Things That Are Londoney

This weekend was spent in London! Shocker. Time to hit a few of those places that I said, "we'll go to during the winter" to avoid my least favorite things - crowds and lines. Really, you should have seen this city over the summer. Trying to go for a run in Hyde Park or along the Thames Trail became an effort in futility, all tourist dodging and such. Don't even ask me about the lines to get into the Tate Britain, kill me now - no effing way.

Our local weekend started on Saturday with a 7K handicap run in Hyde Park with the Serpentine Running Club. Well GDM-effer if I didn't hurt my foot again...... I think it was our week of hard-core skiing in Austria without enough foot-resting or icing. Then I go out and push hard and get hurt. SHIT.

After the race, I hobbled my way to Churchill's War Rooms. Overall, the exhibits were just OK, especially for the £16.50 it costs to get in (clearly I have been spoiled by all the free museums here). Apparently, Churchill won WWII for the world, interesting how perspective colors history. In any case, it was a very good history lesson since I didn't know crap about Churchill, except that his mom was American and named Jenny (thanks Bill Bryson for your book Home).

One of my favorite spots in St. James Park. 

 

Look kids, Big Ben - Parliament.

 

Sunday we went to the Imperial War Museum. I must have been a bit war-museum fatigued because I breezed through that place. A sign at the beginning of the WWII exhibit said, "The only people that have seen the end of war are the dead" and it sort of got to me. Jeezus. The museum felt a bit like a giant advertisement about how cool war is. I had to skip the "Crimes Against Humanity" and "Holocaust" exhibits, I am naturally prone to depression and generally hating humanity so better I don't see all that business. 

It is crazy that during WWI, 35 million people died. France lost 4.4% of it's entire population, which is why I hate when people diss the French army for their efforts (or lack thereof) during WWII. Dude, they were still reeling from WWI. See the movie The Very Long Engagement for some of that WWI trench warfare horribleness, still a great film because of/in spite of all the war stuff.

Cool planes in the museum.

More planes.

More planes and guns, I am tired already.

 

Dave with some bombs, not sure I'd take my kids here.......

Dave with a big gun.

Devastatingly handsome.

Wow we are in town next weekend too! I can't believe it. I have Cirque Du Soleil tickets for Sunday, can't wait. Peace out.