White Cliffs

5/01/15

I have really tried to keep up with the journal, but my body is not cooperating.  Somehow I have managed to get ANOTHER cold and it has slowed my progress.  During my trip to London I have slept more than I have in months back home.  Now I am getting around 10 hours a day and still feel tired. Perhaps this is my body’s way of saying, “Hey – maybe you shouldn’t save all your vacation for a year and instead take it easier with work!”  Anyway, the past two days have been eventful regardless of my health. Yesterday, we made the trek to Dover to see a castle that was originally built on the ruins of a Roman fortification around 43 AD. It was one of the more eventful trips that I took back in 2006, so this trip I needed to drag all my people to the white cliffs of Dover. We took the tube to King’s Cross St Pancras and grabbed a train that took about an hour and ten minutes. The great thing about England is that you can most easily get from point A to B with some form of public transportation.  You are never really left stranded because the Greyhound station closed back in 1973.  You literally can find the most remote part of the map and get there on a super clean/efficient train car or bus. It is quite amazing to a backwards American. Dover happens to be the end of the line for the Southeastern line in the UK. To be precise, Dover Priory Railroad Station is the last station before you smash into the English Channel. From there, you can take a train UNDER THE FUCKING WATER or a ferry to France. On a good day, you can see France from your literal back door. 

            The train, as I said, was clean and not a bump was felt as we went along the hilly English countryside. Trains coming out of London tend to spend a lot of time underground because it is A) faster for the trains to move around and B) doesn’t disturb the natural landscape. Unfortunately, that can make for a somewhat boring train ride because you either see nothing or the side of a grassy hill to your left and right. I will still take that over the delightful smells and sounds from the train when one makes their hellish Amtrak ride through post-industrial Toledo, Ohio. On the train, the four of us took a seat near the bathroom, which we would eventually move from because of potential smells that were in store for us. The men who quickly took our table seemed pretty boisterous for  10:10 in the morning. In fact, I looked around and there were a lot of British people acting not very British. Folks were being loud, chatting up strangers, having open containers of Budweiser before the noon hour. Something didn’t quite feel right. Luckily, there were two police officers in our car, so we felt pretty safe and secure. I thought, “see, this is how a great country keeps its visitors safe!” As we got closer to Dover, the views improved and the tunnels and hills gave way to a darkish calm sea that spanned for miles. In the distance, we spotted the castle overlooking the cliffs and sea. One wonders how much aesthetics go into the building of great fortresses. You want an impervious stronghold, but also something that have wondrous views.  When we had left, London’s famous fog had taken over, but now the sun had burned all of that away. Even though it was early, the sun hung low in the sky. We only had a few hours of sunlight during this time of winter. However, the English consider this to be an incredibly sunny day, so I felt lucky as we pulled into Dover station.  As we made our way to the road, a crowd of men had formed around the taxi stand. We would find out that there was huge football match that folks were drinking for.  Everything made sense.

            We took a taxi up a few steep hills to the entrance of the site. As you walk in through the drawbridge, two green metal doors that are built into the Earth greet you.  The Secret War Tunnels were built in order to house military men during the Napoleonic Wars and span some 7 miles.  They were later used during World War Two as a military command and as a fallout shelter. As part of the tour, you get to go down into the tunnels and learn about Operation Dynamo where hundreds of thousands of soldiers were evacuated from Dunkurk to Dover when the Germans were kicking everyone’s ass in World War Two. The tunnels are pretty small, with a span that four or five people could fit across. While these things were ventilated, one cannot imagine the smells of cigarette smoke and sweat that would have been trapped down there. During one of the tours, you walk through the hospital ward and follow along with a pilot who has shrapnel in his leg. My favorite part is when the bombs hit the tunnel (this is all done through lights and sounds) and the old bulbs in the lamps flicker several times.  I wouldn’t suggest the tunnels if you are the least bit claustrophobic. 

            When we had our fun of the underground, we climbed up some more hills to the next gate and the great tower (the castle) was in front of us. Now, I am not one to be patient when it comes to looking at museums and collections of art. I know what I wanna see and I wanna see it!  So, I tapped my foot as the folks looked at the history of Henry the second and eventually just fled up the steps to the very top. They actually let you up onto one of the turrets that overlook the sea. In a different life, I had planned on proposing to someone at that very spot, so it was kind of a surreal feeling being there some nine years after my first visit. The views were still equally breathtaking with the English country side tumbling into the still waters. For some reason, everything is just that much more beautiful in England. I have been really high up in many places through out the world, but there is something about those nonthreatening hills with their tiny insect sized hobbit homes that pulls at your heart. The cold sea air against your face wakes you up as you eternally scan the horizon back and forth, never wanting to leave. Until some shit kids with no sense of personal space clamor their way up shove their hideous Cheetos stained faces into your line of sight.  Luckily, I was up there with my pregnant wife, so I was able to savor the moment. Someday my shit kid would be ruining other people’s bliss as well, and so I felt alright with the world.

            On the way down, the site was closing and we wanted to get out of there before the sun went down. You know, at the late hour of 4 PM.  Of course the person who said that they could call us a taxi wasn’t there and many a freak out was had, but we decided to suck it up and walk our way down a steep staircase into the town of Dover. While these setbacks would anger or annoy some, it is pretty invigorating to me. Granted, at the time I might be pissing myself with nervous energy, but in the end I am always proud of my skills of getting out of tight jams in new places.  All I have to say is that having a smart phone with a data plan makes foreign travel light years easier than when I was in England last. I hardly ever feel nervous because I can always look up exactly where I am and exactly where I need to go. The future is pretty sweet.  So, it took us about 10 minutes to walk downhill to the train station and we were greeted by the smells of booze and middle age. The train was way overbooked and as the car filled up, more and more men walked by with plastic cups full of beer. Most were precariously carrying at least two plastic cups filled with delicious piss yellow ales as they waddled their way down the train. We were privy to a menagerie of middle aged men that were forced to stand throughout the trip while they drank their beers and sang songs about god only knows what. I was slightly worried, because there were no police officers to save us this time. Luckily, British folks only want to curve stomp other British folks and I even got to sleep a little.

            The next day we slept till 10:30 am or so and my cold became worse…again.  When we finally got ready for the day, we headed out to the Imperial War Museum and checked out their fancy World War One collection.  After that, I forced Deborah to go with me to two comic book shops near Leister Square. I ended up buying comics from both places (support local business!) and feel like I need to go to another one…just cause.  We ended the night by going to The Book of Mormon, which was amazing. We got all dressed up, me in my three-piece suit and Deborah in a pretty black dress.  I am glad that her parents got us four those tickets because I think I have been trying to see that music for what it feels like five years now!  I have a lot to say about the show, but I am coughing a bunch and running out of speed.  Maybe more tomorrow!

We've Gotta Hold on to What We've Got

3/1/2015

So, I had this great plan of writing this amazing daily travel journal throughout my tremendous return to London. It has been almost exactly nine years since my first trip here in 2006.  Back then, I was a fresh faced 21 year old who had only flown once before.  I was quite a bit heavier than I am now, with a girlfriend in Hong Kong.  Now, I am a 30 year old man who has traveled quite a bit of the world. I have a much more athletic build (sweet bod) and a pregnant wife that I have to literally push up stairs.  She has had a bit of a rough go at it, but that is for later.  The point is, I was going to be so inspired by my surroundings, that I would want to write ever detail down and share it with the five or so people who read my ramblings.  My plan didn’t quite turn out the way I wanted.  After a short seven hour flight, we (my wife and her parents) grabbed a shuttle to the airport.  I was totally feeling fine, but tired since I hadn’t slept at all on the plane. Over the holidays, I had suffered a bit of a bad head cold, but I was handling that just fine, or at least I thought so.  We got to our hotel, which is directly across from Big Ben and Parliament. No matter how many times I walk past that building, I will never get over how stunning the clock tower is. Its huge face overlooks the water and sounds its chimes for miles in all directions. The thing is pretty ominous to hear, especially during the later hours. While our room is on the inside and has no direct sun light, the hotel itself has quite an amazing view of the Thames and we are less than a block from Westminster Bridge. While I did manage to walk from the hotel to near Buckingham Palace on the first day, my strength didn’t last long.  I ended up not eating anything and going to bed very early, around 5 pm.  After violently shaking for some hours and alternating between freezing and boiling, I spent part of the night emptying my stomach in the hotel toilet. I do not like to throw up, it is the last thing I want to do, so I was REALLY sick.  During that night, I passed out around the toilet and then crawled to the floor near the bathroom door.  I wanted to be on a more comfortable surface, but I also had it in my head that I didn’t want to get the “baby” sick, so I fell asleep with a towel as my pillow on the rug which has a John Keats poem written in dark yellow cursive letters.  The poem:

Asleep! O sleep a little while, white pearl!

ASLEEP! O sleep a little while, white pearl! And let me kneel, and let me pray to thee, And let me call Heaven’s blessing on thine eyes, And let me breathe into the happy air, That doth enfold and touch thee all about,         5 Vows of my slavery, my giving up, My sudden adoration, my great love!

Contrary to the tone of the situation, I was quite happy to pass out on an English’s poet’s words.  It is quite a literary and British thing to do. So, instead of writing, I spent the first few days trying not to be violently ill.  I didn’t eat for two days, although I think I have made up for it now with all the greasy English food. 

We have been in London for five days and a lot has happened. However, I will just do the highlights for now. We have visited both Westminster Abbey and St Paul’s Cathedral, both spectacular in their own way. I particularly enjoyed the walk up to the top of St Paul with the 360 degree view of London. I have found out that I am not claustrophobic, but I could probably will myself into it if I wasn’t careful. Old London was not built for giants like me. I believe that it is around 500 step (280 feet) to the very top of the Cathedral (Golden Gallery). There is a tiny porthole that you can peer down before you go outside that gives you a terrifying view of the church below you. It can’t be more than six inches wide, but it gives you enough of a scene to make you realize that you are really f-ing high up!  It was a perfect day to make the trip because the sun was shinning, as much as it can in London, and it was relatively warm. There was quite a breeze up there, but it was well worth it to be able to see as far east to Tower Bridge.  Unfortunately, Deborah couldn’t join us up the stairs because pregnant women are advised not to climb 500 steps. While I missed her company, I was glad that I didn’t have to carry her down.  There were parts of the many spiral staircases that only one person could fit. I was a bit wobbly going down myself, so we were better off. 

The night that was really magical for Deborah and myself was New Years Eve. I had enough energy to make it downstairs to the cafe to sit while the others ate breakfast, but I was in no shape to go out to their fancy Italian dinner.  I spent that time feeling gross in the hotel room. Some of you know that we spent New Years in Hong Kong last year and slept through the amazing fireworks show.  I initially was really excited to go, but when I saw the hundreds of thousands of people and the barricades and the lack of bathrooms, I made a game time decision and we headed back to our hotel. We had a nice dinner and went to bed early like the proper elderly couple that we are.  So, this year I had zero expectations and the running gag is that we are going to travel to all of the iconic firework displays throughout the world just so that we can sleep through them. When Deborah was out to dinner with her parents, an American couple approached them and asked if they wanted to buy their extra tickets for the fireworks that evening at their face value (only 10 pounds a ticket).  I received a text about it and ignored it because there was no way that I was going to drag my sick self anywhere - Let alone to a cold bridge to watch some boring fireworks. So of course Deborah came bounding back with 2 tickets.  After a nap, I built up some energy and we headed out to the street at around 10 pm.  Only in London would there be such an orderly line to a New Years Eve celebration.  We went through the line, which was less than a block from the front doors of our hotel and walked around Westminster Bridge for two hours. So, when we faced where the fireworks would be, we looked at the London Eye and had Big Ben to the left and slightly behind us.  It really was the best place you could be in London on New Year’s Eve. Also, it was very different from an American celebration because everyone seemed pretty in control of their faculties, people were for sure drinking, but they weren’t being belligerent about it. We occasionally would smell the skunky skunk, but it wasn’t too overpowering. Both Big Ben and the London eye were brightly lit up with multiple colors. The Eye was constantly changing colors throughout the night, greens, reds, yellows, oranges, etc. It was really easy to get caught up in the moment and I didn’t feel like I was going to throw up or nothin. On of my favorite memories is when the announcer screamed, “You all are gonna go crazy for this next track!  Wait for it…here it comes!” and Bon Jovi’s Living on a Prayer kicked on.  I didn’t realize that Bon Jovi was so big in England…  So, Big Ben plays that iconic Westminster chime ten seconds before the bells toll the time.  It was an amazing feeling to be that close to the clock and to year it strike 12 times while fireworks shot up in the air all around us. The fireworks came from the Thames and off of the London Eye.  At times, the fireworks would spiral off of the eye in the pattern of a circle with different colors and different types of explosions. The energy from the crowd was intoxicating and we kept looking at each other in amazement that we actually stayed up late enough to enjoy it.  After the fireworks ended, we made our way back to our hotel room in about 10 minutes. It is amazing to be so close to all of the things! 

Other things we have done: walked to Russell Square where I went to school in 2006, spent a day at the British Museum, went to a comic book store (Forbidden Planet) and I picked up Mircleman because British Alan Moore wrote it, had fish and chips and beer at The Anchor Pub on the Thames, walked along the Thames at night to the Millennium bridge and back, walked about 8-10 miles a day on average, saw Yoda floating at Leister Square, eat lots of great food at the fancy restaurants in cathedrals and museums, stared longingly at the Prince Charles Theater, went to Portobello Market, and have been soaking up the culture.  I love love LOVE London and feel at home here. I am pretty good at navigating around and remember a lot of my old haunts. I would give anything if I could somehow visit more often. I remember London as a place full of excitement and newness.  When I was 21, I was seeing the world for the first time through London’s old eyes.  I feel a connection with this place that I don’t think I will ever have with anywhere else.  It is kind of like one’s first real love, you will always have some sort of connection. Walking the streets here is like stepping back in time and now I am stepping back into my younger self as well.  I like that feeling. I like remembering things that I had long forgotten; memories that were really important back then and are rekindled through the same steps on the same streets on the same bricks.  London helped shape me into the person that I am today and it is difficult to express the feelings I have here everyday.  I am so happy to be able to share that with Deborah and our soon to be child.  Most of the time, they both aren’t really listening to anything I am saying, but they both mean well.

This is a good time to be alive friends.   

I am very excited for our trip to Dover tomorrow, our plays (Prince Charles the third and Book of Mormon) and the many many walks we have in front of us.  THE BEST!