Happy birthday to me...

6 May 2008- I got my husband back for my birthday. Hooray, no more movie making (yet). He brought me lots of goodies from China. A purse, wallet, silk scarves and nightgowns. He also managed to buy me some perfume from the duty free store. It is a lovely perfume of Paris, Nina Ricci Beautiful. Bonus points for the perfume. Then I drag the jet lag guy on a train to London.
Eurostar couldn't be any easier. You do have to go thru a check of the passport (Not EU) but then you just walk right on, have your seat and enjoy the ride. The "chunnel" part is really a let down. Tom Cruise made it look so cool. It only lasts 25 minutes and you can't see anything. I tried to take a photo but it was of me taking a photo. Still very cool to enter a train saying Bonjour and exit saying Cheers. It was almost like a time warp hearing english everywhere. And seeing a Burger King. No we didn't go. Although they do have the Angry burger with jalapenos. I was tempted but couldn't pull the trigger.
It was raining at the London eye but not too much of a damper. I had already pre-bought tickets and the book detailing what buildings you are looking at. With the rain, there was no line and we walked right in. Our capsule also had, you guess. Several French couples and children. ARGH! Can't even go to England without hearing French. It was fun, great way to start the visit seeing all the sights (wet or not). Then we wandered around and found a pub. We already had a pint at the hotel, happy birthday pint on the hotel. One pint more before boarding the dinner cruise.
The dinner cruise was very nice. They wanted to announce my birthday but no. No singing or otherwise. We had a table right on the window. Again pre-booked, love the internet. Dinner selections were varied and I know I was happy with my pepper soup, lamb and irish cheesecake. Chad, at this point being pints down and on Chinese time schedule, started to fade. Good thing there was music, kept him up. The lights along the Thames (almost typed Seine) were pretty and the Tower Bridge and Greenwich were sparkly. I cut Chad some slack for not dancing. The guy could barely keep his eyes open. By the way, our waitress on the cruise, French.
We had a bit of trouble on the TUBE or underground of London. Our stop was on a change point so you had your choice of 4 platforms depending on where you were going. We eventually figured it out and got the "fast pass" or Oyster. We still have some money left so next visit, we can hit the ground running. The TUBE is tiny. Chad and I thought hobbits might enjoy it. And it is underground. Some stations were 3 flights of escaltors down. Mind the gap!
Chad was disappointed with the IPA and other ales. I thought it was fun trying all the different cask ales. I didn't have any stinkers though, he did. I had gotten a tip to try the Ale Trail. You get stamps after a meal or pint and after five stamps, a t-shirt recalling the Ale Trail you have completed. We got off to a smoking start at the first pub. 2 lunches and 2 pints = 4 stamps. We later got my shirt. Then we started another but the bartender was not as generous and for 2 lunches and 2 pints = 1 stamp. We fooled her and ordered separately and then found another pub for the completion of Chad's trail. Classic order too! It was at the Marquis Gramby pub and legend has it M. Gramby was a brave soul and charged off to battle so fast, his wig fell off and showed his bald head. Therefore the slogan of the pub and shirt says "Famous for Bravery and a bald head." It doesn't get any better than that for my shorn husband. We also found a map of London pubs with the TUBE stop. It can't get any easier.
We enjoyed some of the museums (most of them are free, Paris should learn!). Easy to waste a whole day in them. Westminster Abbey was amazing, so much history, literary, actual and scientific people are honored. We also stopped in Harrods to see the monster store. It was like a mall on Christmas eve, Crammed with tourists so we got out of there fast and found a pub down the street. I think Chad enjoyed the pub-hunt the most. Our friends refer to a beer during the day as a pellet. If you are good at this activity, you get a pellet. Chad may not think too highly of most of the ales tried, picture excluded that was his favorite the Landlord, but he is missing his "pellets" now. Now they have to be pastries or bread.
I actually like the food. Not bland, very hearty and good. Sausages or bangers and pies were quite good after a day of wandering the streets of London. We didn't ride the red double decker bus. Next trip, now that we have our bearings and some experience in the city. Now back to Paris and french lessons. Chad has off Victory in Europe day and the day after so we get another long weekend in Paris this time. Cheers!