London...I've finally arrived

Destination London (Westminster to be exact)....via the district line from Kew Garden.  I love the tube!!!  So easy to figure out and the best thing is NO TRAFFIC!  Just hop on and ride.  I've got a straight shot for my debut ride on the tube today which is great.  No connections means less room for missed stops or crossed connections.  30 minutes and I am stepping out into London.  Up the stone steps of the tube station and into the city.  The moment my feet hit the pavement I am stopped in my tracks.  I am overcome by a wave of emotion I wasn't expecting.  As I stare directly up at Big Ben I get goosebumps.  I realize that this is the moment I have been talking about for the past 2 years....taking this adventure to London and experiencing it for a chunk of time.  Well now I am here and it's real!  Ok, sappy moment over...on with the day.
I begin my walk to the Tate Britain (the Tate Art Galleries have 2 parts, Tate Britain and Tate Modern in 2 locations along the river) and realize that apart from knowing the correct tube stop I have no idea where I am going and no map.  I guess I am feeling my way there...Maps are for sissy's...and I just start walking.  Lucky for me the British are so polite and want to make sure everyone is taken care of so there are signs with arrows pointing me in the right direction.

Side note...seriously all the signage is so polite.  Most of the time when I read a sign here I feel as if I am being spoken to by a sweet old lady who is concerned for my safety and just wants to make sure I am alright.  They even write on the ground the correct way to look before you step out into a crosswalk.  If that isn't the most considerate thing ever I don't know what is.  There may need to be a whole separate post about this signage thing.
Ok, back to the walk....I make it to the gallery without any issues and enjoy the stroll along the bank of the river.  The gallery is a lovely tour of British artists from the early 1600's to present.  It's a great look at the different events in Britain's history and how it has influenced art and design.  The romantics was an area that srtuck me the most.  One of the styles of that period was called Skying.  Yes it is exactly what it sounds like...lying on your back, looking at the sky and painting the clouds.  It was really cool to see the different types of views people could have just by looking up.

 After leaving the gallery I wandered into one of the royal parks and saw an adorable man who could have been anyones grandpa sitting and doing a lovely oil painting.  He tipped his had and winked as I walked by saying "lovely day, aye"  And a lovely day it was.  in fact I suppose I need to apologize for stealing the california sunshine and bringing it to England.  It has been gorgeous and sunny everyday since I have arrived.  The Londoners are out in full force enjoying it too.  The park was full of every type from moms and kids, to business men in suits.  There were also your standard couples on the blankets who forget they are in a public locations and take the make out session from PG to PG-13.  All in all the consensus seems to be play in the sun!

Millbrook Park (A Royal Park)

Tate Modern is down along the South Bank of the Thames river so after leaving the park I headed that way.  South Bank is a whole different world. How do I even describe it...It's a bit of Venice Beach, splashed with some fisherman's wharf and just a dash of Disneyland.  Yes Mickey and Minnie were present along with Shrek and a random Viking.  Ya, I know I was totally confused by it all so you will have to be also.  One I got passed all the madness it was quite a beautiful view walking past the house of parliament and seeing all the beautiful bridges.

Start of South Bank

Now let's talk about modern art for a moment.  I appreciate all forms of art but I have a hard time understanding and connecting with modern art.  I just keep trying thinking one day it's gonna click but it just hasn't yet.  If any one can explain it to me I would be forever in your debt.  I really did give it the old college try as I walked through the museum but much to my disappointment I was still not grasping how a slice in a plain canvas was the opening to my soul.  Maybe next time...I'm not giving up!  The really cool thing about my Tate Modern experience was seeing my first real life Picasso, and Dali.  Although nothing in the gallery will top walking around a corner and seeing up close the famous Water lilies by Monet.  I feel like I have grown up seeing that picture plastered on just about anything from mouse pads to coasters to playing cards so you would think it would just be "oh ya Ive seen that before" but, there was something magical about seeing it in real life.  There was a calming beauty to it that I had never felt by seeing it on all the common place items in my youth.

Same spot...2yrs later.  

   As my first day in London comes to a close I sit having a pint in St. Stephens Tavern and reminise once again for a moment.  It was 2 years ago this month that I sat in this same pub at this very table with my best friend and my mom and said I will live here at some point for some amount of time.....Raise a glass with me because it happened (mind you the night here 2 years ago was quite different then tonight but the sentiments the same and that night is a whole different story)
Cheers!