London in November - short days, rain, musty old pubs. Wool sweaters, umbrellas, and Wellies. In other words, perfect.
We had a relatively uneventful flight on Virgin Atlantic. I watched Michael Moore's "Sicko" which practically convinced me to move to the UK, or at the very least, Canada. It's hard to watch the rest of the world laugh at our work ethics (2nd only to Asia), worthless dollar, and rediculous health-care system.
We took the Tube from Heathrow and met my cousin Viv in Leicester Square and had lunch at Wagamama. So good, so fast - real food always tastes best after a long flight. Then we took a black cab back to her flat in Highgate. I love black cabs. These are nothing like the taxis in the U.S. - the drivers actually learn the trade of driving and knowing the city. Their training, called "The Knowledge", can take several years, and it is extremely intensive as far as knowing where everything is, especially in Central London. Our driver was great and we caught up on current events (football, government) on the way.
Last night we had dinner with my cousins Robbie & Viv in Islington at a pub called "The Winchester". Cumberland sausages, mashed potatoes, and a creamy pint of Guinness - delicious. Then we met friends (from SF and London) at another pub and had a great time just hanging out and catching up. Being a Londoner means that you spend a good portion of your time out and about - pubs are smoke-free now which makes it so much more tolerable.
