Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Metroparks
A few Sundays ago I went to the Metroparks for a hike and took some pictures. Really beautiful day!
Thanks Steve
Today Steve Burton confirmed that he is leaving General Hospital after playing Jason Morgan on and off for 21 years. I am not surprised by this news as significant changes have taken place the past few years. Mainly the economy - which has been affecting just about everything. I haven't been watching the past few years due to college except during the James Franco story arcs. I began to suspect something as Steve announces new business opportunities in fitness and health drinks. Plus relocating his family to Nashville.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Sunset Pictures I
These photos were taken in June 2006 during a cruise to Mexico and the Cayman Islands.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
London Day 4
In case you were wondering Day 3 was the Warner Brothers London (Harry Potter studio) day and already wrote about it earlier...
I decided that Wednesday would be "neighborhood day" during this vacation or "holiday" as they called it there.
The weather was perfect. Bright and sunny and in the mid to upper 60s. I decided to walk down Oxford Street, one of the biggest shopping streets in London. In my opinion its just chain stores (UK and USA) but Selfridges, John Lewis, and Marks and Spencer are all there. It was still 8:30 so most stores were not open yet and still the edge of rush hour. I walked all the way to Tottenham Court Road, which from Marble Arch is a long walk. Lots to see but I could already feel it in my legs. Luckily the bus I wanted to catch has a stop along the road. I was able to get the front seat on the top deck so I could film.
The route took me into Mornington Crescent and Camden Town. I probably would have stopped in Camden Town but nothing was really opened yet. I guess I will put it on my list for next time. I wanted to stop at St. Dominic's Priory just on the edge of Hampstead Heath. Its a beautiful Catholic Church. There's a saying "they don't make churches like these anymore" and this one fits perfectly.
I walked north and started my journey through Hampstead Heath. The ponds were just off the entrance. With the sun out, the ponds were bright and the walk was very peaceful. I heard locals and tourist talk about Hampstead and now I know what the fuss is about... and they are right. Besides the surrounding neighborhoods this particular area is quiet and peaceful. Londoners come to get away from the traffic and noise of the city. Hampstead Heath is right next to Parliament Hill. That area of the park overlooks the city of London.
What a breathtaking view. Its one of the many places in London where one stops and you feel as though you are in one of the greatest cities in the world.
After eating lunch in the village I wanted to get to Abbey Road There a famous photograph of The Beatles walking across the road right in front of Abbey Road Studios. I was not very far from St. John's Wood, where the studios where located.
St. John's Wood, like Hampstead, is an affluent area. I took bus #46 down and got off near the St. John's Wood tube station. I was only a few minutes away so I called Dad from my mobile phone telling him where I was. Before I left he said there was a street camera at the famous crosswalk. So I told him I would be there in a few minutes and explained to him what I was wearing and carrying in case there were many people there.
I made it to the intersection of Abbey Road and Grove End Road. I got out my Kodak video camera (a small camera the size of a mobile phone) and began to record although it took forever due to traffic. By the way residents and drivers dislike tourists there because they get in the way. I called my Dad back and he said he saw me.
After talking to him I got on the Tube. I was one stop away from Baker Street station. Baker Street is where the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes lived. Since its publication from Victorian times, fans of the detective and the series have made Baker Street a shrine to the detective. Between Marylebone Road and Regent's Park a set of Georgian flats have been converted to the Sherlock Holmes Museum and the Sherlock Holmes shop. There is also a hotel named after the fictional detective as well. I have read the stories since I was in fifth grade and wrote a paper about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in college. So I really wanted to go. Plus I am a big fan of Benedict Cumberbatch and admired Jeremy Brett and Basil Rathbone, who portrayed Sherlock in films and television. If you are not a fan of the books or media then its best to skip this but for fans its very neat.
After this I was exhausted...
I decided that Wednesday would be "neighborhood day" during this vacation or "holiday" as they called it there.
The weather was perfect. Bright and sunny and in the mid to upper 60s. I decided to walk down Oxford Street, one of the biggest shopping streets in London. In my opinion its just chain stores (UK and USA) but Selfridges, John Lewis, and Marks and Spencer are all there. It was still 8:30 so most stores were not open yet and still the edge of rush hour. I walked all the way to Tottenham Court Road, which from Marble Arch is a long walk. Lots to see but I could already feel it in my legs. Luckily the bus I wanted to catch has a stop along the road. I was able to get the front seat on the top deck so I could film.
The route took me into Mornington Crescent and Camden Town. I probably would have stopped in Camden Town but nothing was really opened yet. I guess I will put it on my list for next time. I wanted to stop at St. Dominic's Priory just on the edge of Hampstead Heath. Its a beautiful Catholic Church. There's a saying "they don't make churches like these anymore" and this one fits perfectly.
I walked north and started my journey through Hampstead Heath. The ponds were just off the entrance. With the sun out, the ponds were bright and the walk was very peaceful. I heard locals and tourist talk about Hampstead and now I know what the fuss is about... and they are right. Besides the surrounding neighborhoods this particular area is quiet and peaceful. Londoners come to get away from the traffic and noise of the city. Hampstead Heath is right next to Parliament Hill. That area of the park overlooks the city of London.
What a breathtaking view. Its one of the many places in London where one stops and you feel as though you are in one of the greatest cities in the world.
After eating lunch in the village I wanted to get to Abbey Road There a famous photograph of The Beatles walking across the road right in front of Abbey Road Studios. I was not very far from St. John's Wood, where the studios where located.
St. John's Wood, like Hampstead, is an affluent area. I took bus #46 down and got off near the St. John's Wood tube station. I was only a few minutes away so I called Dad from my mobile phone telling him where I was. Before I left he said there was a street camera at the famous crosswalk. So I told him I would be there in a few minutes and explained to him what I was wearing and carrying in case there were many people there.
I made it to the intersection of Abbey Road and Grove End Road. I got out my Kodak video camera (a small camera the size of a mobile phone) and began to record although it took forever due to traffic. By the way residents and drivers dislike tourists there because they get in the way. I called my Dad back and he said he saw me.
After talking to him I got on the Tube. I was one stop away from Baker Street station. Baker Street is where the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes lived. Since its publication from Victorian times, fans of the detective and the series have made Baker Street a shrine to the detective. Between Marylebone Road and Regent's Park a set of Georgian flats have been converted to the Sherlock Holmes Museum and the Sherlock Holmes shop. There is also a hotel named after the fictional detective as well. I have read the stories since I was in fifth grade and wrote a paper about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in college. So I really wanted to go. Plus I am a big fan of Benedict Cumberbatch and admired Jeremy Brett and Basil Rathbone, who portrayed Sherlock in films and television. If you are not a fan of the books or media then its best to skip this but for fans its very neat.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
London 2012 Day 1 and 2.
I took off from Cleveland on Saturday the 12th of May and went through Toronto for our overnight flight to London. My mom and aunt were on this trip too. I was on my own for a good portion of the time though.
We landed Sunday morning. Luckily I slept better this time than I did my previous trip. ( I will write about that on another post.)
By the time we got off the plane, went through Border Patrol and then through our tour got on the Hotel by Bus shuttle to central London. I wasn't really impressed with it to be perfectly honest. I was not the one who made the reservations for that. I would have taken Heathrow Connect or Heathrow Express to Paddington then a taxi to the hotel. It would have been a little (not much less) money, and you don't have to wait for others. We had to wait to drop others off at their hotels. Of course at this time we were tired and cranky. We did take the same one from our hotel back to Heathrow the following Saturday and that wasn't so bad because we just had to pick up one other person and our driver was extremely nice.
We arrived at our hotel around noon. Our room was not ready yet so we went to Selfridges, a huge department store, for lunch. At the cafe there was salted beef. I didn't try that. I opted for the salad. Its sad that the United States does not have department stores like these anymore. All the Macy's and Dillards are basically the same. Not very unique at all. Cleveland got rid of theirs but now a casino is in the original spot. Selfridges is a little less expensive than Harrods but Marks &Spencers are the best.
I got my European phone and by that time our room was ready. Mom and I walked to a church not far from the hotel. Surprisingly there are plenty of Catholic Churches in London but not as many as Anglican. St. James was right in the center of Marylebone and mass went by quick. We stopped at a Tesco and got their yummy sandwiches. Many of the grocery stores have prepared foods which is nice. We then walked around Oxford Street and Hyde Park the rest of the evening.
We landed Sunday morning. Luckily I slept better this time than I did my previous trip. ( I will write about that on another post.)
By the time we got off the plane, went through Border Patrol and then through our tour got on the Hotel by Bus shuttle to central London. I wasn't really impressed with it to be perfectly honest. I was not the one who made the reservations for that. I would have taken Heathrow Connect or Heathrow Express to Paddington then a taxi to the hotel. It would have been a little (not much less) money, and you don't have to wait for others. We had to wait to drop others off at their hotels. Of course at this time we were tired and cranky. We did take the same one from our hotel back to Heathrow the following Saturday and that wasn't so bad because we just had to pick up one other person and our driver was extremely nice.
We arrived at our hotel around noon. Our room was not ready yet so we went to Selfridges, a huge department store, for lunch. At the cafe there was salted beef. I didn't try that. I opted for the salad. Its sad that the United States does not have department stores like these anymore. All the Macy's and Dillards are basically the same. Not very unique at all. Cleveland got rid of theirs but now a casino is in the original spot. Selfridges is a little less expensive than Harrods but Marks &Spencers are the best.
I got my European phone and by that time our room was ready. Mom and I walked to a church not far from the hotel. Surprisingly there are plenty of Catholic Churches in London but not as many as Anglican. St. James was right in the center of Marylebone and mass went by quick. We stopped at a Tesco and got their yummy sandwiches. Many of the grocery stores have prepared foods which is nice. We then walked around Oxford Street and Hyde Park the rest of the evening.
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