london: lc-a+

I arrived in London on May 4, Geoff's birthday, and spent the day wandering around on my own, basking in the sunshine. A highlight of that day was a quiet tea at the Assouline bookshop in Liberty. Just like Kate, I was immediately struck by all the well-dressed people I saw on the streets: far more topknots and flower crowns and men in button-down shirts (thank you!) than I'm used to seeing (of course, I see that regularly here in Toronto, just not in such high concentrations). I did try to note little cultural differences so that I could tell Geoff about them. Just things such as how much better dairy tastes, how ordering a coffee usually results in blurting out "latte," how jaywalking is a bit terrifying when you forget which way to look, how the English are blessed with a beautiful vocabulary even when expressing the most banal thoughts (no wonder so many of the people we met were writers). Everything was strangely familiar, though, and at times I had to remind myself that I wasn't at home. I had visited once before, but I was 17 and anxious to leave London to get to Paris. I didn't enjoy it much then -- I loved it this time, as I knew I would.

Above are pictures from Liberty, the green wall inside St Ali, where we had one of our most memorable breakfasts, the V&A, and one of the canal where we had delicious meals at Towpath. I took these with the LC-A+, which doesn't take pictures that are quite as pretty as the ones from some of my other film cameras, but which I've decided is the perfect film camera for traveling.

I'll have a few more pictures to share next week, but tomorrow we'll be frantically preparing at the last minute to head to Hamilton for Field Trip!







REPLIES

If Jane: I agree!

bferry: Thanks, Brian! It was nice to meet you too. Sunday evening was one of my favourite parts of the trip.

K.: Oh! Did you arrive pretty close to 6 o'clock? There was a lovely couple that came in to look at the photos but left before we could work up the nerve to say hello.

EvaForeva, stephanie renee, Wayside Violet: I agree! Vic did a great job.

Cat: I hope you'll enjoy it!

elle :: everything reminds me of you: Thanks so much! Always so nice to put a face and a real human being to an online friend. That video was incredible! Thank you for the link.

Hopscotch: I hope that "toast" is code for "ladybrunch!"

erica-knits: Thanks, lady! Glad you like the tote, too! Pretty pleased with that one.

amy: So sweet, thank you!

vic: Aw, girl! TAKE A BOW.

Darcy: You should! I just kind of fell into this but it was a really thrilling experience all around.

bawkbawk: Yes! I loved your photos!

Michelle: I agree 100%. I often wonder what I'm doing posting all these silly things on the internet but I've had so many great experiences because of it that I can't stop. And that's funny because I always think of your blog as one of the least pointless/narcissistic, etc. around, and I'm so happy you keep it.

Agata Melnyk: Thank you!