The next morning we all awoke and enjoyed another amazing English breakfast. I found Pani's pet rabbit and we all enjoyed the beautiful morning together, it was amazing. to be loved, accepted, and reunited with such positive and amazing friends. It has filled me with love and hope. Emma soon left and Pani, Scotty and I headed out for our busy tourist day. We
bought tickets for the Original Bus tour, saw Buckingham Palace, St. Pauls' Cathedral, London Bridge, London Eye, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square, London Tower, Shakespeare's Globe Theater, St. James' palace and took a boat tour on the Thames. We snacked on fresh toffee peanuts and walked along the riverbanks snapping photos constantly. We walked through souvenir shops, ate sandwiches and caramel bites and lastly ended back at Covent Gardens for dinner at Wagamama's, a popular noodle house. I secretly daydreamed I'd run into my British-Romeo from the night before, like a scene from a romance movie, but quickly got caught up in the craziness of my 2 best friends, my real loves.
We then caught the tube back toward the waterfront and got pictures of Big Ben lit up at night, then strolled along the riverbank eating waffles and ice cream. Scotty and I thought it was breakfast when Pani first shouted "waffles!" It was delicious! The night ended with Scotty & Pani riding on a merry-go-round and then we exhaustively caught the tube back home. What an amazing city, what a day! My mind was virtually empty of all home worries and I felt at peace for the first time in a long whilte. My friends were crazy, funny, emotional and lovely. They're my family, my home. 10,000 miles away from California, half way around the world. I feel lucky, thankful, and a bit sad this feeling won't last forever. I'm happy :)
Sunday, December 29, 2013
London/Paris Adventure Day 1
It's been 2.5 days since I've come to London and it's been INCREDIBLE! I arrived at 5:30Pm Thursday to an excitedly waiting Pani - we ran to eachother and cried in happiness. It has been a whirlwind since!
First we went to Picadilly circus, using the underground "tube," it reminded me a lot of San Francisco, just with British flags everywhere. Still dragging my suitcase, we went to a real English pub for fish n chips...delicious! Even though it was a whole fried fish and not the pieces). And then we spontaneously bought tickets to see "Blood Brothers" on stage. It was an amazing performance, the story was a bit sad and for a moment, I couldn't help but wonder what's the point of of the pain and suffering was if they just die anyways at the end? A flash of a morbid thought.
We then arrived at home to the open arms of Pani's very sweet, very Greek mother. They are such wonderful hosts and immediately got me tucked away and ready for bed. It felt like home.
We awoke in the morning to the news that Emma had arrived. It was an amazing reunion, another in a long line that day. We all ate a breakfast of English tea and crumpets and then got ready to collect Scotty from the airport. We arrived and waited in excited anticipation, squealing and running with joy when he finally emerged. My smile was so big, our family was growing! The four of us animatedly chatted as we made our way to covent gardens to meet the others for our reunion dinner. We ended up at an American bar and restaurant called Roadhouse. With more excitement and hugs when Sophie and James arrived. We all had cocktails (Scotty and I shared Porn Storms & Screaming orgasms) and a wonderful dinner as we all animatedly tried to catchup.
It felt incredible. Here I was miles from home with the bestest of friends I hadn't seen in 2 years. When we finished our meal, we found the restaurant turned into a nightclub and soon we were dancing and clapping along to the live band. The accents still threw me off considering how alike to America everything seemed. We dance joyously, and i couldn't help but glance around at all of the insanely attractive men in cute polos and jackets. one in particular caught my eye - he had blue eyes, beautiful smile, and looked a lot like my teen crush Matthew Lawrence. I glanced his way every so often without making eye contact, all the while loving every moment with my friends.
I felt happy, complete, loved just for being myself! Then before I knew it, something caught my eye and I turned to see my British Matthew Lawrence being pulled over by his friend. I turned in curiosity and his friend looked at me proudly announcing he really wants to dance with you! I couldn't believe it and of course agreed, maybe a little too excitedly.
His friend kept putting my hand on "Matt's" chest, saying he's the one! I smiled. We swayed and laughed, talked when we could hear over the music and crowd. I found out he was from Essex, same as Emma, and worked in IT, and that his name was...Mark, or Michael. It may as well been Matthew! I couldn't hear. I was soon swooning in his dreamy light blue eyes, perfect teeth, and English accent. HE cracked some jokes about me being American and asked how long I was around for - two weeks. I hated saying it even though it had just begun! Before I knew it, he had his hands in my hair, pulled me closer and we were kissing. My mind actually stopped, the room quieted, and my heart melted. I think I fell in love. I knew it was just the moment, and he was pretty drunk, but I didn't care. I turned and saw my friends clap and wave and give me the thumbs up...I felt so proud. Scotty wasn't as thrilled, I had already beat him on our 1st night of pledging to snog a foreigner!
I was flying. We kissed and bobbed some more, and then he stepped away to rejoin some friends. I rejoined mine, half sad we didn't exchange any info. Minutes later, we left, running to catch the tube before it closed. Scotty, Emma and I slept at Pani's with promises to see James and Sophie later in the week. Emma and I slept in the same room in a big bed and talked until 4am, bonding over our similarities in family dysfunction. I fell asleep happy and content with thoughts of my beautiful English liaison replaying in my header.
First we went to Picadilly circus, using the underground "tube," it reminded me a lot of San Francisco, just with British flags everywhere. Still dragging my suitcase, we went to a real English pub for fish n chips...delicious! Even though it was a whole fried fish and not the pieces). And then we spontaneously bought tickets to see "Blood Brothers" on stage. It was an amazing performance, the story was a bit sad and for a moment, I couldn't help but wonder what's the point of of the pain and suffering was if they just die anyways at the end? A flash of a morbid thought.
We then arrived at home to the open arms of Pani's very sweet, very Greek mother. They are such wonderful hosts and immediately got me tucked away and ready for bed. It felt like home.
We awoke in the morning to the news that Emma had arrived. It was an amazing reunion, another in a long line that day. We all ate a breakfast of English tea and crumpets and then got ready to collect Scotty from the airport. We arrived and waited in excited anticipation, squealing and running with joy when he finally emerged. My smile was so big, our family was growing! The four of us animatedly chatted as we made our way to covent gardens to meet the others for our reunion dinner. We ended up at an American bar and restaurant called Roadhouse. With more excitement and hugs when Sophie and James arrived. We all had cocktails (Scotty and I shared Porn Storms & Screaming orgasms) and a wonderful dinner as we all animatedly tried to catchup.
It felt incredible. Here I was miles from home with the bestest of friends I hadn't seen in 2 years. When we finished our meal, we found the restaurant turned into a nightclub and soon we were dancing and clapping along to the live band. The accents still threw me off considering how alike to America everything seemed. We dance joyously, and i couldn't help but glance around at all of the insanely attractive men in cute polos and jackets. one in particular caught my eye - he had blue eyes, beautiful smile, and looked a lot like my teen crush Matthew Lawrence. I glanced his way every so often without making eye contact, all the while loving every moment with my friends.
I felt happy, complete, loved just for being myself! Then before I knew it, something caught my eye and I turned to see my British Matthew Lawrence being pulled over by his friend. I turned in curiosity and his friend looked at me proudly announcing he really wants to dance with you! I couldn't believe it and of course agreed, maybe a little too excitedly.
His friend kept putting my hand on "Matt's" chest, saying he's the one! I smiled. We swayed and laughed, talked when we could hear over the music and crowd. I found out he was from Essex, same as Emma, and worked in IT, and that his name was...Mark, or Michael. It may as well been Matthew! I couldn't hear. I was soon swooning in his dreamy light blue eyes, perfect teeth, and English accent. HE cracked some jokes about me being American and asked how long I was around for - two weeks. I hated saying it even though it had just begun! Before I knew it, he had his hands in my hair, pulled me closer and we were kissing. My mind actually stopped, the room quieted, and my heart melted. I think I fell in love. I knew it was just the moment, and he was pretty drunk, but I didn't care. I turned and saw my friends clap and wave and give me the thumbs up...I felt so proud. Scotty wasn't as thrilled, I had already beat him on our 1st night of pledging to snog a foreigner!
I was flying. We kissed and bobbed some more, and then he stepped away to rejoin some friends. I rejoined mine, half sad we didn't exchange any info. Minutes later, we left, running to catch the tube before it closed. Scotty, Emma and I slept at Pani's with promises to see James and Sophie later in the week. Emma and I slept in the same room in a big bed and talked until 4am, bonding over our similarities in family dysfunction. I fell asleep happy and content with thoughts of my beautiful English liaison replaying in my header.
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