Monday, July 14, 2014

14-07

Middle of July already... It's been (and will continue to be) a busy year, but mostly a good kind of busy. You know, the whole "Better that your life be a blur than a blurb" sorta thing.

London was amazing, as it was the first time it went, and it made me realize than I definitely need to do more traveling... and not just to Boston or D.C. My friend Barbara's cousin Jane, and Jane's daughter Izzy, were gracious enough to let us stay at their house in London for the six days we were there, and the Thames Path provided a gorgeous view for my running three of those mornings. (On Monday the 30th, I ran past eight bridges, turning around at the Southwark. I'm sure MI6 has got some great shots of me.) I had the best fish and chips I've ever had at the Victory Inn in Staplefield on Saturday while we chatted with some more of Barbara's family and started adjusting to the time difference.

We took in some military and cryptographic history at Bletchley Park, and enjoyed the beach (however rocky) and the shops at Brighton. There was an honest-to-goodness blue police box at Earl's Court, and the Who Shop in Upton Park, and Graham Chapman's favorite watering hole, the Angel Inn, in Highgate. And of course Graham's mates in Monty Python at the O2 Arena for a spectacular show Tuesday night! I'm glad I got to see them perform live (mostly), and I think they did a commendable job of updating some of their routines and sketches. Awesome to see the Spanish Inquisition on the stage, too...

Sir John Soane's Museum was a fascinating collection of art and curios, though personally I was much more interested in the Temple Church, which did not disappoint with its grotesques and knightly effigies and statue of Simon Templar. (Well, OK, there wasn't actually any mention of the Saint...) In between those stops, we had lunch and some alcoholic beverages at the Seven Stars Pub, one of London's oldest. While I hadn't initially intended to revisit Abbey Road, enough people told me to get a new picture crossing the street that I decided it must needs be done, and so it was... but only after breakfast and pastries at the Borough Market, which was incredible.

So, yeah, six days in London were a lot of fun, but I do need to get around more again. I'd like to see the rest of Europe, and Greece. I'd like to visit Brazil again. I'd love to spend some time in Japan. And there are still parts of the U.S. I need to get to. My current passport's still got three years on it, so I should get movin'.

In the meantime, though, I'll be busy. The Rugged Maniac obstacle race this past Saturday left me a bit sore and bruised again, but nowhere near as badly as the Spartan Sprint did. Next month will see me do the Warrior Dash, then dash down to the PNC Bank Arts Center to catch Soundgarden and Nine Inch Nails that night. I'm also going to see the Offspring, Tori Amos, and Goli in August, then take my parents to see Cirque du Soleil's "Varekai." Greta's Unmentionables are hopefully getting back into the studio shortly, as we have to finish working out "The Bite" and start on some new material. And other things keep cropping up...

If you want to see my London pics, and all the others I've taken so far this year, they're in the Gallery... of Death!


http://www.andersensilva.com/2014.php

No comments:

Post a Comment