Bright Lights, Bigger City

Okay. I made it. On my own in the big city. It's pretty cool, actually. The hostel is kind of just like an enormous dorm... have plenty of experience with those. I got lunch at this mall a block away, which is very convenient. Then I walked down to the British Museum, which although beautiful didn't actually interest me very much. But I knew I had to go, it's on everyone's like top ten list of things to see in London, so at least I did it. Afterwards I took the Tube (which was dumb, it's not a far walk) to Leicester Square to see the National Portrait Gallery. That, I loved. They had an exhibit called "Glamour of the Gods" that was all old Hollywood portraits. Love it, especially after taking my film history pre-1945 class last quarter. There were some really amazing pictures.

I walked through Leicester Square and considered going to see a musical or something, but pretty much nothing is playing tonight. I had to keep ducking into little shops when it began to DOWNPOUR, but it was off and on so I made it back relatively dry. I also stopped in at Blackwell's, which is a chain bookstore kind of like Borders, and perused the Shakespeare section for a little bit. Good stuff. I got a little lost walking home but no harm done.

Like I said yesterday, I feel like I've started a whole new trip. It is so different being on my own, staying in a hostel, no free Tube (I know, poor me), than the month I just had. On the one hand it's very freeing but on the other it's kind of lonely. Definitely a good test for my independence.

Tomorrow: my last full day! Can't even believe it. I'm going to meet Nicole at Madame Tussaud's to FINALLY use our tickets that we bought like three weeks ago, and then rain or shine I'm heading to the Globe to see Much Ado one last time. I know it's a little ridiculous, but I also know that a month from now I'll be sitting home missing London and probably the thing I will wish I could do the most is go back and see the Globe. And if Much Ado just happens to be playing on my last night, oh well, I guess I'll have to go :)