It's been a week and we're still alive and we're not broke (yet)

Our first week in London is coming to its end. So far, so wonderful. 

We've spent our days laughing too loudly to the jokes made by our university's faculty members (who are all apparently professors/administrators by day, stand-up comics by night) during study abroad orientation meetings, walking miles and miles throughout the city (stopping every couple of hours for a cup of tea or shared meal of Indian food), and spending time with family and new friends (I swear we're in the process making some--despite my photos being of only Rachel, myself, and strangers).

Here are a few thoughts I've had in the process:

Rachel and I were destined for the pub culture. Sing-alongs are welcome, bar tenders sometimes change into Buzz Lightyear costumes, good conversation and better company is the objective, and it's all over by 11 p.m.

So many people in London are in love and those who are in love are really in love.  

According to Archie (cousin here), London, as a working culture, is the most similar to the United States--the only significant difference being their standard 25 days of paid vacation relative to our 10 days of paid vacation. It's what deters Londoners from moving to the States. We need to change that--you're supposed to work to live, not live to work. 

There's a weird gambling chain here (it looks like a CVS but contains much more excitement than the sale of gum and prescriptions) called LadBrokes. Silly, right?!

They like me here! 

What it looks like when Rach crosses the street here.

At an American style diner in Notting Hill. Everything was pretty accurate, except their portion sizes and...

...this! $18 for a box of Fruit Loops. 

Across the street from Parliament--a bunch of peace protesters, camped there since the British invasion of Iraq. 

Westminster Abbey

Probably the least silly of the photos we took outside of Parliament. Not shown: our yoga poses and cartwheels.

And again.

Sunny day in Londontown

Green Park

On tap for this week: a trip to Windsor, a trip to Canterbury, visits with some old friends who are in town, continued exploration, see a show, attend a service at Westminster, find free meals.

(Dad, next time I'm with Archie and Cashel, I promise I'll take a picture!)