... And the blustery day

I have a cute wool hat.  It's nice and warm and I nearly wore it yesterday, but I'm glad I didn't as I would've been chasing it down the street within seconds.  (I put on a rain hat, with a little lanyard under my chin, to walk two blocks in the rain that evening.  It flew back and was just tied around my neck within the first block.)  Look, England is getting battered by this storm and what I'm getting in London is very much the least of it.  I'm not complaining; I'm just painting a picture.  And that picture is:  don't bother brushing your hair if you're going outside. 

I had little to do yesterday, although buying a pair of comfortable shoes that could step in puddles better than my current options was high on the list.  (Again, not complaining.  But between my wonky hip and my foot injury, I was limited in what I could safely pack to only two pairs of shoes:  soft flats that would fall apart in a puddle and boots that are a bit too loose and becoming a tripping hazard.)  So I found a likely shoe store and aimed toward it on the Underground.  Bought shoes.  Entered the Underground station to return to the hotel.

The platform was so full of people, it was backing up the stairs leading to the platform.  Someone behind me yelled to the folks on the platform, asking what the board said about when the next train was due.   The board was blank.  I decided to hoof it instead and backed my way out of the station (paying about $3 for the privilege - internet says that should be refunded within 7 days, so I'll postpone my outrage).  

Let's take a moment to talk about Suspicious Parcels That Need Blowing Up.  The day I arrived, there was one at Gatwick Airport and another outside the American Embassy.  Yesterday, it seems there was one at one of the underground stations a bit further up the line.  Delay explained, but WTF IS GOING ON WITH THE WORLD?  (Wait, don't tell me; I know this one.)

Walking around London, I heard a man explaining to his son what "Internet Cafes" were, and I've never felt so old.

Had afternoon tea at my current favorite tea joint:  the Grand Saloon at Theatre Royal Drury Lane.  Food is about an 8; but the location is just off the charts for theatre geeks.

Not many shows play in London on Sundays, so I took in "Back to the Future."  (Ticket had been purchased, like, a day before I'd learned the touring company was coming to L.A.)  Kind of glad I saw the original production here as the most noteable part was the lighting that covered the ceiling, the boxes, and the front part of the walls into the auditorium.  Yes, I know, a show isn't great if you come out humming the lights.  But it was fun and nostalgic (for us GenX'ers) and, while great new songs would've been a pleasant surprise, that's not really why anyone goes to see it.

Today promises to be cold but dry and not too windy.  Excitement!

Edited to add:  Normally, when I'm in a hotel someplace, I don't mind changing with the curtains open.  Some foreign stranger wants to amuse themselves with a free peek?  Have at it.  However, with the current view out of my window, I've chosen to be a bit more demure.