this year, so I'll have to live vicariously through you) 

[Amicitia]

I don't know who invented curling, but right now a lot of it is being played in Canada. You're a proximate cause, Raph. 

The only solid part of The Plan, right now, is that I must wind up in Hull to see my friend get married.    Other than that, The Plan currently consists of running around going "OMG how much can I see in a week??"

I'm open to recommendations...

[Raphael]

Ha ha ha...I could go on forever with suggestions for England. It all depends on what you like and which area you'll be in and what transportation you'll have...

London, obvbiously, is a good bet, with enough to keep someone busy for months.  Heck, the British Museum alone can keep ya busy for a few days. There's the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey, St Paul's Cathedral, Buckingham Palace, British Library.  Camden Markets if you like some possible 'not sold in every stores' sort of shopping. The Beatles' Store is always fun (heh, well, for me, at least).  There are parks - Hyde Park, Kensington, Regent, St James.  London Zoo (although I was a teeny bit underwhelmed there just because we spent more time playing "Is there really an animal in there?" because a lot of the animals seemed to be hiding out).  If you like cemeteries, there's Highgate-West & East, Kensal Green, Brompton and a host of others. There's the more mainstream shopping of Oxford/Regent Streets. Carnaby, Herrod's. Tons of plays. If you liked "Whose Line Is It Anyway", the impro group that featured prominently in the original UK edition - the Comedy Store Players - perform twice a week (Wednesday & Sunday nights) and seeing them live totally blows the tv versions out of the water.

A good place to start could be one of the two main Ho-Ho buses - THe Original and Big Bus. You get a 24 hour ticket, get to see the highlights and can hop on/off as you wish.

Let's see, where is Hull...

Ooh, ok, that's up near York - a lovely city, often called the most haunted city in the world, with many different nightly ghost walks. Yorkminster Abbey, the Shambles, Clifford's Tower, Castle Museum, ruins of St Mary's Abbey, the wall that surrounds the city is a nice walk, they have a Ho/Ho bus too. We hopped a bus from York up to Whitby, which was amazing with the ruins of Whitby Abbey and St Mary's Church. Bram Stoker was inspired by Whitby when he wrote Dracula.

Ok, my screen is freaking out as I'm typing this so I shall shut up now.   

[Nightwatchersonlygirl]

Then go up to Liverpool on the train 

[Amicitia]

I pretty much want to live in the British Museum...    Westminster Abbey is a must-see for me because the reading room at my college library is supposed to look like it, so I've got to scope out the original. I'm curious about Highgate because I just read a book set there, but it wasn't even mentioned in the tour guide I'm looking at. I am determined to see The Globe, and some pictures I've seen suggest that Kew Gardens is worth the train ride.

Probably going to skip Liverpool, as (sorry) the Beatles hold no particular interest for me. I likely will end up in York, but I haven't gotten that far in the guidebook yet. *dives back in* 

[Aignatius]

Oh cool Amicitia, what day is your dad's b-day?

As far as what to look forward to, ohh, I'd say plenty, as long as it doesn't involve skydiving or running a marathon or some such thing. 
Strangely enough I have more energy and feel younger now than I did, say 10-15 years ago. Has to do with my kids growing up and not needing so much energy output in the form of extreme parenting. 

[Amicitia]

The 28th. I feel like we've had this conversation before... 

[Aignatius]

Ha, I believe we have had a similar conversation, about a year ago. 

(It will be the same day my son goes to Afghanistan, along with a large number of Canadian troops. That's going to be quite the adventure for him.)

And I totally missed this conversation about England. Fascinating place.
 
Reminds me of a recent news item, I'd heard Abbey Road was up for sale?

[Raphael]

Yeah, the British Museum was pretty awesome...here are a few pointers for some of the places listed...


1) try to go earlier in the day to the British Museuem, and not when you've been walking around for the better part of 6 or 7 hours.  You'll appreciate it more.
2) Be careful of posted signs. On our first trip, we came out of the tube station, saw a sign for the Museum that pointed down this one street...and there were no more signs. We walked and walked before deciding to check the pocket map I had. (we had to double back)
3) Highgate Cemetery - East side is open for non tours, is the side still in use, still has some cool stones and they'll charge you for admission and a camera fee.
4) Highgate Cemerery - West side is only open for guided tours, check their website for times. If the weather is remotely warm, make sure you have sleeves!  They have a strict dress code and there is an odious older woman who will very curtly direct you across the street if you have the audacity to show up in something that exposes your shoulders. There are other rules but we didn't get a chance to read them all.
5) Westminster Abbey - No photography allowed inside (just as well, you'd never get through it if you had to stop for everyone taking pics). Prepare to pick your jaw up off the floor, a lot.
6) Heh, I'm a huge Beatles' fan and, after 3 trips, I've yet to get to Liddypool. I'm working on it, though...you're forgiven for not going there. 

[Raphael]

Well, seein' as how there haven't been any questions in Thread Saver for me to snitch lately... 

Question o' the Day:

If you're listening to the radio and a song comes on that you don't like, what do you do?

My answer: Usually, I'll change the station.  Life's too short to listen to crappy music on the radio.

[Aignatius]

Agreed, Raph. There's so much interesting music to listen to out there,  why waste it listening to some of the drivel being played on the radio?
Besides, I end up listening to such music anyway because others want the whole neighborhood to hear what lousy taste they have in music.
 
Which is why I like Rhapsody, I just pick the stuff I want to hear and play it. A personal jukebox. 

[Amicitia]

4) Highgate Cemerery - West side is only open for guided tours, check their website for times. If the weather is remotely warm, make sure you have sleeves!  They have a strict dress code and there is an odious older woman who will very curtly direct you across the street if you have the audacity to show up in something that exposes your shoulders. There are other rules but we didn't get a chance to read them all.

  I'm so glad to hear there actually is a grouchy old lady with a rulebook. There's a character to that effect in the novel I was reading, and, um... I like it when my stories turn out to be real. 

5) Westminster Abbey - No photography allowed inside (just as well, you'd never get through it if you had to stop for everyone taking pics). Prepare to pick your jaw up off the floor, a lot.

Actually, I saw a beam from Westminster Abbey in one of the government houses in Australia... although apparently I skipped taking a picture of it in favor of photographing the sculpture of the dancing walrus. 

[Raphael]

There's a novel with that sort of a character? What novel is this, sounds interesting...   

[Raphael]

A new question o' the day:
(apparently for exclusive use of us Thread Killers *G*)

Are you watching the Olympics?  If so, how much/what events?

I admit to not being much of a sports fan myself, so I've just been paying attention to little bits here and there. Mostly hockey.

[Phoenix]

I have not watched even one minute of the Olympus.

Now excuse me while I go collapse in the corner