I think I got the Black Lung Pop
So, on a somewhat gross note I've discovered a downside to London. I had a bit of a cold over last weekend, it's mostly cleared up now thankfully, however I discovered my first day here that when I blew my nose..."It was black?" says Sophia. "umm, yeah" I say. "That's the tube" she informed me.
So, once more, evidence that London is out to get me. I'm uploading the photos from yesterday (although there are far fewer, check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmontosaurus) now and trying to figure out my day. Sophia doesn't work today so the options are pretty good.
Also, before I forget, I wanted to talk about the hardest part of being in England, the whole reversed traffic flow thing. See it's one thing to intellectually know that traffic goes the opposite direction here. It's another to realise just how many little ways that affects your life. For instance when walking here you are always wrong. If you walk on the right, as you would back home, then you run into all the Brits and they mutter about damn tourists. If you walk on the left you run into all the tourists, although then you get to mutter about the damn tourists so that's ok. Basically I weave alot when I walk, which probably just makes everyone think I'm drunk all the time, but it's the only way to keep moving forward.
The other thing is that I keep almost getting run over crossing the street since I keep looking the wrong damn way. Yesterday some guy actually grabbed my arm to prevent me from being run over, which was really nice of him all things being even and I wish I'd taken his picture except he was French and I don't think spoke any english at all so he was gone before I could ask. Oh well. As a weird note though no one honks. I mean the car itself screeched to a stop, but the driver didn't say anything and made no real noise about it. I don't know if they're polite, or I'm scary, but either way it's strange to me that I, clearly in the wrong, am not admonished by anyone.
I've also done some more investigating vis a vis street signs, they do exist about half the time, you just have to know where to look, and hope they haven't been broken/defaced/faded with time since they are never, ever, replaced. Travel by monument is still the only predictable way.
So, once more, evidence that London is out to get me. I'm uploading the photos from yesterday (although there are far fewer, check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmontosaurus) now and trying to figure out my day. Sophia doesn't work today so the options are pretty good.
Also, before I forget, I wanted to talk about the hardest part of being in England, the whole reversed traffic flow thing. See it's one thing to intellectually know that traffic goes the opposite direction here. It's another to realise just how many little ways that affects your life. For instance when walking here you are always wrong. If you walk on the right, as you would back home, then you run into all the Brits and they mutter about damn tourists. If you walk on the left you run into all the tourists, although then you get to mutter about the damn tourists so that's ok. Basically I weave alot when I walk, which probably just makes everyone think I'm drunk all the time, but it's the only way to keep moving forward.
The other thing is that I keep almost getting run over crossing the street since I keep looking the wrong damn way. Yesterday some guy actually grabbed my arm to prevent me from being run over, which was really nice of him all things being even and I wish I'd taken his picture except he was French and I don't think spoke any english at all so he was gone before I could ask. Oh well. As a weird note though no one honks. I mean the car itself screeched to a stop, but the driver didn't say anything and made no real noise about it. I don't know if they're polite, or I'm scary, but either way it's strange to me that I, clearly in the wrong, am not admonished by anyone.
I've also done some more investigating vis a vis street signs, they do exist about half the time, you just have to know where to look, and hope they haven't been broken/defaced/faded with time since they are never, ever, replaced. Travel by monument is still the only predictable way.
posted by Bne | 1:43 AM
2 Comments:
Rilla's Suggested French For Future Photo Ops:
"Excusez-moi Monsieur/Madamoiselle/Madame, Peux-je prendre votre photo, si vous plait?"
I had to cheat. Did I mention I still haven't passed that translation exam?
You can follow that up with, "Je ne parle pas francais," or in my case, "Je ne sais pas si Je parlais francais."
I had the Black Lung when I was in London...it was quite disgusting.
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