28 May 2016
Washing and walking
Exploring Southbank in London
My day started at 6am as always, bright and early to do my washing. Having done my research and collected my change, this went off without a hitch.
The dryer was awesome. A huge drum that dried all my clothes with almost cold air (I had it turned all the way down) in under half an hour.
The laundry was full of old people who socialise there, some turned up just for a chat, they had no clothes to wash.
After returning my now clean clothes home, I found out my room includes breakfast in the rate. Since I saw a sign saying this was 20 pounds ($40) to purchase if its not in your room rate, I thought I should at least try it.
I wouldnt have paid $5 for it. The only edible things were toast and jam. There were people with mountains of beans and cheap horrible smelling sausages, and of course chips and tater tots or whatever you call them, because thats what you need for breakfast.
I then set out for one of my huge walks, 30,000 steps huge, and I have a further huge walk planned for this evening. Dont really have any funny stories to tell, town was generally very quiet, although I saw a bunch of middle age drunken women starting their hens night at 10am carrying full sized anatomically aroused fully inflated sex dolls with them.
Oh and also, British word of the day / month / whatever is 'cheeky' everything comes with or is a cheeky something. For example you can buy a pork sausage and get a cheeky pint for free, or you can get a pair of flip flops and get a cheeky tank top for free. Or you can buy a length of copper tube and get a cheeky 1/4 inch bolt for free.
My washing machine. Probably the best visit to a laundry I have ever experienced!
This is Covent Garden. It has a few closed off streets and an undercover art market that was very popular even early in the day.
The market itself, although this isnt the busy bit.
Me, upon reflection.
I bought some licorice, because I like licorice a lot, except in England its called Liquorice, I think. It was cheap and good to chew on whilst walking.
This is the mighty river Thames. As history buffs will know, its where Hitler sailed the Bismarck to start World War 1 by killing Henry the 8th.
After crossing the Thames I was at Southbank, relevant because I live at Southbank in Melbourne these days. Not sure what this place is exactly, but its in Southbank so theres that.
London decorates mundane things with crests, shields, seals and secret handshakes.
I risked going to jail by photographing other peoples children hanging out with scary bubble man.
Then I found Burrough market, a place I had not been to before. Very busy, and nearly all food.
The market is right near The Shard, which was not here last time I visited. It is the tallest building in the European Union, but only the 87th tallest in the world. Europe sucks.
Back in the market I decided to try some fudge.
Then I smelt the cheese.
Then I was amazed because they char grill entire wheels of cheese and scrape runny bits off onto stale bread and throw it at poor children. It was a bit terrifying.
Then I saw an actual gallon of mayonaise with a high flow delivery system for passers by who didnt have enough mayo with their fudge. It was time to flee.
Heres the tower bridge, with the battleship still there. I have been on that ship, its a floating museum and excellent.
I stopped for a healthy salad for lunch. It still had some mayonaise but I chose the option with the least mayonaise. It was quite good, but a case of find the chicken because you didnt get much, a bit like the beef in the pho in Manchester 2 nights ago.
Nearer Liverpool station is whatever this market is, which is shut. Actually everything up this end of town apart from Starbucks which everyone uses as free public toilets was shut.
I passed by the gherkin.
I am amazed they were allowed to knock this down and leave just the facade. One day, centuries from now, we might have facades in front of facades in front of facades.
In London its acceptable to let a dozen drunk people without helmets ride a group bike up the streets between double decker buses.
And if you live here, you need to stay up late to put your rubbish out. I am basically never awake at 11pm so I would not be able to live here.
Heres the Harry Potter train station I think?
And inside is the Eurostar, which I have been on to Paris. Notable because when I went on it I hung out in the dining car and a person who smelt bad and had 2 bodyguards and appeared to be Johnny Depp was also in there drinking black coffee.
Notable today because he has just had a restraining order served on him for bashing his soon to be ex wife who just divorced him. He didnt bash anyone on the Eurostar that I noticed.