I am going to write about a new friend today, I had the joy of being able to spend 3 days walking around England with him during our port call there earlier this year. England was just as amazing as I remember it. Green grass, nice weather and friendly people. We pulled into Portsmouth and took a train to London, the big city! My friend had never traveled to England before and was having a great time, and since I had lived here before was a walking tour guide, a wealth of info, people would have paid money for the knowledge I was spouting! Maybe not, but the fact is I like to talk.
We were going to spend a night out in town and I had found a bargain hotel online, in London, for only $30 apiece. We walked off the train and decided we would walk to the hotel instead of take a taxi or bus, it was only a few miles, and it would save us some money besides. If only we knew how far a walk it was to be.
So the intrepid travelers set forth, a bed and shower awaiting them at journeys end. we walked for what seem forever, passing sights like the London Eye, Big Ben, Parliament the list went on. We rounded a arch and found a great long park, we walked by a lot of lovely gardens. My friend who I will from here on out refer to as Mess, was commenting on everything, about the statues, about the color of the stones, about the taxis, about.... Everything... he spews forth more comments than I do info, I just wanted to arrive at the hotel now, soak my feet and close the door, and let him comment about BBC 4 by himself.
We arrived at a very large building after a time, this building I immediately recognized, Buckingham Palace, it is a beautiful palace, and a very easy to recognize government icon of the English Crown. I brought this up to Mess and he discounted my statement saying, "It’s far too small to be the queen’s house. It can’t be, it must be another building." I tired arguing my point, but some people are more stubborn than me, and Mess happens to be the king of those people, possibly the Prime Minister, but in leadership of some kind.
SO we walked debating if I was an idiot or not, he finally made a bet. I couldn't just take his money; I mean what kind of human would I be? He finally talked me into making a bet, .50 pence, so even when he lost he would only lose about a $1.25. We walked up to the front gate, and approached the local police guarding the gate. Mess walked right up to the policeman and asked him what the building was? The officer looked dumbstruck; I mean it’s like someone asking what Pyramids those are in Egypt. He polity told Mess this was Buckingham palace. Mess looked at the Palace and asked him if he was sure, he thought it would be bigger. The policeman replied it was, to which my friend said the most embarrassing thing I could have imagined anyone saying.
He could have said thanks, waved or said nothing at all and just walked off... but no he said, "Oh, sorry I'm an American."
My face flushed red and I walked off as quickly as I could. We resumed our walk, he paid his lost bet, and we finished our 10.87 mile walk to our "Bargain" hotel... turns out 70.00 won’t get you much of a hotel in London. The room was almost 6x6 with a smaller bathroom to the side. But after a long walk the bed was amazing, and that's all that mattered.
The trip was a good one, the food and people were better. I would go back if I had the chance.
As always, hope todays a good one.
austininva
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