petronia

Some notes for myself, because I don't suppose if I posted to Tumblr that I'll be able to find them easily again. XD;

Saturday, Oct 1

Had food poisoning on the red eye (toxic work stress + not eating + finished all the half empty beers in the fridge tho!), which was awful and the Gravol that normally knocks me out did nothing for, except that my body literally couldn't decide whether to pass out or to vomit which I only now realize is precisely how people die from overdose in train/plane toilets. D: I WAS NOT THE WORST OFF PERSON ON THIS FLIGHT. Another Asian girl fainted by my row and hit her head. She was all right but a doctor was summoned and many forms were filled. 2016 is really taking its toll.
But then after 12 hours or so I was basically OK.
Airbnb room was in a row house near Waterloo station - cons: small child cried at night, lots of ppl coming and going, awkward time of year when it's cold but ppl generally don't have heat on. Pros: great transit location but no street noise, cake shop close by, laundry/fridge facilities.
Went to Borough Market, bought cheese/cured meats/apples, so cross that off the bucket list as I have now been in England at the right time of year to try the weird English apples you read about in books but can't get elsewhere. XD Met Cis, gave her 2 bottles of Quebec stout, wandered into Bermondsey where there was also market and a sort of hipster-y stretch of converted industrial workshops into bars/restaurants with outdoor seating. Like, there was a single public washroom that belonged to what looked like a restaurant but was actually an obnoxious furniture shop (in the Anthropologie Gone Wild mode) that also had an Aesop counter??? Cis was hung over, I was jetlagged. The weather was good until it wasn't, choosing to soak us just as we were making our way over the Millennium Bridge (having crossed the Thames twice). But that was the last time it rained all trip!
Realized the Tate Modern was open til 10pm so went back to see the Georgia O'Keeffe exhibition. A full survey of her artistic evolution and commendably debunking her "vagina art" rep, but of course I was too tired to really enjoy it. XD; Also saw the Louise Bourgeois travelling "artist's room" which I'm quite glad of.

Sunday, Oct 2

Rolled out of bed in a hurry as Rietta had booked us into BRUNCH at ~~Mordor~~ the SHARD, since going up the SHARD is like 30 pounds but BRUNCH is only 48. The SHARD has 3 restaurants at the top, reached via a separate elevator fleet from the ground floor. The elevators are pre-programmed and the buttons don't work.
Rietta gave brunch 6/10. I had Welsh hogget (lamb) and lemon posset (lemon curd, served in an asymmetrical mini terrarium. This is a London 2k16 thing). As seem from the SHARD, when sunlight hits the Thames and reflects on their glass facades, the newer waterfront buildings look as if they're made of suspended water and no surfaces at all. The effect never lasts long.
Persuaded Rietta to go to the Tate Britain with me to see the Turner Prize shortlist artists. BIG GOLD BUM etc. Rietta does not do contemporary art but the Tate Britain also has Sargents and Turners and Blake and loads of Pre-Raphaelites - all old friends. XD
Back to Borough Market for dinner at Wright Brothers Oysters and Porter House. Rietta gives this place 8/10 for seafood and she is from HK. Probably the best oysters I have had in my entire life: I don't have them often - these were locals, from various places around the UK, and just tasted like whichever icy inlet they were pulled out of. Like the Platonic ideal of the sea.

Monday, Oct 3

Rolled out of bed in very slightly less hurry to meet Mahala at the British Museum (after resolving train ticket rigmarole, see below). Booked to see the Sunken Cities exhibition at 12:30 (I think?) which was too late to get proper lunch so we just ate vending truck food outside the museum and chatted. The exhibition was of course amazing if one is into Greco-Egyptian. Eg. It explained what (we think were) the rites of Osiris at that time/place, which notably involved making an Osiris figure out of barley and planting it. Mysteries... OF THE GARDEN VAT
Also learnt that the bird with outstretched wings one often sees painted on mummies is meant to represent Isis, er, having sex with the resurrected Osiris. A carved sarcophagus made this rather clear as the sculpture was in 3 dimensions. And that is why Horus is a birb.
My sister and mom texted me to say that they were in Athens so we sent each other photos of ourselves in front of the Parthenon frieze respectively. XD;;;
After this we walked down to Covent Garden to pick up the bracelets I ordered for London Cocktail Week so we could get 5 pound cocktails. We only went drinking for a couple of days but I was very impressed?? Just the guidebook is a great bar resource and well worth the 5 pounds.
But neither of us had eaten so actually we got smashed on like two drinks and went for Korean BBQ. XD;

Tuesday, Oct 4

Took the train to Bath despite inevitable ticket rigmarole (thought I was travelling Tues, told everyone I was travelling Tues, made plans for Wed, of course had actually booked advance tickets for Wed).
Roman Baths
Bath Abbey (Malthus has a plaque there)
food fest outside Bath Abbey, where I improbably got Filipino ginger congee in a takeaway cup
Holburne Museum
stroll in Sydney Gardens and along the canal
basically just walking around and shopping for tea towels or whatever
modern baths i.e. the Spa. If there is an onsen as part of the available tourist experience one should always take advantage of it imo. XD This place had a blue-lit heated rooftop pool where you can watch the sun set over the (very picturesque) city, and the mineral water is easier to float in than regular water - I think? This didn't cost more than a 2-3 hour spa treatment would here so arguably ties Cocktail Week for best deal of the trip.
Got a "porn star martini" (passionfruit vanilla cocktail with half a passionfruit floating in it and a shot of prosecco on the side - passionfruit is another London 2k16 thing) at the cocktail bar next to the train station. Was immediately adopted by 4 drunk girls named Saffron, Jade, Frankie, and Hailey, who all loved Craig David. I get from the Jukebox that Craig David is a London 2k16 thing MAYBE.

Wednesday, Oct 5