This Little Piggy Loves Markets

I laugh at plans, hahaha. I decided the Isle of Wight would have to wait, I had to see London first (and this way I got to sleep in). So instead, I went on the London Eye, found Borough's market and stole a chocolate, found a book market under a bridge and maybe stole 3 books, or maybe took them for free which was maybe the purpose? I found the Globe and Rose theatres but I didn't have my student ID so the Globe tour will have to wait. Crossed London Bridge, which did not fall down, and climbed the monument.

The London Eye was 17 quid and it was dreary and not worth it. Want to see London from up high? Pay 2 quid (student price) and feel accomplished after climbing over 300 stairs.

Sunday the Globe theatre is open for Shakespeare's birthday celebration, and a festival is being held. Hopefully I will make it back from rock climbing with Scottish Chris in time to attend, but if not I will take the tour with my student discount.

Despite it being cold and rainy I enjoyed the walk and made a couple friends on London bridge. Clare and Sarah from Iowa who are studying in Dublin. Perhaps I will meet up with them next week. I also made friends with a guy on the street (who I believe was named William, but something tells me I am confused). He was trying to sell me a clean conscious, but all I had to give was a tangerine. He told me I was lovely and I told him I was sorry his eye blood vessels burst. Don't even know what his charity was for, but hello if you are readying this maybe-William!

Then I went to dinner with my FIRST COUSIN ONCE REMOVED (thanks Dad), Cynthia, and her husband John who came in today from Cairo. He works for Coca-Cola. We went to a Japanese restaurant which was lovely, aside from the homeless man who pounded the window as he passed. I had glorious sushi.

Afterwards I raced to Leichester Square to watch a Burlesque-esque variety show called La Clique and made friends with a couple satff member, Nahil(?) and Victoria and a fellow audience member, Alex who bought me my first Cosmopolitan. Yummy. The show consisted of a large black man in Spandex and wigs singing in a lovely baritone, a comedic "Swedish" magician, a nudist magician, and some insane acrobats. It was wonderbar! I ahd to take a taxi home because it was too late to catch the tube, but well worth it.

Tomorrow I will hopefully make it to Stratford-Upon-Avon, Camden market, and a showing of As You Like It in the Rose theatre. Afterwards I will either go out with Katherine (who is actually my second cousin - thanks, Dad) in London, or Chris in Bristol and stay the night out there so we can hop up in the morning and go rock climbing. That conversation went so:
Chris: "Do you like rock climbing?"
Me: "Guess we'll find out."

I was sad to learn that apparently York is very sketchy at night and maybe not a place I want to live. But then Megan Arant's comment re-heartened me and I think I can handle it. The plan stays in place! (Hahaha, "plans")

Also, I booked a flight from Dublin to Amsterdam on freaking Ryanair. What a drag, but it is cheaper and way less time than trying to cross the UK and do all that ferry stuff. Ryanair is like that creepy boyfriend who you think makes hairdolls of you, but you need to keep him around to make rent.