Day 10: Mmmm, Shrimp.

Posted on July 8, 2011 by mreece85

The Borough Market is amazing!  It reminds me of Pike Place Market in Seattle, but maybe a little bigger.  There were so many samples and delicious foods.  I bought a carrot cake, mishapes (how they spelled it) chocolates, lemon curd, and a balsamic/truffle glaze.  I tasted a wonderful truffle oil, but it seemed like a bit much.  On our way back to the train station, we came back through and I got a garlic shrimp wrap.  There was a long line, so it must have been well known.  The café is called Applebees, but definitely not the same as our chain here at home.  The wrap came with not only tasty shrimp, but also salad (or as we would call it, lettuce), crème fresh, and sweet chili sauce.  It was great; in fact, I think it was my favorite flavor of the trip.  I am so glad I waited in line.  Now I have a new recipe to try at home .  Hmm, maybe I’ll try to make that tomorrow…

After the Borough Market we made our way to Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.  We had a very entertaining tour guide.  He was very informative and mixed in what I thought was hilarious, dry humor.  I cannot imagine the stench of the theatre at that time.  First, you are standing around with people that may not have bathed in 6 months.  Into the recipe you add the odor of urine and feces because of the lack of facilities (and who has time for that during the show anyway).  Another lovely scent to add to the mix would include garlic because it was believed that it helped ward off the plague.  Toss in some beer and rain, and you get eau de toilettes.  It did not smell anything like that while we were there.
We went to the Tate Modern next.  I was not a major fan overall.  The artwork did not seem comparable to some of the great works we saw previously, and the building was not very appealing with its cold industrial appearance.

We crossed the Millennium Bridge to visit St. Paul’s Cathedral, but there was an annual service, so we were not permitted in.


(PS, not dementors, Death eaters.)
We thought we’d try to see the London Eye with our newly freed time.  The cost to ride the eye was 34 pounds, so we opted to simply view the eye from ground level.  I was pretty excited about an angle I got of the eye and also a full viewing of Parliament just across the Thames.  As a side note, I still have to consciously sound out Thames when I see it.  It is not pronounced phonetically, but rather more like “tems.”

Our next item on the list was Westminster Abbey.  There were no photos allowed inside, so I was pretty disappointed.  Carolyn told me this before going, but I think my defense mechanisms were in the denial stage.  I watched the royal wedding and was so excited to get inside and see all of the familiar sites, and most importantly, take pictures of them.  I have to admit that it did not look as glamorous as it appeared for the wedding.  It is so disappointing to experience these places with so many people.  I would love a more intimate viewing.  I did see Newton and Darwin’s tombs.  I thought it was so interesting that the man who came up with the Theory of Evolution is buried in a famous church.  It was great to see the two come together.

I had a really nice time and St. James Park this night.  It was so relaxing and it felt like I was away from the city for a moment.  I enjoyed watching the ducks, geese, squirrels, and other animals.  I enjoy narrating their actions.  It was a full day, and this was a perfect way to end it.