You can drink an abstract concept...

...provided it is a bottle of London Pride you're treating yourself to.

These last two days I mostly wrote and applied to some temp agencies in Reading, so as to hopefully get a part-time job to replenish funds while I'm there. Alex is being helpful and has promised to harrass a friend of his who might be able to get me some temp work, so I've got that going for me as well. But whatever comes of that, it shall be dropped rather hard and fast when I get something decent in London. Tomorrow I'll be able to get away with harassing Lead Generators to see if I make it to "The Interview-Round Two: Do we like your face?".

Meanwhile the Conference Producer thing fell through, but that's okay - the nice woman at Greythorn was honest when she told me that the hiring company had ratcheted up their expectations from when they posted the advertisement. I'll just keep casting the net, I suppose! What else can a lad do?

Today I headed into the heart of London to hit up some more recruitment offices, then treated myself to a "Tourist Afternoon" in my absolute favorite part of the city - along the Thames embankement area. Lo and behold - I had my camera and I remembered to use it!

A tribute to RAF pilots in a certain famous battle. It was touching to see that people still lay fresh wreaths here.

A tribute to RAF pilots, period, though as with a lot of war momuments there was a certain focus on the two great wars to be found in it's text.

The millenium pedestrian bridge! Good fun, especially if you can forget the footage from it's early days, when it bounced an swayed like a bouncy castle thanks to a mistake in it's construction.

The lush Embankment park, as seen from the other side of the Thames.

The Royal Courts of Justice. Basically every building in this area was as impressive though - there were simple business offices which looked like the set for a Victorian era romantic tragedy.

One of the CCTV camera's which keep an eye on the public. Yeah yeah, big brother....but they kind of make me feel safe! I guess so long as we are wise enough not to vote in ultra-fascists, then things will be ok.

Perhaps you've heard of this bridge? It's always falling down.

I was well pleased to come across a street exhibit of Gorillaz artwork.

More pictures........in that nebulous realm known as, the future. Once again, it was truly humbling to be around so much history. There is something akin to the Ottawa War Memorial about every other city block and smaller bronze statues (including all sorts, from war heroes to the inventor of Sunday school!) are even more common. Meanwhile, about 60% of the buildings were standing before Canada even existed and some from before the Old World had even discovered the new. Yowza.

For now I am going to do a little more online job searching and then sleep in. I plan to hit London again tomorrow, perhaps more pictures shall be taken?

Differences! The one thing we all have in common! Er...
1) So I think I have a lead on the dearth of garbage cans, in the tube at least. I found a large painted sign in Victoria station letting people know that thanks to 7/7 (AKA the tube bombings last summer) all tube trash cans have been temporarily removed since it would be so easy to conceal explosives in them. It didn't say how temporarily though. A little scary in theory, I guess, but I haven't felt bothered even when I've been going through Kings Cross station.

2) Tying into #1, if there is one thing that recorded public announcements will make clear to you on any tube or train or just about anywhere else - for fucks sake, do not leave any unattended bags laying about. If you do this, your bag may be taken out back to be shot and buried. Again, I reckon this is a result of 7/7 and that other famous, highly marketable date.

3) It is pricier to live in London, no doubt, but people do it! That being said, I won't deny that I was shocked to run into a very common practice amongst sandwich shops - charging an extra 10p or 20p on each item should you wish to have the privilage of setting your arse down in their establishment. Needless to say, I have been pleased to find a plethora of benches in most areas I've been to.