Look Left, Look Right

London is, to put it mildly, an all out assault on the senses. It's a very busy city, and when you attempt to enter the Tube at rush hour in the afternoon, especially at a stop where everyone is getting off rather than getting on, it can be a bit much.

I've been adjusting slowly to life here in the city. Trying as much as possible to blend in. However, as soon as I open my mouth, I'm immediately known as an American. I went to the drug store to buy some benadryl to help me sleep. They only had the brand name. I wanted generic. I wound up leaving in frustration with sleeping pills (which, what do you know, have benadryl!) The clerk asked me, without any prompting "So, do they sell benadryl for help with sleep in America?" Was it George Bernard Shaw who said that America and Britain are two countries "divided by a common language?"

The weather has been nice, after the first day, when it was COLD and windy and rainy. There was some sun out yesterday, and it was cool, but quite comfortable. Nonetheless, one keeps one's umbrella at hand at all times!

What has amused me the most has been the simple things. In one of the above ground tube stations a sign read: "Please do not feed the pigeons. They are a health hazard and a nuisance." At home you get "Don't feed the pigeons." You get the same here, but it's much more polite, and there is an attempt at explaining the reason why! The other sign that makes me laugh is the one painted on the curb at each street crossing. It tells you "Look Left" with an arrow, or "Look Right." I determined that they were fed up with wiping up smashed American tourists, so they painted them there. No idea whether it works or not. I instinctively look in the opposite direction. There's something extremely disconcerting about crossing the street and having traffic come from the right. There's no chance I'll attempt to drive here.

Now that I've found a place to connect to the internet, I'll try to post more often.

Having a wonderful time. Wish you were here!