Saturday, December 30, 2006

Year End Post

Am back in London. Italy was amazing. Visited Rome, Florence, Siena, Venice and Milan. Had the most awesome time ever and I definetely have to go back there. It's crazy that one country has sooo much to see. (Apparently Italy has about 50 - 60% of the World's Heritage Sights). Shall post pictures soon but am kinda lazy right now. Still one of Venice at sunset. More later because I want to write nice long posts to bore everyone with.

The flight back to London was uneventful except that it was delayed and I saw Isabella Rossellini at the Milan airort. In London the trains were not running because it was Boxing Day and I had to take the coach from the airport which took almost two and a half hours to reach Victoria Station. Not to mention the fact that the toilet door in the bus kept opening up and caused a huge stink and everyone was sitting with their noses covered. Even though a gazillion people tried the door wouldn't close, till finally this very beautiful Italian guy (he had hair as great as Pirlo, I tell you) went and kicked the door so hard it stayed shut. He got a huge round of applause from the whole bus as a result. Oh and my cab was waiting at Victoria and left because I had no idea the Gatwick Express wasn't running. And I couldn't call the driver because my phone credit was over and the Vodafone top up lines were down. It was a bit of a nightmare really. But oh well, it ended ok.

London feels almost like home now. Have been here for what seems like eons now. I don't need a map to get around anymore. I remember the general directions and haven't gotten lost yet. The other day I walked from Knightsbridge to the National Gallery without a map and didn't even once think I might be lost! The city is sooo full of life right now its amazing. The sales are going on and it's complete madness. Oxford Street was almost mobbed on the first day and every time you cross Harrods people are spilling on to the streets!

By the way, did I mention British TV is pretty fun? You can see amazingly cool people like Ian McKellen and Peter O' Toole on random TV programs. Ian McKellen was doing some skit thing for some year end quiz show and I was so terribly thrilled. He is awesome! This was reinforced when I saw The Da Vinci Code recently(it was late night, I was packing and wasn't sleepy). Gosh, was it awful. Except for McKellen of course. He is excellent even playing a charector called Teabing. The man can do no wrong. Oh and on TV here 'Fuck' is said more than 'Crap' or 'Shit'. Even on family type quiz shows. That would never happen in the US.

Ok. This post is longer than intended and has no real point. Before I end one last picture. The London sky day before. Quite pretty it was.
And to end, wishing everone in advance. Happy New Year!

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Happy New Year! :) Are you a Steve McCurry fan too?!!

By the time I do get up tomorrow, (in the US), you guys would probably have welcome the new year or would be about to hehe. Interestingly, I never get tired of the time zone messups for events like the new years or festivals. i only wish i could fly around the world every 2 hours and enjoy it 12 times :)

--TAP

Szerelem said...

Oh my gosh! I love McCurry. Love him. My most pized books are three of his that he signed :D

As for time zone....I celebrate my bithday till it is no longer my birth day in any time zone in the wold.

Anonymous said...

Happy new year. Did you get the photos of the fireworks display at the London Eye?? I was too busy taking care of my drunk friends to even reach there. But we stopped to watch it on a TV!

TAP: Sunita Williams celebrated or is celebrating it 16 times

Emma Blowgun said...

Happy New Year Szerlem! Hope you had a great time wherever you were. And I have linked you: you're under 'Fellow Francophile' in the Links section on my be-log.

That Armchair Philosopher said...

@sz - heh thats neat! i adore his work. ever seen the one where he's inside a taxi and there's a beggar woman in red outside a frosted glass window during a rain storm?

@bricks - true that :) in a way. at that height, you're immune to time changes of any sort which exist on earth, methinks

The ramblings of a shoe fiend said...

are you still in town? I never got that email :(

twip said...

In the US you can say 'bitch' or 'bastard' on TV but 'shit' is censored.

Talk about misplaced priorities.

But this is the yoo ess of yae, I cant expect the impossible can I?

Sheesh.

Oh an before I forget, a happy new year to you!

:)

MockTurtle said...

I barely recognize my cousins when they come to visit and you could recognize Isabella Rossellini at an airport?
Happy New Year to you.

Szerelem said...

Bricks: Happy 2007 to you too! I was at a party for New Years so saw the fireworks on TV as well. Was considering going out but the crappy weather and huge crowds made me change my mind. Awesome fireworks display though.

Surly Girl: Thanks! I did have a great time. Hope the rest of the year follows suit. Thanks for the link and pardon my idiotic grumblings :)

TAP: Have seen it! It's the cover of his book South by Southeast. I really like it as well, but its so hard to pick a favourite shot of his. Almost all are really good. Another one I really love is of a group of Rajashthani women in a sand storm. Also one of a Shikara filled with flowers on Dal Lake....see I could go on and on :)
Check this: http://www.stevemccurry.com/main.php

Shoefiend: Next time we must meet up for sure.

Punkster: Happy New Year!
The yoo ess of yae never ceases to amuse me.

MT: Well, only because she almost mowed me down with her bag and kept apologising after that. If it wasn't her well it was her exact, exact duplicate.
And thanks for the New Year wishes!