I have learned over the years that you, dear reader, are decreasingly likely to read an entry in this blog as the entry’s length increases. Not wanting my writing to go unread, I have split my five-day journey into a number of succinct parts, the first of which is below



London, Part 1

Can the sun shine in London? On my second day in merry old England, I discovered the answer: not a cloud was in the sky when I woke from a restful slumber.

My sleep had really begun the night before during a performance of Chicago, to which I had acquired tickets at half price. The show was good, but I kept nodding off. Every few minutes, I would feel my head start to fall at which point I would jerk it back to attention. It must have been terribly distracting for my seat neighbors; goodness knows that it diminished my viewing pleasure. Regardless, the sleep from the theater combined with the sleep from my bed to finally shake off my jet lag, and the early morning blue sky foretold an excellent day of tourism.

Being an engineer, I wanted the trip to hit several sights that wouldn’t make the average theater monger’s list: the mechanical clocks at Greenwich, Babbage’s difference engine at the science museum, and a sculpture made from dozens of stoplights. But first, there were several classics to see in the bright light of morning.

The parliament building is directly across the street from the Westminster tube station. Perched atop its north wall, a giant clock proudly displays the time for all that have gathered. I was privileged to hear Big Ben, the giant bell within that clock, while I was milling about the area.

After enjoying the rays of the sun on my face while taking in the beauty of Westminster Abbey, I decided that it was time to head on to Greenwich. But lo, what was that in my path?