london

London Optimized Date Trips

London Optimized Date Trips

Random Observation/Comment #162: Relationships start in the weirdest ways, such as sparking a conversation over common interests in Live Action Role Playing (LARP-ing), or helping an old lady cross the street who has a beautiful granddaughter.  I hope my last first-date involves an interesting story that can only be invented by this crazy world of probability.  Maybe we would meet...

London Museum Overviews

London Museum Overviews

Random Observation/Comment #161: I’ve always enjoyed walking unfamiliar museums alone.  My first sweep through the exhibits would become very boring for someone else because I have a terrible habit of reading the descriptions for what I consider “freakin’ sweet.”  After carefully reading the description, I take a picture of it from different angles and try to imagine myself in the...

Aimless Walking

Aimless Walking

Random Observation/Comment #160: True aimless walking can be discovered deep within a park.  Parks are usually much more beautiful during the summer, but the lack of people during the clear skies made it a plausible date location.  The few flowers that I did see got my (camera’s) undivided attention.  It was peaceful walking around while listening to a deep British...

Borough market is delicious

Borough market is delicious

Random Observation/Comment #159: Food truly bridges gaps between cultures.  I live to eat, not the other way around (well, I guess also the other way around, but you know what I mean).  I am not a chef, but I do love cooking and trying new foods.  Tasting the famous cuisines in each of my traveled countries (and also reading my...

St Christopher’s Village vs. International Student House

St Christopher’s Village vs. International Student House

Random Observation/Comment #158: I am a very trusting (and hopefully, trustworthy) person.  I do not stupidly leave my things unattended, but I don’t expect the bad traveling nightmares to actually happen in real life.  Things have disappeared from me that I love, but the reasons for their disappearance have been patched and fixed to prevent future disappearances.  However, more and...

Wait, you went to Catholic Church on a weekday… twice?

Wait, you went to Catholic Church on a weekday… twice?

Random Observation/Comment #157: Our new generation is not one built on religion.  I know some people who would rather praise the next upcoming processor than an invisible man in the sky.  Old routines have maintained the churches, but unless you’re near the Vatican, most establishments don’t seem to be receiving the attendance or donation levels that they used to.  The...

Abnormal weather

Abnormal weather

Random Observation/Comment #156: In planning for my trip to London, I had many day trips that were labeled as “just in case it rained.”  This made up half of the days I planned (for good statistical reasons), but I never fathomed such clear skies for my stay.  The weather was a phenomenon and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to...

Old City of London tour

Old City of London tour

Random Observation/Comment #155: London is rich with stories that simply can’t be captured within those camera angles.  The history is presented in such a hilarious way by tour guides and it adds an extra layer to the architecture and old buildings.  It may be filled with many photographic opportunities, but I really suggest devoting a bit of your attention to...

London Drinking Adventures

London Drinking Adventures

Random Observation/Comment #154: I am used to being the only Chinese person in the crowd of mixed culture backgrounds, but never have I been in a situation that has brought me to hate another person with such a passion over racial confrontations.  I look back on it now and laugh, but the bouncer at the door just had that tone...

Because it’s really far underground

Because it’s really far underground

tube.. wait.. underground.. hell, I don’t know anymore.. Random Observation/Comment #153: The comparison between public transportation systems in different countries really expresses much of the culture and ingenuity of the engineers when these systems were built.  I’m not going to lie; the New York MTA transit sucks.  The map is intuitive, but the trains don’t seem to follow a schedule...

Free Tour? I’m down

Free Tour? I’m down

Random Observation/Comment #152: I am usually a tour-guide’s (and worried parents’) worse nightmare when it comes to sight-seeing.  When I was younger, I would have unstoppable urges to walk around at my own accord during tours.  Like a dog determined to sniff that particular hydrant or corner of the building, I would wander and find the next interesting thing that...

A Ta-te of Modern Art

A Ta-te of Modern Art

Random Observation/Comment #151: Modern art confuses me, but I still go to the exhibits and spend hours walking the intentionally-angled light sources and minor details with hopes that I will somehow become enlightened.  I heard somewhere, sometime ago, that modern art is supposed to be about your first reactions and how the specific piece makes you feel as time passes. ...

Planning is overrated

Planning is overrated

Random Observation/Comment #149: I am a compulsive planner.  I like to know what I’m doing for the day and how I reach specific destinations with a large array of possibilities and expectations.  You would be surprised/disgusted at how much I’ve exhausted my technological resources (Google Street View, Google Maps with Images, and Google Earth have been the slide-rule of traveling). ...

London Greets Me

London Greets Me

Random Observation/Comment #147: London is surprisingly similar to Manhattan.  I was trying to notice particular differences in dress code, train etiquette, bluntness factor, and humor levels, but I found it very difficult to get a general consensus.  I made the mistake of trying to break my stereotypes by forming new, yet slightly more positive and generic stereotypes.  Although this was...

I’m alive

I’m alive

I don’t have time to write because this has been an amazing start to my life journey.  London is absolutely beautiful, and the weather has been merciful.  I have seen some gloomy skies with some moist humidity, but there were some clear sky days that have been exceptional for my camera obsessions.  It’s been 4 days and I’ve already taken...

London – Bad Food, Worse Weather

London – Bad Food, Worse Weather

  Random Observation/Comment #137: Whenever I think of London, I think of Shanghai Knights with Owen Wilson and Jackie Chan.  I’m always afraid that I’ll meet a very good looking girl with ugly teeth there.  Do they just have bad dental plans? *shutters* Poor dental hygiene is a deal breaker.  I’ve also learned from this movie that I should never...