LONDON

OK. Im Here! I arrived as scheduled around 6 p.m. yesterday local time.  London is very beautiful and again, very different from the other places I have seen.  Last night I searched the city high and low for a place to stay, and as they say, "seek and you shall find".  So from tonight until the end of my trip, Ill be staying at the Picadillo Hostel.  Nothing too exciting to report.  Last night I tried to take the girls out for a night on the town and they forgot their id's... so instead, we had a night in on the town :) No Problem.  I found a nice little cafe in a super market that has internet so hopefully I can get some pictures of all three of us posted (I can take a photo with my computer cam).

 Experience #1: Last night we got all dolled up to go out and as stated above, no go.  But, we did get a taste of our lack of fashion for the night clubs.  So we all decided we should wash our best clothes so they were fresh for our night out tonight.  The girls went off to some place today that I couldn't get tickets too, so I offered to take the clothes and wash.  I found a little launder mat and there is where my story begins.  I didn't have any change, and I was in a neighborhood area so the closest business to ask for some was two streets down.  So i walk to it and ask the gentle man for some change.  Its a small taylor shop and apparently the guy owns both the launder mat and this shop.  He barks at me in very broken English:

"WE DONT HAVE CHANGE, IF WE WANTED TO GIVE OUT CHANE, WE WOULD INSTALL A CHANGE MACHINE!!"   

I ask him if he didn't provide change then how does he expect people to use the facilities.  But anyhow, he provides me with 5 pounds change and informs me thats all I get and to put everything in one wash bin because I wont have enough money to use two!!  So I abide, and shove it all in one.  Half way through my wash the machine stops and is locked so I cant get my close.  I walk all the way back to the taylor shop and tell the man the situation, and he sends a lady down to help me.  She examines the machine very close and tells me to get it to finish its cycle i need to insert another 2 pounds! I look at her and think very hard about the correct words to use.  Finally, they come to me:

"With all do respect Ma'am, THATS BULLSHIT!"  

I tell her I want her to release the door latch and I will take my sopping wet clothes elsewhere.  She says she cannot do that, but that she will "try" to reset the machine.  She does and my clothes finish ... then I go to dry.  Half way through my dry cycle, Im sitting writing out a card, and a man tries to use a dryer that is appearently out of order.  She barks:

"THAT ONE NO WOK!"   and casually picks up a basket opens my dryer, pulls all the clothes out and throws them on the floor and then she says to the man, 

"USE THIS ONE" Im livid at this point and tell her those are my clothes and ask what kind of business these people are running.  I demand that she put my close back and that if there not dry by the time that the timer goes that she will pay for them to finish drying.  She just stares at me and i say 

"IM WRITING YOUR CHOP SHOP UP ON TRIP ADVISER!! AND YOU BETTER PRAY NO ONE READS WHAT I WRITE.  AND YOU SO MUCH AS TOUCH ANOTHER ITEM OF MY CLOTHES AND IM REPORTING YOU TO THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU@!"

Luckily she didn't respond by saying thats the BBB is only in America.  I would have felt very stupid.  

Alas, My clothes are cleaned and after sharing the story with two beautiful Brazilians I met today, and now you all, I have re-reached my zen and back to good vibes.  Off to find the place to be tonight.  

P.S- Like my new white sweater I'm wearing?

P.P.S - I have one note of very sad news to report:  I have experienced my very first theft against me.  I was on the HighSpeedTrain from Rotterdam to Antwarp, and I had a very large bag with me with 5 very beautiful painting from 3 different artists.  One for Jayne, one Maureen, Anna, Sonja, and me.  All were of Amsterdam.  Two black and white and three color.  The one for Annabelle was my favorite.  It was magnificent color and the shapes were all swirly.  I wanted to be able to tell you, Anna, to hang it in your son's room and there he could have his first view of life outside America.  Anyway the train was not so packed.  And i had to use the restroom so I bunched my coat up over them and went to tinkle.  When I returned I thought nothing of it, and a couple minutes later, the train made a stop.  I re-situated, and was going to use my coat as a pillow.  When I pulled my coat, there was nothing underneath!! :(    I am so sorry to all that were supposed to receive them.  My heart is so heavy with grief over this.  I will have a small token from my trip for you all but please know that there was something so much more special planned.