England!

It's been busy since I got back but time to talk about England!

Thursday, (the 7th) we flew to Bristol.  There was a chatty, very good at English Czech guy with us on the plane.  He liked that we liked Zizkov and bought us expensive plane beer and told us about his life.  A's friend Steve and his girlfriend picked us up when we landed.  Steve had a really cool place, all the houses in Bristol were adorable with their squished togetherness and eclectic doors.  We just chatted and chilled out the first night, reveling in milk and bread that tasted like it should. 

Friday: Rain.  We went into the city which is a pretty cool place.  A needed a big fried English pub breakfast, so that's what he got and he was a very happy boy.  Saw this original Banksy on a wall, ooo!  Went to a super cool music/movie/bookstore.  We met with two of A's friends from university.  They were lots of fun.  Just got a drink and chatted a lot and all headed home.  Steve made chilli and we played Cranium with him and his girlfriend.  Also watched an episode of "East Enders" which is big there.) 

Saturday:  Rain.  We got up, said our goodbyes to Steve, and splurged on a bus to get into town.  Got some more English breakfast type food at a nice little place and wandered around until it was time to go.  Hopped the bus to Plymouth.  He read and listened to music while I mostly looked at the ridiculously green, hilly English countryside.  His parents picked us up from the bus stop, and took us to their huge lovely home.  A's older brother and brother's girlfriend were there as well.  Along with two little kittens, a new addition to the family!  We visited and got tasty fish'n'chips for dinner. 

Sunday:  A's brother is some sort of financial director, but during the hurting unemployed recession months he put together the Tamerton Trail.  A historical walk through their village.  It was really cool and even A saw and learned things he'd never known before.  That evening some of A's parent's friends were having a party to raise money for somebody's marathon for cancer or something.  We all paid "a fiver" and socialized and had drinks.  Some middle aged British guys were controling their middle-aged guy music (mostly American) and they were impressed that I'd seen Tom Petty in concert.  People aren't much different wherever you go I think. 

Monday:  No rain that I can remember!  We took a bus into Plymouth where I ate a pasty, mmmm.  Bought new watches at a magical place called Argos. Looked at the sea.  Went to a favorite place for tea.  Walked along the Barbican.  And went to see Kung Fu Panda 2 since it's dubbed for children here in Prague.  (Alright, not as good as the first one.) 

Tuesday:  We rented a car!  A hadn't driven since leaving and was a little nervous, but quickly got back into the swing of things.  We drove to Dartmoor and got some lunch before going on the moors.  Very very cool stuff.  Just big, windy fields with rocks jutting out and sheep and cows and wild ponies roaming around.  Then we went to a beach called Looe where the water was dirty and freezing and kept moving around what with the waves and all.  I hate the ocean.  A swam and I had a nice time reading on the beach. 

Wednesday:  We still had the car and drove to Lands End, the most western tip of England.  I expected more beach but it was cliffs and rocks.  Could have been a filming location for a pirate movie.  Then to Penzance where A's brother lives.  The very cool girlfriend is a local and showed us around.  Also a coast town, cool historic buildings and houses, pubs.  We got pizza before crashing for the night there.

Thursday:  Rain.  Drove back to Plymouth and returned the car.  A was very relieved he didn't crash it.  We made shepherds pie for dinner and watched Torchwood with the parents and played with the kittens.  Said goodbye to the parents. 

Friday:  Hopped a bus to London!  Long ride, but it was good.  We got there pretty late but found W and H's place pretty easily.  Which was good because according to W:  "It's not a 'dangerous' neighborhood, but you probably don't want to be wandering around with London A/Z out at 11 at night.". 

Saturday:  Rain.  We did typical London touristy stuff.  And the Film Museum, which was alright but not stellar.  The TARDIS and Daleks on display made it worth it.  Found a pub the friends recommended in the pouring rain.  That night we tried going out to a club but got there too late and would have had to wait in line for hours.  I was glad, since I wasn't in the mood for a club.  We wound up going to one of W's friends places and then just back to W's. 

Sunday: More Rain.  Mostly hung out with W, H, and W's sister R.  There was a small festival in the neighborhood of Shorditch.  I've never seen so many hipsters in my life.  No touristy stuff other than a quick nerdy trip to Baker street for me.

Sunday:  Up and off.  I had a lot of fun but was really ready to get back to Prague.  Too bad we brought the rain back with us.  :P

Happy Fourth!

My Fourth of July in Prague consisted of watching Battlestar Galactica with my sci-fi friends, playing Rock Band, and shooting off a single rocket in a drizzly residential street then fleeing from the scene and cracking up with my cohorts.  Pretty good methinks.  Also watched "Independence Day" today.  Such a good flick to  go back to! 

Like I mentioned, yesterday and today were public holidays.  I basically cleaned my flat/room and organized all of my school stuff.  Woohoo!  Teaching one class tomorrow then hopping on a plane and going to England!  I went with my family as a kid and remember quite a lot.  Haven't been there as a legal adult with a genuine British person though.  The plan is basically to eat fish'n'chips, drink British beer, visit the genuine British person's friends and family, and generally wander around.  First, I need to delete old pictures off of my camera after getting them on my computer. 

Hmm, lazy on the updating lately.

Last weekend was a friend's one year anniversary here in Prague.  Much fun was had at the beer garden, then a smaller bar where we might have disturbed other patrons but the bartender loved us.  This weekend has been chilly and rainy.  Lame!  It started on Thursday with a mini-farewell for J who is going to be traveling for like a month, also lame!  Went to a TEFl potluck last night at Letna and met a bunch of new people which was nice.  We had a good view of a random (maybe?) firework show somebody was putting on.  Mostly been bumming around today since it's, yeah, still cold and rainy.  Don't know if anything is going on for the 4th tomorrow. 

I'm barely going to work for the next couple of weeks.  Tuesday and Wednesday are state holidays so some companies are just giving Monday off as well.  I'll work Thursday but then that evening I'm flying to England with the boy!  Back to his natural habitat where I'll learn that "it's not all chimney sweeps and hungry children".  I'll be able to understand what people are saying!  And I'll have to keep in mind that they'll know what I'm saying too.