I spent a nice day Thursday in Bath all by myself. I found that being by yourself as a tourist is actually kind of nice. You don't have to consult someone else every single time you want to turn a corner, and you can do whatever you want whenever you want, without having to compromise. However, it's not something I plan to do very often. Bath was really pretty and nice, but definitely seeable in one day. I was only there for 5 hours or so, and I felt pretty satisfied with my experience. Basically if you like Jane Austen novels, Bath is great, cause two of them take place there. Even if you haven't read them though, it's obvious that the city was in it's prime during the days of ball gowns and calling cards and tea. It hasn't changed much since then, so it's kind of like going back in time a little bit. I am uploading photos right now, though I'm afraid they're a bit boring because there aren't any people in them. But that's what happens when you travel alone.

Yesterday Jessie and Denver came home from Paris. We went out for Indian food and hung out on the giant couch again. This afternoon we went to Notting Hill. Just a few more days until Scotland with Jessie! We have our bus tickets and hostel all booked, and I can't wait! I have ben dying to go to Scotland all year and now I am finally going. I hope I see lots of furry cows.

Happy Birthday!

Well, I suppose I have been really neglecting my travel blog, and I'm sorry about that, assuming any of you actually care. To be fair, I haven't had much to report. Life has been a bit dull lately, as most people have already gone home or are out of town a lot, and I have been spending a lot of time alone. It seems like I've established a pattern--sunny days are spent wandering aimlessly around the city, and rainy days are spent reading in cafes. cloudy days, I suppose, are spent doing some combination of the two.

For example: two days ago, I was woken at 1:45 PM by Denver, wanting to go to the Borough market. I dragged myself out of bed, got dressed, and walked over there (about a 20 minute walk) with Jessie and Dan. There I spent an exorbitant amount on olives and feta cheese, sampled lots of bread and olive oil, and ate a piece of rose-flavoured turkish delight (tasted like soap, gross). [oh my gosh, I have to stop here to say that the previous sentence is the first time I have ever used a british spelling of a word without noticing at that moment that I was doing it. I am a true Londoner now. So proud.] Anyway. After that we walked along the south bank. It was really crowded because this is a three-day weekend, again, and also because there was some sort of BMX bike competition going on in front of the tate modern. We walked all the way back to where Jessie and I live. Currently, at that spot on the river bank, there is a giant green couch and two giant green armchairs. I'm not sure why, but some awesome person decided it would be fun to have a giant living room in the middle of London, and I totally agree. We hung out there for a while, and then Jessie left. Denver and I continued to wander west, stopping once in a while, all the way to the Lambeth bridge, where we stopped to have a drink in a floating cafe. then we crossed the bridge, walked past the paliament building, around parliament square, to St. James park. Then down the mall to Trafalgar square, down the strand, back to waterloo bridge, over the bridge, to my flat. For those of you who have never been to London, the day's journey was basically a giant figure 8 in the most scenic part of the city. Anyway, then we bought cans of beer, went back to the giant couch, and sat watching what we decided was as good at a giant TV--people walking past, the river, buses going past up above on the bridge, the sky getting darker and darker until finally, at 10 PM, it was dark, at which point we got cold and wound up in the George as usual.

As a contrast, today I also woke up somewhere between 1 and 2, to find that it was raining and miserable outside. However, I was determined to do something productive, so I decided to go to the library and pay for the book I lost in Paris. I set out through the mist, rationalizing that rain is part of the london experience and maybe I will miss it in a couple of months. Halfway over the Thames, when my umbrella blew inside out for the second time, I decided that this notion was absolute rubbish, and cursed myself for having ever left my bedroom. However, I was determined, and made it all the way there before remembering that today is a holiday, and the library counter is therefore closed. As a consolation I stopped at Cafe Nero on the way home, had a black americano, and read for a while.

My life is a series of extreme highs and lows at the moment. The idea of going home is nice and comforting. But the idea of leaving London makes me sick to my stomach. I don't know when I will be back here again, and when i do, it won't be the same. It's like buying a new pair of rainbow sandals, only sadder. It's like the city itself is a person who I've grown close to, and now I will never see them again. That was a really corny way of putting it, but it's the best I can come up with at the moment.

Jessie and Denver are going out of town again tomorrow, so I am gonna be all alone until Friday. I think I might go to Bath for one of the days. Other than that, I have no plans other than to watch the USA vs. England soccer game, and cheer shamelessly for the yanks. It will be so, so funny if we win. bahahaha. Next week Jessie and I are supposed to be going to Scotland, and the week after that, I'm going to Germnay, It will al be over before I know it, and that is pretty crazy.

Damn you rain, you've foiled my plans once again! Stupid sun led me into a flase sense of security. I actually thought I was not gonna spend my week inside a cafe nero! well, I was going to tell you what I did today but I seem to have already given it away. wake up, california! I want to talk to you!

Well, it's warm now. In fact, on certain days one might even venture to say hot. The black stockings seem to have vanished overnight, and the men don't wear their ties anymore (maybe they put them on when they get to work, I'm not sure). It's been nice to be able to release my inner california girl; I feel much more like myself in my cutoffs and flip-flops, and I've even got some color on my previously pinkish white arms and shoulders now. People seem to make the most out of the sun here, and while this usually leads to cute sundresses and things, some questionable fashion choices have definitely been made. I mean, it's only in the seventies. Do you really need to walk around shirtless? Are the manpris really necessary? Does your skirt really need to be that short? I don't think so. Also unnecessary is the announcement on the tube telling you to carry a bottle of water, and to wait until the next stop to seek assistance "if somebody is taken in."

The fact that it's almost summer also means tourists. Tourism used to be limited to the weekends, which was fine by me since I rarely leave my flat on the weekends anyway. But now, every day is tourist day. And what's worse, every place is a tourist place. They no longer limit themselves to the obvious locations. They're everywhere! Stopping dead in the middle of the sidewalk to look at their maps, taking pictures of the most mundane things, looking overly pleased to find themselves on the underground. All I can say is I don't think I will be missing out on much this summer.

I am now totally done with class and have about a month to kill before going home. Mom left yesterday, and Jessie and Denver are currently in Rome, leaving me virtually friendless for the next three days. So far I have spent my first day of summer vacation by sleeping until 2 PM, doing some laundry and cleaning, and watching sex and the city online. Not bad. Let's see what I come up with tomorrow! If it's still sunny I will probably go check out a book from the library that I actually want to read (such a novelty!) and take it to the park.

so apparently may day is a federal holiday in france, and most people take a four-day weekend. meaning what seems like the entire country is here in paris for the weekend along with the usual springtime tourists. I have never felt so claustrophobic in my life. the people. they're everywhere.

the best thing i have done in paris by far is visit oscar wilde's grave. I am not even a huge oscar wilde fan but man that was so awesome. i wrote a quote from him in lipstick and kissed the tomb--I'm not a freak by the way, evryone does it; the thing is covered in kisses and writing. It's so cute. we also looked at jim morisson's which was super lame and i didn't understand what the big deal is at all. Like, are all those people really that into jim morisson? I did however find it hilarious that the starbucks here sells The Doors Greatest Hits. lol. ok maybe it was just funny for me. the french keyboard confusion really hinders creativity, sorry.

In other news, last night for dinner I had two crepes. NICE.

mom has already described all of our activites on her blog, so that's all I have to say for now!