Mobile Photos

I haven't busted out the ol' Canon in a long while, even though I keep meaning to. One of these days I just need to go to Camden or Brick Lane or Portobello Road and take cliche artsy pictures of all the neat market stalls. Every time I go anywhere in London I lament not bringing my camera, but it's such a heavy gadget and it's a hassle to deal with. I know, boohoo, but going anywhere in London is a trek and I hate lugging stuff around.

I still take pictures with my phone, though! So I figured I'd share some of the decent ones here. There was one particular night before Christmas, I believe it was 7 December, the night of the Sherlock screening at the BFI. There was a German Christmas market on the South Bank, and a beautiful sunset behind the Houses of Parliament. Took a billion photos on my phone but forgot to share them! So, enjoy.

Such a beautiful evening. Carousels, the London Eye, Big Ben, and an incredible sunset reflected in the Thames.

Portobello Road on a Saturday afternoon.

Showing off my new earrings from New Look.

Street performer just off Portobello Road. Look at the crazy guy dancing by him! I love it.

Watching the rain on my way to Uxbridge a couple Wednesdays ago.

Watching New Girl after class, with bread and potatoes for dinner: filling and cheap as hell! And the Sherlock Holmes cameo Shaun got me for Christmas; I love it so much!

Night Fog

Are you tired of Big Ben photos yet? Better not be, 'cause have I got news for you! There are a few of them in this post.

A couple weekends ago Shaun and I went to the Lord Mayor's Show, which was basically a really long and excitingly British parade followed by fireworks over the Thames. It was super fun and dorky, and I took about a billion photos of the parade, some of which I will post here when I feel like sifting through all of them and picking out the good ones. After the fireworks we went to a pub Shaun had been to before and had many ciders and delicious veggie soup with bread and butter. Can I just say, the English have got the food thing down! You hear so many things in the States about how English food sucks, but they are wrong! English food rules. So there.

Anyway, on the way to the pub I took a few night shots, and then a couple hours later a nice heavy fog had settled over London. It was so beautiful, so I took a billion more photos. The Eye was particularly striking. I'll let the photos do the talking, though.

Evening in London

Went into the city again yesterday and met up with Shaun to see Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy at the Odeon in Leicester Square. First thing you need to know: Leicester is not pronounced "Ly-chester", but rather as "Lester". Luckily they have an automated voice telling you this on the tube, otherwise I'd have made an idiot of myself I'm sure. Although I assume Shaun doesn't mind my occasional bumbling mispronunciations!

Second thing you need to know is: Movies in central London cost a fuck-tonne. (Notice how I spelled "ton" in the British way, lawl, I'm hilarious.) That's right. A giant massive fuck-tonne of monies. In a fit of masochism I googled "how many dollars in 16 pounds" and came up with about $24.64. For one movie! I can tell you now that I won't be doing that very often. Luckily it was totally worth it, one because the movie was awesome (even though we weren't sure exactly what happened in it) and the theater itself was an experience, and two because BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH. I think 90% of Shaun's and my conversation revolves around this poor man. He's our patron saint of fangirldom. So really, it was a $24.64 well spent because we got to see Bennie wearing nice suits with powder blue ties for two hours.

After the movie it was pretty much evening so we wandered through Soho to Covent Garden and finally found a place to eat. We both got spaghetti bolognaise, Shaun's with a Pimm's and mine with a pint of London Pride. Warning, London Pride is a mediocre beer that tastes vaguely skunky. It was drinkable but only just. Do not buy.

Here are a few photos I took yesterday evening, one of China Town (which is incredible at night, it turns out), and then the Eye and Big Ben and Westminster Abbey all lit up. I didn't bring my Canon into the city so these are just on my crappy point-and-shoot, sorry, but I'll do this again later and get some nice long-exposure photos of Big Ben.