The Visit, Day Five

A simple girl in London has many things to be thankful for.  Body shapes and sizes are so varied and not many people endeavor to hide their jiggles and wiggles.  The wind is always blowing in London and the hairstyles are evidence of that.  In fact, it seems to be rather cool to look a mess, all in all.  You have to dress in layers and wear comfortable shoes; it’s hot in the tube and on the bus, but it’s windy and cool on your walk.  Inevitably, all of the parts to your ensemble will not match.  Pieces of your outfit work together, maybe, but overall it’s just a hodgepodge of your personal style and there are so many different people here with so many different individual styles that you get the feeling that anything goes.  It’s a bit of a relief to feel removed from the pressures that I imagine at home–to be polished, sweat free, and perfectly accessorized.

 

We discovered a new neighborhood today, called Maida Vale.  It’s a very nice place–bordering on a not-so-nice neighborhood.  There are great quaint and quiet streets that feel a bit more like home than the flats above and in between shops that exist closer to the heart of London.  There were plenty of nannies shuffling their charges along the walk and children playing in parks.  We met with Scott and Vito this evening for drinks and then went to eat Indian food with Scott.  Wow.  Real Indian food, with an educational staff and great menu.

Tonight we say goodbye to our wonderful evening street noise (the morning street noise is not so lovely).  We do enjoy the sounds of laughter and merriment that continue past midnight each day. So, good evening and goodnight to our lovely neighbors!

Tomorrow we return to our wonderful family and friends in a place we currently call home.  I can’t wait to see you all.