I awoke this morning to Lauren kicking my legs-- “Surprise! We're late to the National Gallery!” I jumped up, threw on some clothes and makeup and grabbed my bag. We ran to the tube and caught the train to Trafalgar Square. We were about a half an hour late to meet Lauren's Canadian friend, Pat. We called several times with no avail, so we sat on the steps of Trafalgar and waited for her to call. We discovered that she was waiting in the very long queue for the Davinci exhibit. This was the queue for the tickets, not the actual exhibit. After almost toppling over with my large bag on the tube, I volunteered to wait with the bags so that the pair could grab some coffee.
As the line moved forward, I carried Pat and Lauren's bags, but kicked my large bag through the line. The verdict was in-- packed WAY too much. I was afraid all morning on the escalator that someone would accidentally knock me over and I'd demolish everyone on the way down like a giant American bowling ball. What's worse- I'd probably get to the bottom of the stair and be stuck on my back like a capsized turtle and need about five people to pick me back up.
We go midway through the line and I realized I needed to purchase my bus tickets. I left the pair with the bags and ran down the street to get some WiFi at the Starbucks. I came back with a 3pm reservation. Lauren and Pat had finally made it inside the museum and we went to check our bags at the museum. Fun fact: you can find a local museum and get them to hold your bags for free while you peruse the town- because that was exactly what we did.
After Pat and Lauren had bought their tickets, we went through the free part of the museum. My bus was leaving too early, so I wasn't able to see DaVinci. We wandered through the regular part of the museum and it was absolutely breathtaking. So many paintings I'd seen in classes but never got the chance to see in person. Van Gogh flowers, Monet lilies, Velazquez royalty among many other famous pieces.
I discovered in the museum that Pat was one of the most interesting characters I've met in a while. She is currently organizing the first annual South Asian Film Festival in Vancouver. The festival is receiving international attention and she has been successful in raising money for the festival. She is also one of the most inspiring people I've ever met for the accomplishments she's made. As she put it, she raised over a million dollars from her pj's while she was in chemotherapy. An incredibly strong woman. Originally from Glasgow, studied Asian studies at a small university in the UK. Moved later to Japan and then became a professional horse photographer who photographed horses at the Kentucky Derby. Never a dull story was told by Pat.
While we were at the museum we stumbled upon several tour groups- but one stuck out in particular. An elderly gentleman who looked a lot like Anthony Hopkins and the attitude of an actor and the knowledge of a professor was showing a group about some of the paintings. He was quick to point out some of the underlying meaning of the paintings and showed me some of the different things that we would have never caught about the paintings. Even though the man was an elderly gentleman, he sure could book it from one painting to the next. We had to really move to keep up with him.
In between paintings, Lauren and I sat down to look around in some of the galleries. I've never been one for art- I always use my science mind as a crutch when it comes to the creative things. But, for once, I took the time to soak in the ambiance of the gallery. I sat in front of some of the most famous paintings in the world- so much history and so many stories about the artwork.
After the tour dispersed, we headed to Wagamama- a Japanese noodle bar. This was a progressive noodle chain in the UK that specialized in ramen noodles. I was a bit leery because Ramen noodles in the states are the discusting ten cent noodles you buy when you're broke. Pat took us there and explained that she was obsessed with Asian food and Lauren said that she loved Wagamama. The restaurant was unique in that there were about five large tables with benches, where many people were sat. You took orders and they wrote your orders on your placemat and the wait staff brought them to you as they came out of the kitchen, not in parties. I ordered the Wagamama Ramen with several types of meats-- fishcake, tofu, grilled chicken, shrimp, and grilled fish. It was delish! Much, much better than packaged ramen.
We left lunch and went back around to the museum to pick up my bag. I said farewell to Pat and planned to see Lauren that evening. I walked through Trafalgar Square towards the station to make it to Victoria Coach station. I was just in time for the 3pm bus to Manchester.
Now, I've taken Megabus several times when I did my trip with Sam Kiley. The first bus we took from DC to NYC was crowded but comfortable. The second bus from NYC to Boston was very spacious and even had free WiFi. The third bus- a red eye from Boston to DC- was terrible. There were a group of about fifteen college-aged French girls who were so loud we couldn't get any sleep.
I boarded the bus, praying I'd get my own seat. I wasn't so lucky. There was a man next to me who I didn't really speak with, a man behing me who was listing to Nicki Minaj so loud through his headphones you could hear it three rows up, a guy in front of me reading a Playboy the entire trip and lo and behold, a group of loud French college-aged people to my right. Still dead tired from the jet-lag, wanting to sleep, but no mercy from the French.
There was a ton of traffic on the way north out of London. It's so fascinating-- but it gets dark at about 4pm. Maybe this may explain why the British are such depressed people. We stopped about halfway through to pick up someone who got on the wrong bus to Leeds. We arrived at Manchester probably about an hour later than we should have- about 8:30. I still had to take a train to Macclesfield, where Lauren lives.
I walked the half mile towards the Manchester Picadilly station and bought a one-way toward Lauren. A kind couple let me borrow their cell and I got ahold of Lauren to get a ride from the station in Macclesfield. The train took maybe twenty minutes and she was waiting at the bottom of the stairs at about 9:30! Lauren comes twice in two days to save the day!!
I pile my giant bag into the car and start to go get in her Honda.... on the wrong side. Whoops! Still not used to the backwards cars. We make our way through the small mill town and toward her house. I walk in to meet her Mom, her mother's boyfriend, and Lauren's kitten!! Lauren (like Maggie) is obsessed with cats. We had some pizza, skyped Maggles, and headed to bed for a much needed rest.
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