A Giant in Europe: 4. Jewellery, Art, Jesus, Fish and Pumba!

I awoke at a more reasonable time today, around 10:30am. I know, it's still late for a person on vacation, but it like my sleep, and I'm having full days regardless. So, I got all ready, all stuff where it needed to be and realized that I was the last one out of the house, by hours. There's another family staying at the house now too, in the room next to mine. I feel bad because I have this terrible Ikea bed, and it makes SO much notice when I toss and turn, which I do a lot. Oh well. No one knocked on the door to yell at me, so I presume all was okay.

Anyhow, with a clementine in hand, I made my way over to Borough Market. I briefly looked at a map, but kind of just headed out on an adventure. I found this lovely store along the way that sells some very fun clothes, but I ended up in the jewellery section. You guys, I found a super-fun necklace, and I'm obsessed with it:

Isn't that just so.... Hayley?

I carried on from there, missing the Borough Market by a street, actually I walked directly in front of it and didn't notice. So, I headed back after a lovely man pointed me in the right direction, and oh man, this place is amazing. It wasn't all open, I could tell I wasn't there during prime time, but, there was just so much great stuff too see, and eat, and smell.

Then I saw this line up of people, and thought, "I want to eat whatever they want to eat!", so, without knowing what it was, I stood in line. I mean, if that many people want it, it must be good. I think there's some type of psychological study about people blindly following people in a line, not knowing what is at the front, to prove that people have a sheep/group mentality, but guys, this was food, and by the looks of it, fresh fish. So, I stood in line for about 10 minutes, and boy did it pay off:

I got my delicious fresh garlic shrimp and Cajun whitefish wrap with lettuce and chili sauce and creme fraiche, and walked toward the Tate Modern. I managed to spill the wrap all down my dress, and down the front of my sunglasses, which we're hanging from my dress. I still can't get the grease off of the glasses. Oh well, a small price to pay for delicious!

Then I got to the Tate, yet another free gallery. The most exciting thing for me were two things:

1. They had two Kandinsky's, my favourite artists of all time. I listened in on a tour guide as I walked up to the one I've loved for a long time. He was explaining that Kandinsky believed that an artists didn't have to portray a specific object to convey or evoke emotion. He believed that an artist could use only colour, shown through lines and shape, to appeal to people. You guys, if you know me well, or even just a little bit, you know that I am obsessed with colour, cannot get enough. I nearly jumped in the air when he said it, but then remembered that I was in a distinguished art gallery, in London England, in public.

2. I bought a 3D printed necklace. I don't have a picture as yet, because I can't get the colour in it right, but I will eventually post it. It's a cobalt blue birdcage, with a little blue bird inside on its perch, moving around as you move the necklace. I had to have it! I also bought a Tate Modern button. It did not solicit the same response, but, it was £1, and represented the great art gallery.

Below are a bunch of pictures, there was just too much great stuff to take pictures of. Enjoy!

Then there was Jesus. I walked from the Tate to St. Paul's Cathedral, and while I wasn't supposed to take pictures... you guessed it. The place is STUNNING. As much as it's silly to admit, because the meaning of the building doesn't resonate with me, a non-religious woman, it brought a tear to my eye. It's really, really breathtaking.

I stayed for the evening prayer. Again, an odd choice perhaps, but I'm happy to learn and experience something, even if I don't believe it in myself. It was quite nice. Also, I went to the basement to see the tombs, as there was a half hour until the evening prayer started, and while I walked down, it got a little eerie! I did my little walk about, and then when I went to go to the gift shop, the man said that the stairway that I had come down, across the whole place, closed in three minutes. Uhhh, did not want to get stuck with the tombs! I hauled ass out of there, and got back up to the main floor. It was a polite and quiet ass-hauling, not to worry.

Then it was food time. A lot of time had gone by since I last ate, and I was pretty close to that pass-out-in-public point. I walked, and walked, and walked to find somewhere to eat near the theatre. This is where the more fish and Pumba come in! I ended up at a restaurant called Axis, and it was out-ra-gous-ly delicious! I had this halibut, but it was served with skinned green grapes, teeny-tiny shrimps (probably qctually called something much more intelligent than that), purple cauliflower, tiny little asparagus (probably not at all the right food, but they looked like that), and some ridiculously good cream sauce all fancily decorating the side of the plate. Then I ordered dessert. You guys... this was the best dessert I have ever, in life, in a long life do desserts, ever had. It was peanut butter ice cream, flambé banana, on a bed of phyllo pastry, with caramel popcorn and mixed, candied, salted nuts.

Whaaaaaaaaaat? My brain exploded. Right after my mouth did.

(Not great pictures, it was dark in there...)

That last picture is of some amuse bouche-iness they brought by with the cheque. It was two marshmallows and two fruit jelly cubes, all on a bed of fruit sugar. Good lord.

And then it was time for The Lion King! I've seen it in Toronto, I've seen it in New York, and now I've seen it in London! It is SUCH a good show, I would go back every night if it wasn't for the budget. If you haven't seen it, man, it's just so, so, so, so good, and I cried again like I do every time. The voices of these people, live, are just too much. It's such a talent, I feel so lucky auto be able to experience it. It's like Cirque Du Soleil (yeah, I checked, none here when I am), just the sheer talent is too much for my brain to handle. It deals with it in tears, but happy ones!