Streatham

Yesterday, Monday, I moved into the attic flat (seriously a crawlspace converted into an apartment) of the DU alumni girl I met here. It is very nice of her to let me use her apartment for a week and when she informed me that I might have to turn the dial on the electricity to keep it running, I thought that was some funny British humor..... until I went to her place on Sunday to see it and she showed me this little switchbox with a slot for coins (and a handy tupperware full of pence on the floor next to said switchbox) and told me how to put in some coins and turn a little dial to ensure the electricity wouldn't go off. But really it's a nice little place in Streatham, yet another of the infinite neighborhoods here. The only other drawback is the fact that it's about an hour south of central London and let me tell you, dragging my gigantic fully extended bulging suitcase with a 3600 cubic inch backpackers bag on my back, also filled to the brim, and my precious laptop ("my preciousss...."), navigating through the London underground, then yet another train station - it's this far out of the center - then down the winding streets, being sure not to get run over by crazy drivers, was not the most enjoyable ways to spend my Monday. But I made it and I love having the space to myself. No more hostel for a while. It's fun enough, but not with your entire life in tow.

As for the weekend, I spent Saturday morning strolling up and down Nottinghill. Didn't find the infamous blue door from the movie but had a fun time looking for it and at all the hundreds of kiosks set up. I had lunch at the Prince Albert Pub, and got bangers and mash (translation - sausage and mashed potatoes). It was a lot better than it sounds really! Then I went to the British Museum and walked around the ancient exhibits, the usual Egyptian, Assyrian and Mesopotamian things, you know.. Then I had dinner at the Museum Tavern and this time tried the other British classic - fish and chips and had some local brews. That was really good actually. Walking back to the tube station, I stopped off at another little cafe, where one of my new found friends works (a Spanish girl I met in the hostel, who'll also be staying 6 months to work and study English). I didn't see her, but I had some pudding (which is really cake) that was also quite delicious. Sunday I walked around Hyde park and then went to meet the girl whose house I'm staying in. She and I walked around the south bank of the Thames (pronounced "tems") then made our way up to Trafalgar Square and Chinatown and got lunch at a Chinese restaurant. Then I went home only to go back out again to meet some Bunac people at a place near Trafalgar for some drinks and ice cream. Now I'm going to call and try to find places to live so there's the update for now.