London and Brighton

I know I'm a few days behind, but I've just set up my internet here in Loring Hall at the American School for Classical Studies in Athens, so this post will be a sum-up of my UK times, and hopefully this evening I'll have another post about my first few days here in Athens.

It's always such a treat to get to visit Kelly, and this time was no different. I arrived Friday at Heathrow after a lovely Air India flight (I can't say enough about this airline, so I won't even try here), got settled into Kel's flat in Hammersmith, and then we had a really nice day walking and shopping along the King's Road. Obviously, most things were well out of our price-range, but I did end up getting a sun-hat, and in a stroke of genius and jet-lag, decided that I should and could teach Kel to knit that evening. Apparently knitting really isn't hard, or I'm an okay teacher, because it sounds like I have now created a knitting monster who will hopefully making knitting cool for young UK women to do again, just as the trend in the States is now.

Saturday we took a day trip to Brighton, and no, we did not see the Regiment, but it was a great trip nevertheless. The pebbly shoreline was a perfect place to sit, knit, people-watch, and breathe in the luscious sea-air, and the town also boasts the Royal Pavilion, a bizarre Oriental-style Royal palace built in the early 19th century by King George IV, and a free art and design museum. The shops along the boardwalk have many kitchy souvenirs, but also many artists, and I purchased a small oil painting of a white jellyfish on a black background, which I hope to put in a marine-themed bathroom in my new apartment. Also, as you will see in the photos, I found Buster! Well, a white-chocolate version of Buster, but a remarkable likeness that made me miss him even more than I already do. Overall, it was just great to have time to chat and catch-up with Kel, and see a new part of England that I hadn't yet been to.

Sunday we left bright and early so that I could get to Stansted on time for my Aegean Air flight, which went just as smoothly as my first flight, and is where I will leave off this post.