I think I'm head over heels...

LONDON!!

This city is amazing. I don't know what it is, but I think I love it here. I got in this morning and came straight to my hostel. After I unloaded everything, I just took off walking. No direction, really. My hostel is right on Kensington park, so I decided to start off by walking through the park. It was gorgeous.. just so pretty and charming and friendly. I found a main street and walked along it for a while. Then I found a path that branched off from the road, and started walking that way. It took me to another park, Holland park, I think. (I passed a big sand pit with a sign above it: Dog Toilet - !!). This park was beautiful too.. it had tons of little paths that kept twisting through the trees. It felt like I was getting lost in a secret garden, except that I eventually found myself in a pretty little neighborhood.. Chelsea maybe? There were some signs but I don't remember what they said. I walked some more, and saw lots of identical, yet pretty, houses lining all the streets. I think then I was in Notting Hill or something. The next thing I knew, I was on Portobello street (no idea how that happened). I remembered having read in Rick Steves that Portobello is famous for its big market and vendors. So I walked along this street for awhile, browsing through all the antique jewlery and cool clothes and handmade bags. It was pretty cool. Then I stopped for tea (had to, this is England after all). I kept on walking for a while, and then suddenly realized I was back at my hostel. It was weird - I did a complete loop of the surrounding neighborhood, without as much as a map.

Just walking around here is so, I dunno, therapeutic? I think this is the first town that's made me feel so excited and happy, just to be here. And it's not like the weather is especially nice - it's been super windy and cloudy all day. Maybe it's because I can actually understand and communicate with people well, a nice change from France! Or maybe it's because everyone sounds so funny and I'm the one who sticks out the minute I start talking with my gross American accent. Regardless, I think this is going to be a nice vacation.

The internet situation here is not so good, since I have to pay for usage time and there is no wifi anywhere! (however, right now I happened to use a computer whose previous user did not sign out.. and I'm using their leftover time!). So I will not be able to post any pictures yet.. words will have to suffice for now. But I promise I will put all the photos online as soon as I am able!

Over and out for now. Cheers!