London Day One

Today is a beautiful day in London. Honestly, the best weather I’ve had since Washington DC, if you told me that was going to be the case I would never have believed you. This decent weather is hurting my photos. Unfortunately my camera is easiest carried in a jacket pocket due to size, can’t do that when it’s nice out.

Good weather means go outside, I took the bus to Kensington Gardens to investigate. Ehhhh, not for me. Mostly grass and dead trees. When I see plant life I want to see variety and chaos. With all courtesy to his majesty, what he’s go just isn’t for me. 

I was getting hungry anyway and went off to The Woolseley for breakfast. This is a comically traditional British establishment. A doorwoman in a bowler hat opens the entrance and wishes me a good morning. When they see I am dining for one they offer me the day’s newspaper. I decline, there’s booking to be done. I start my day off with a full English breakfast and a pot of Assam. Damn their traditions, no milk or sugar. Assam is fantastic on its own. Silver flatware, white linens, and a tea strainer I had never seen before in my life. Delicious. I munched on beans and booked seat reservations and hotels for Italy. 

The next stop was the London Transport museum, a museum about… transport in London. It’s run by TFL so there is a heavy focus on public transit and taxi service. Some fun facts…

The oldest tube lines were using steam locomotives underground until about 1910

London had trams, now has no trams. Then they were replaced with trolley busses. The busses were dieselized and are now being electrified all over again.

You could buy a 1st class underground ticket until 1941.

Fun stuff. Continuing the getting around theme, my next stop was the last remaining Moulton dealer in London. The Moulton is an odd little bike made in England, I had one and used it as my primary transport until I was doored on it a few months ago. I’m not bitter. The owner of the shop is retiring next month and has very little inventory. Good for him. He’s been slinging bikes in Battersea for a few decades now and has earned his time out. We talked about the bike industry. He’s disappointed with how little young Londoners seem to care about in person sales and Brompton’s squeezing its dealer network. The most shocking thing he said to me was that Americans uniquely stand out to him as a people who appreciate good in store service and advice. An unexpected compliment.

After a nap I went to Spoons for dinner and a pint. J D Wetherspoons is a large chain of pubs in England. People love to hate it. Just like Denny’s, I figured it was worth exploring. Beer was beer flavored. Curry was curry flavored. Can’t complain there. In search of a decent cocktail before I return to the continent I found myself at Beasy. Cocktails and hot dogs, my speed.

I order a drink at the bar and too soon after that, a stranger takes the seat next to me. I’ve noticed that people don’t go for bar seats here when tables are available. This man was unwell. This “spiritual commando” goes off on a rant about how he’s changing the world. His AI app is going to change everything. Right now he’s tracking down Andrew Tate to convince him to fun it. Yikes. Blissfully he leaves and I am alone again. I hope he finds some meds that work for him. The man to his right who was similarly bothered strikes up a conversation with me. He’s on a business trip to London with his boss. They’ve finished their business and now comes the fun. I’m invited to join.

Americans have a reputation for loud debaucharous drinking but the culture here can take it to the next level. To put it short, we were dined service at a place called “three sheets” and found ourselves in a karaoke room with strangers at the end of the night.

I still don’t know if people walk to the left or the right here.