Tuesday, August 02, 2005

The Tour Continues

I thought I'd be happily sending posts every day from my shiny red laptop. Silly me! Only my first hotel, the lovely if cramped Best Western Phoenix on Kensington Square Gardens, had wireless internet. The more commodious though Spartan (no clocks, tissues, etc.) Travelodge Islington only has dial-up service through their phones, which are on a separate system with usurious rates. Consequently, I've also been exploring the wilderness of London internet cafes, call boxes (phone booths) and phone cards.

Getting around London is...er...interesting these days. Some tube lines are closed (2 just reopened today--hooray!), yesterday the King's Cross rail station was shut down minutes after I'd taken a subway out. Police are EVERYWHERE: Bobbies two by two, by two, by two... in bulletproof vests, not on bicycles as in the old song. Nearly had an impromptu radical mastectomy yesterday when I leaped onto a subway car as the doors were closing. In NY and DC they pop right open if something comes between them. Not in London, as I discovered to my great pain & embarrassment. After I was released and got a seat (plush!) I saw a notice pasted on the inside of the doors: 'Obstructing the doors can be dangerous.' I'll say!

Seems like every rock I turn over, I find more of the mishpocha. (Stander descendents: They're everywhere you want to be.) More about that later. Off to the cemetery!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Dear?..."(to husband)"... would you make sure the coffee water is hot?...just spilled all over my keyboard..!!"
"impromptu radical mastectomy..."
Hoot! Thank you for the wry, clever description. We have been there. Now, have you found that other cousin, the Russian one?
Torbothertitzoff?

Anonymous said...

I am actually crying with laughter at your description.

Ouch!!! Our doors are supposed to pop open as soon as they touch anything beween them, but hey given the parlous state of the Tube, we are lucky the doors even function at all!

Dear me! (wipes the tears away, still laughing).